Rail and stile help!

[Mike Steinhilper]

Ok, my first project involves building doors for ent. ctr. I have never build doors that had to look good! I am using Bosch rail and stile cutters in my router table. Stiles are not a problem. I run into trouble routing the lenghts and ends of the rails. Specifically:

1. Does anyone have a jig that holds the rails END firmly against the fence while also holding some scrap to prevent tear out? I'm having a hard time keeping it firmly perpendicular to the fence.

2. Should I cut the LENGTH of the rail first? Or the ends? Or does it matter?

3. Finally, what are these "space balls"? The panel will float in the frame, do I really need something in there? The panel is plywood so I would think it would keep it's dimension fairly consistently. Any thoughts?

[Don Baer]

I'll defer to the craftsmen out there to your first 2 questions. Here is a link for info on the spaceballs.


http://www.blackbridgeonline.com/

[Richard McComas]

This is a picture of a coping sled for router tables. You could easily make one of your own from "stuff" laying around the shop.

you don't say if you have a miter slot in you router table. The one in the picture do not have a miter bar on it but would be easy to include.

Anyway maybe the picture will give you some ideas.


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[Jim Becker]

I made a quicky, el-cheapo version of what Rich shows for coping the ends of rails. One side has the miror profile routed in to hold the piece when doing one end, and the other is flat for the opposite end. Scraps were used, so it essentially cost nothing.

[Chris Padilla]

For the "spaceball" stuff, you could also go the el-cheapo route:

Pick up some latex caulk (cheapest you can find) and lay out a few lines of it on some wax paper and let it dry. Peel it off, cut it up...instant spaceballs!

The coping sled posted above should give you some ideas on a jig you can toss together to help out your little problem.

[frank shic]

mike, you should cut the rails to their finished lengths first. if you don't feel like blowing some extra money or time buying or making the rail jig, you can simple "gang up" several rails at one time so that all of their ends are in line with one another and then use a clamp (quickgrip's, bessey's...) on both sides to keep them from flying off the table as you push them through the router. i would also recommend clamping an end block on to the end to prevent tearout at the end of the cut - don't forget to SWITCH it when you do the other sides.

one last tip: don't forget to keep them facing DOWN when you turn them around for the other side!

have fun! :cool:

[Steve Jenkins]

If your panels are ply. don't worry about it. You can even glue them in. I like to cope the ends of the rails first so any chip-out is cleaned up when you run the stick profile.

[Steve Clardy]

Heres mine. Homemade.


Steve

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=11118