Dave Jurek
07-21-2011, 9:42 AM
Hopefully I can accurately describe this…
*
I’m attempting making my first set of raised panel doors.* I’ve got my rails and stiles cut, and I’ve finished off the raised panel piece cutting it 1/8” short of the rail tenon-to-tenon length (and similarly 1/8” short of the rail length) as a first pass.* When I try a dry fit up, I’m noticing that I can’t fit the panel completely into the dados around the rails and stiles.
*
My dado depth is 3/8” and my width is 1/4”.* Fairly standard, yes?* I’m using the Rockler round stile and rail router bit set (item# 92013) in tandem with their cove horizontal raised panel bit (item# 21522). The issue I’m having is the tongue of the raised panel is barely 1/4”, more like 3/16” of flatness before the shoulder of the cove starts rising. Make sense?* The rising of the cove shape only allows so much of the tongue to fit into the dado.* I would have expected enough flat tongue on the piece that I could bottom the panel out into the 3/8” deep dado.* Not the case.
*
I do plan to use space balls and I understand I need to cut the panel 5/32” short on each side to allow for movement however, this is barely over 1/8” and I am concerned that if there is any expansion of the panel, it will push the glued joints apart.*
*
I’ve talked to Rockler tech support and their response is cut the width of the tongue shallower so I can get a better fit.* That sounds absurd to me.* They also said they’ve never heard of this issue.* So either I’m doing something wrong, or I have a poorly designed raised panel bit.
*
Can any of you offer advice?
*
I’m attempting making my first set of raised panel doors.* I’ve got my rails and stiles cut, and I’ve finished off the raised panel piece cutting it 1/8” short of the rail tenon-to-tenon length (and similarly 1/8” short of the rail length) as a first pass.* When I try a dry fit up, I’m noticing that I can’t fit the panel completely into the dados around the rails and stiles.
*
My dado depth is 3/8” and my width is 1/4”.* Fairly standard, yes?* I’m using the Rockler round stile and rail router bit set (item# 92013) in tandem with their cove horizontal raised panel bit (item# 21522). The issue I’m having is the tongue of the raised panel is barely 1/4”, more like 3/16” of flatness before the shoulder of the cove starts rising. Make sense?* The rising of the cove shape only allows so much of the tongue to fit into the dado.* I would have expected enough flat tongue on the piece that I could bottom the panel out into the 3/8” deep dado.* Not the case.
*
I do plan to use space balls and I understand I need to cut the panel 5/32” short on each side to allow for movement however, this is barely over 1/8” and I am concerned that if there is any expansion of the panel, it will push the glued joints apart.*
*
I’ve talked to Rockler tech support and their response is cut the width of the tongue shallower so I can get a better fit.* That sounds absurd to me.* They also said they’ve never heard of this issue.* So either I’m doing something wrong, or I have a poorly designed raised panel bit.
*
Can any of you offer advice?