First raised panel door

[Brent Romero]

Today I made my very first raised panel door. Although it's not perfect, I am pleased with my first attempt. Getting the cope cuts to perfectly align with the grooves seems to be an art. I am also challenged with getting the panel cutter to cut a perfect panel that is symetrical all the way around. More fun to come!!

[Peter Quinn]

Nice door! For me the real fun comes when you see the door being used, serving its purpose, functional and beautiful, and YOU made it! Great work, never give up!

[Brent Romero]

This was just an experimental door that I played around with. I have not perfected the process yet.

[scott vroom]

I always run some trial cope cuts to get the alignment correct.....saves on a lot of frustration (and sanding later!).

[Mel Fulks]

if you are useing a shaper, as opposed to a router. With most sets ,after you adjust the cope cutter you can change to the moulding cutter without further height adjustment; if you run all the parts FACE DOWN. Many (including commercial shops) insist on face up ,can't say why. If you don't get automatic alignment usually a thin shim under the moulding head will give you perfect alignment , just REMOVE it from spindle and save it.

[Dave Zellers]

Today I made my very first raised panel door.
Always a big day in the life of a woodworker. Congrats! Agree with Mel, face down, so that the face side of the pieces are flush and any differences in thickness show up on the back.

You'll remember this day for a long time.

[johnny means]

Good job. I like to use a couple of short pins to hold my panels centered. Shoot them into the mid point of the upper and lower stiles from the back.

[Mike Heidrick]

Looking great!

[larry senen]

240419always wanted to do oval raised panels, got the chance a couple of years ago

[Carl Beckett]

lways wanted to do oval raised panels, got the chance a couple of years ago



Thats a great door Larry - have you made its own post for it? Im sure those in the projects forum would love to see it and hear about how it was done.

Now - back to Brent - very nice!! As someone stated, a milestone to put together your first door. (and there is something about the first time all the parts go together that is satisfying - maybe because then you can see the finished product (proportions and such). No matter how much I draw it out and visualize it in my head, there is never a substitute for seeing it come together for the first time.

Tell us, what are you practicing to build with these new found skills?

[frank shic]

congratulations! time to remodel the kitchen :)

[Brent Romero]

Thanks. I am building a table/cabinet for my Big Green Egg from cypress. Who knows what will be next.

[Keith Hankins]

Looks good to me. Congrats, made you feel good didn't it. Don't know if you made them a bit oversized, but it helps and trim them perfect square after assembly. Another tip, make some jigs for cutting rails and stiles once you get it right you can use if forever and just go with it. Almost forgot, finish that panel before assembly!

[Chip Lindley]

Cypress? I would have sworn hickory or pecan ! Great first door Brent! Ya gotta start somewhere!

~~Chip~~

[howard s hanger]

Thanks. I am building a table/cabinet for my Big Green Egg from cypress. Who knows what will be next.

I did the same thing last summer. No cabinet doors, just drawers. Used two identical pieces of granite at different heights, one as a work surface and the lower one to hold the egg. Lot's of fun!

[Brent Romero]

Yep, pecky cypress. Thanks

[Brent Romero]

I am going to have a piece of inlaid granite beneath the egg and also a piece of inlaid granite as part of the work surface. Gotta love the egg!! I've had mine ~12yrs now...and love it.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Dumb question time.

Why is this process called "raising a panel"? Nothing's getting raised, the sides are being lowered. Or have I missed the point?

BTW, nice job on the door!

[frank shic]

the center is raised compared to the sides but you're right semantically.

[Larry Prem]

Looks real good.

Properly adjusting the cutter head is hard at first. I keep a gauge block around that has properly cut joint.
Once you have that block, use it to align your cutter head.

[scott vroom]

Dumb question time.

Why is this process called "raising a panel"? Nothing's getting raised, the sides are being lowered. Or have I missed the point?

BTW, nice job on the door!

It's a Zen koan....kinda like "the sound of one hand clapping".