Raised panel doors

[John Keane]

Somewhere I saw a rubber product that is inserted into the recess for raised panels to keep them snug and yet allow for expansion/contraction. I can't remember in what catalog I saw it. Anyone who can give me a steer and a product name would be appreciated.

Thanks for all of your contributions. I have located a online source for space balls "Blackbridgeonline.com". They have a minipack of 200 for $11.95 incl postage.

[Jim Becker]

They are called "space balls"...

[Mike Ross]

Space Balls are probably a great product. Never used them myself.

I cut slightly oversize strips of blue or pink insulation foam. Blue for manly doors and pink if they are kinda girly.

Insert them into the stile or rail before assembling your door and they will compress a little and hold the panel snug.

One cabinet shop I worked in used a 2" piece of surgical tubing, 2 to each stile or rail, another used balsa wood strips.

Enjoy!

Mike Ross

[Jerry McCaffrey]

Quarter inch clear aquarium tubing - only thing I had laying around two years ago - it worked!

[Kevin Scott]

A friend of mine has used weather stripping before.

[Eugene A. Manzo III]

Why not use some clear silicone little dobs!!

[Rob Russell]

Why not use some clear silicone little dobs!!

I remember seeing a tip where you squeeze some beads of silicone caulk onto wax paper, let them cure a bit and cut up into short strips. Sort of home made spaceballs.

[David Loewer]

I recently used some space balls for my first set of raised panel doors. I wonder if I sized my panel too large. I don't remember how much I allowed for expansion/contraction, but it took clamp pressure to assemble the cope & stick joints. I guess time will tell!

[J.R. Rutter]

I've been using Space Balls for a while now. They are supposed to require clamp pressure, since they compress slightly to allow for shrinkage. I allow 1/8" space at top and bottom of panels, and 5/32" on the outside edge (3/16" if the doors are heading somewhere like Hawaii).

I've taken apart doors that used surgical tubing - it was dry and cracked, due to age or lacquer.

[John Gregory]

I've been using Space Balls for a while now. They are supposed to require clamp pressure, since they compress slightly to allow for shrinkage. I allow 1/8" space at top and bottom of panels, and 5/32" on the outside edge (3/16" if the doors are heading somewhere like Hawaii).

I've taken apart doors that used surgical tubing - it was dry and cracked, due to age or lacquer.

The tubing does break down with time. Space balls are inexpensive, ready made, easy to use and meant for that task. Shop time is already limited, I would rather build something from wood rather than silicon.

[Tim Lynch]

I used cotton clothes line rope once... I forget where that project ended up and how it's doing. :confused: