Tombstone Door How To?

[Carl Eyman]

I need to build a SMALLarched panel door. It'll be about 5" wide by 10" tall. Making the rails and stiles out of 3/4" stock will make it too chunky, I think. about 1/2" would be ok, no? I don't have riouter bits for that thickness of stock. So I plan to cut the rails and stiles on the table saw running dadoes for the panels and tenons on the ends of the rails using a dado blade. I can cut the arch in the top rail on the band saw. How should I run the dado in the arch? If I do it with a slotting cutter with a ball bearing follower, I'm afraid it'll be too deep. Even if it is not, if my dado is 1/4 I'll only have 1/8" of stock outside the dado. I'll want to put some kind of decorative molding on it ( even it's only a chamfer). I'm afraid of splitting if I run the dado first. I'd prefer to run the molding first and the dado second, but how can I fill the dado so the follower bearing doesn't drop in the hole? On the straight stuff it's easy but on the curve? Any and all ideas are welcome.

[Mark Singer]

Carl,
A good way to do arches is a trammel radiused from a single point. You must set it up so the workpiece has a registration location. Cut the arch and the groove by swinging the same radius with a router...a stright bit for the edge...making multiple passes and a key hole bit will cou a nice slot, or a slot cutter at reduced radius... Since you are always swinging from the same point...it is accurate and smooth...great results..

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/librawood.safeshopper.com/images/20t4cse.gif

[tod evans]

carl, i would do the profile first using a router on all pieces, same setting. then plow the dado using a router from the back of your piece, the bearing riding on a template. then mortise and tennon the pieces mitering the rails and styles........02 tod

29627

29628

29629

[lou sansone]

great response tod... you beat me to it

.03 lou

[Carl Eyman]

Thanks, Mark the keyhole bit is a wonderful idea, My slotting bit cuts a 1/2" deep slot unless I can find a new bearing.

Tod & Lou, your method sounds fine, but don't I want a dado instead of a rabbet for the panel?

Anyway many thanks to all.

[tod evans]

carl, the method i discribed is for cutting a dado, use your slot cutter bit and a template. that`s why i posted the pics.. hope this helps? tod

[Carl Eyman]

Door is done! Not perfect, but I'm pleased with it. Let's see if I can post a picture.

Just checked. There is no size reference. Door is about 11 inches high. You can see a bench doog in lower left corner.

[tod evans]

nice job carl, now you gotta chisel the inside corners on the panel square.
http://www.todevans.com/todevans/section.cfm?wProductID=513&wSectionID=1543

not dificult and gives a finished look.....02 tod

[Carl Eyman]

I had fully expected to do so, but I left so little horizontal run into the arch that it is difficult for me to visualize what I'm suppose to do. I've learned picking up a carving gouge without a clear idea of what you want to do with it is a bad idea; so I did nothing. I have two large tombstone doors to do for the upper level of this desk. For that, I believe I can do it ok because that horizontal run will be more pronounced. Maybe I'll prepare a piece of scrap as a practice panel and see what comes of it, for the little one, that is.

[tod evans]

carl, use blue tape and pencil in the lines, straight down from your radius and straight across from your shoulders. if you dont like the look pull off the tape......02 tod