Raised panel Doors - What thickness

[tim walker]

I am making some cherry RP doors for a cabinet. Should the panels be 3/4" thick and shouldthe front of the panel be even with the front of the rails and stiles or should it protrude slightly. Seems if the rail/stiles are 3/4" then the panel would need to set proud a little.

Thanks

[Wes Bischel]

Tim,
I've seen it done both ways. I prefer them to sit flush myself. Some router bit sets have cutbacks to allow the 3/4" panels to fit flush without a second operation. Like these:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=2016 just for example.

A set I made years ago on my TS I planed down to have them sit flush before I cut the panel edges.

FWIW,

Wes

[David Duke]

I always like the panel flush, you can make the panel 3/4" and use a back cutter bit or (and this is what I do) plane the panel to 5/8" and then there is no need for the back cut and the panel is flush with the rail/stile.

[Lee Schierer]

If your rails and stiles are 4/4 then the panel should be flush. If you want to back cut the panel, then you can also make it flush with 3/4 railes and stiles. I've also seen it done both ways.

[Scott Thornton]

The CMT raised panel sets which you can get from Sommerfeld Tools right now for about 50% off cut both the panel and the back cut...easy setup, each set is matched so the depth you set the router is easy...