Flat Raised Panel Help?

[Tony Shea]

I am in the process of making my first cabinet with a raised panel door. But the style of raised panel isn't your typical beveled raised panel. It is basically the style in which the panel is just rabbeted around the edge with a small shadow line between it and the frame, with the panel surface ending up just slightly shy of the frame front surface. I can't for the life of me find a different term for this type of door other than a flat raised panel, but a search on google or anywhere else never brings anything up similar. It is a common style of door in which James Krenov would create on his frame and panel cabinet doors.

Anyway, my question is in how to acheive an even shadow line all the way around the panel. I am making the panel width about an 1/8" (1/16" on each side) smaller than the groove width of the frame to allow for wood movement. What can I do to hold this panel in the frame securely so I can keep that even gap between the frame and panel and also keep the panel from rattling around? I've seen the use of space balls but do not have that option now as I have cut every peice to size, fitted the frame together, cut my frame grooves and am about to cut my panel rabbet. Is there a place along the panel tounge that I can add glue or something else to keep this panel in place? I may loose some of the gap with wood movement from season to season but am not too concerned as I've acounted for plenty of room. Should I be ok if I just glue the panel on the tounge in the center top and bottom? What are most people's methods when creating a frame and panel door of this style?

[Matt Armstrong]

As I see it, you have 3 options

1) trim your raised panel down slightly on both X and Y dimensions, then cut the rabbet, then buy and use spaceballs to keep the panel centered relative to the frame as it moves.

2) attempt to glue the panel into place and hope it doesn't move.

3) use a larger rabbet so that small variances aren't visible.

[Jamie Buxton]

Back before space balls, there was a fairly common procedure to ensure that the panel stays where you want. Assemble the door including the panel. Then slide the panel where you want it to stay. Then put a brad (or better yet a pin if you have a pin nailer) through the rail and panel near the middle along the end-grain sides -- usually the top of the door and the bottom. The two pins allow the panel to expand and contract across the grain, but prevent it from moving around much. Some builders use a wood peg instead of a metal nail. If you use a nail, you'd insert it from the rear. If you use a wood peg, you can insert it from the rear, but I've seen it on the front for decoration.

[Tony Shea]

Thanks Jamie, really that's the answer I was looking for. I might attempt to use the wooden peg option just to keep the look clean. I only plan on using a polished oil finish therefore don't want to risk having a pin show up that would need some filler. Then again I bet I could make it close to invisible if I don't dare use a wooden peg.

[Joe Chritz]

You can do the same with about two inches of glue in the center of the top and bottom.

Spaceballs are really the right answer. Cheap, easy and fast.

Also, I can't help on the name but I have used that panel style for a jewelry box and it looks pretty good. Since I use a drum sander for all the doors I have the face of the rails/stiles and the panel all even.

Joe

[Tony Shea]

So is there a certain name for this type of raised panel door? I get tired of the beveled raised panel style and think it gets used a little too much, but is just my opinion. I really like the clean lines of the flat raised panel with the shadow line all around.

[Nathan Allen]

Shaker Raised Panel? I've used this technique for drawer faces, except the "raised" portion of the panel is facing back and attached to the drawer front.

[Jamie Buxton]

I've taken to calling that a Krenov-style raised panel. He used it, and most folks have heard of him. So that name gets remembered.

[Tony Shea]

Yeah that works Jamie, "Krenov style raised panel." This was typicaly the most used style of raised panel I've seen in his cabinet doors. It is actually my inspiration for this cabinet as Im doing knife hinges, handcut dovetailed case joinery, and the top and bottom will extend over the door with the sides flush to the backside of the door. Is this considered half inset? I will also be adding a couple of small drawers to the inside with all pulls hand carved. The door will recieve a small divot on the right hand side center for a pull to keep the door clean of hardware. After reading most of Krenov's books (the few that are still in production or used ones for reasonable prices) I have become very fond of his style of work and have been incorporating some of it in my style. I really like his clean lines and attention to detail, as well as the un-extravagent nature of his peices. But that topic of Krenov is for another thread. Thanks for the help to all that responded.