Options outside of CNC for MDF cabinet doors

[Bobby Robbinett]

So my boss and I have been looking at possibly starting to offer one piece or two piece MDF doors as a cheaper option for our cabinet customers. We are not a CNC shop though. With that said, we are considering a setup dedicated for this purpose. I know that Woodhaven makes a jig kit for this, and Unique has a more production style setup that uses big Porter Cable 3.25hp routers and a big table setup. Not much beyond the Woodhaven kit though comparing the Unique.

Are there any other companies or options for producing one piece or two piece MDF cabinet doors?

On another aspect, how would you guys go about making either one piece or two piece beveled profile shaker doors? I know there are a lot of options for making one piece raised panel doors, but what about shaker doors with a bevel profile around the panel?

[Kevin Jenness]

I suspect buying from a cnc shop that has the process down will be more profitable than making them in-house.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Kevin. This kind of thing can be a whole lot more cost effective to outsource, especially if CNC and volume to support it isn't there. And the dust.... ;)

[Bobby Robbinett]

I agree with Kevin. This kind of thing can be a whole lot more cost effective to outsource, especially if CNC and volume to support it isn't there. And the dust.... ;)

While I am sure that you and Kevin are generally correct about this. However I live in a very rural area and we only have one CNC shop and their machine is old and slow. Plus they get $175 an hour and for a job with more than 40 doors and 25+ drawer fronts I was told that would take over 8 hours to cut on their CNC and that is without milling the back side for the panel and hinge holes, just a plane flat back side. Eventually we will get our own CNC. Boss man has held out for a long time.

We are down for the Woodhaven kit for MDF 1 piece raised panel doors, but are there any special router bits for making 1 piece or 2 piece beveled profile shaker doors? How could this be done? Perhaps a jig to use a 1/4” bevel bit on the profile and a large surfacing bit to hog out the center panel area?

[Jim Becker]

By outsource, I'll clarify that I mean buying doors from producers like Keystone Wood Specialties (https://keystonewood.com/) and their many peers out there, not a local CNC shop. The same applies for drawer boxes, honestly.

[Erik Loza]

I'm with Jim on this: Buy or source out those parts. No trying to sound judgement-y but I've never seen any shop use a handheld router for doing any type of job like this.

Also, since MDF, it is worth mentioning that I might have them at least primed by whoever does them for you. With the humidity this time of year. Good luck, whatever you end up doing.

Erik

[Richard Coers]

Add another for outsourcing. Do the design, order the doors, start building the boxes and drawers. By the time the boxes and drawer are all done and installed, the doors will be close to delivery. Huge time saver and easier to bid cabinets with a fixed cost door. What is a two piece door? I know one piece, and 5 piece. But if you are considering the panel as one and the frame as one, you still need 4 more pieces to hold the panel in.

[J.R. Rutter]

Ritter used to make (and seems like there are still new machines being sold by the "new" Ritter) a router based setup for mdf door production. Unique currently has one that is very similar. Basically a pneumatic clamp table with integrated vacuum and a bunch of dedicated routers suspended above. Not sure what they cost, but certainly way cheaper than CNC.

https://www.uniquemachine.com/290.html#

https://www.exfactory.com/DetailNew/SA-010484/cat/SA

[Bobby Robbinett]

Ritter used to make (and seems like there are still new machines being sold by the "new" Ritter) a router based setup for mdf door production. Unique currently has one that is very similar. Basically a pneumatic clamp table with integrated vacuum and a bunch of dedicated routers suspended above. Not sure what they cost, but certainly way cheaper than CNC.

https://www.uniquemachine.com/290.html#

https://www.exfactory.com/DetailNew/SA-010484/cat/SA

Unique claims to produce square corners. How do they do that?

[Tom M King]

They do. Don't know how. I've never used a pre-hung door, in building new houses for 33 years, but if any MDF doors or needed, I buy them. They get them to me cheaper than I can make them, any kind of way.