Panel raisers

[Curt Doles]

Hello,

I bought a raised panel router bit set yesterday and a speed control and discovered when I attempted to put that huge panel bit in the router, the port in the table is 3" and the panel bit is 3.5. Dang!!!

It never occurred to me that would be an issue. So, I can take the bits back, or upgrade my router table?

I had been considering upgrading my router table prior to this purchase. Are these huge bits usually run on a router table? I didn't see that spec called out on the tables I researched last night.

Do I have any other surprises trying to use these very large bits?

Thanks,
Big dummy in Ohio
Formerly known as Curt

[Jim Newman]

Curt, yes you need a larger opening in your router table as these bits can only be run safely on a router table or cabinet. Also use the slowest speed on your variable speed router as the speed on the edge of the bit is much faster due to their large size. Also take it in passes....usually 3 to be safe and minimize tearout. The Freud bits with the extra cutters eliminate the fuzz that other cutters get on end grain especially. Welcome to the expense of woodworking!

[Matt Ocel]

Curt - My first router table was an old 30" vanity with a 2 ply particle board top. I bought a couple of different size router plates for the different size bits and it worked great, actually I still use it every once and a while when I don't want to change settings on the other. Freud has a very good video when you buy there rasied panel bits and I believe you can watch it on there website. Follow Curt's advice Slow and make a couple of passes. Start with the end grain side.

[David DeCristoforo]

What is the router table top made of? If it's wood (or a "wood like substance"), you can slowly raise the bit (running) up through the top and "ream out" the opening. A better arrangement is to have "drop in" plates (as per Matt) because, once you increase the opening that much, it may be way to large for some operations that use smaller bits.

YM

[J.R. Rutter]

How about adding an auxiliary table with hole large enough for the bit right over top of your current setup? A piece of MDF would do nicely.

[David DeCristoforo]

Never mind :)

[Curt Doles]

Thanks guys, at least I know I'm on the right track.
It's a Craftsman table, cast aluminum top.
The router is a Craftsman two HP fixed speed. I have a speed control to slow it down for the panel raiser. Is there an easy way to determine the right speed?

The MDF addon is probably the way to go.

I used the stile and rail bits for the first time this morning on some scrap pine, they worked really well.

I was considering adding a router insert to the right side of my Xacta for routing purposes, I might get better dust collection also? And free up a spot for another machine:)

Thanks again,
Curt

[David DeCristoforo]

"The MDF addon is probably the way to go."

Just remember that, since the bit is bigger than the opening in the RT top, you will have to install the bit with the router already mounted and then add the aux. top. Make sure you have enough "wiggle room" to get the collet properly tightened because if that bit comes loose, you ain't gonna like it!

"Danger Will Robinson"!
YM

[Norman Pyles]

Vertical panel bit.

[J.R. Rutter]

"The MDF addon is probably the way to go."

if that bit comes loose, you ain't gonna like it!

YM

Last year, I had my first (and hopefully last) bit come up out of my router table. It was a rabbetting bit that I use to route off the back of the groove for glass cabinet doors. It got rough on one door, then as I was about to shut down to check it, it popped up and sideways, hit another machine, and landed on the floor spinning like a top. Very dramatic. Not recommended for raised panel bits!

[Thomas Bennett]

I'm agree with Norman...get rid of that bit you have and get a vertical panel raising bit. Slip a peice of scrap ply, mdf, whatever you are comfortable with , over the table a carefully raise the bit up through the "sub table" to get a zero tolerance. Make a fence for each side of your panel. It's much safer than the horizontal bits. I quit using the horizontal bits( and the equivalant shaper cutter ) years ago.
You cannot, of course, shape curved or arched panels.

[David DeCristoforo]

The vertical panel bit is not a "bad" idea. FWIW, you can shape arches as long as they are "radial" with a simple "sub-fence" that matches the curve of the panel like so:

85381

YM

PS Badly "out of scale" sketch... sorry!

[Curt Doles]

Well, I have a couple of observations.

For the sake of a trial of the bit I used a piece of OSB screwed to a piece of 2x4 clamped to the fence, that part worked well enough. However I almost don't have enough vertical travel to make the whole cut, I had to pull the bit out of the collet just slightly to get the last pass.

I'm using a Harbor Freight speed control that may or may not be affecting the power of the router. The first time I fired it up, I hid around the corner for a couple of minutes, that big bit is scary.

I probably ran about 8 passes on each side to slowly remove material, I was stilll bogging down the router. So is it likely the speed control or router that's the weak link. Or maybe I was cutting at too slow an RPM. I guess some experimenting is in order

Also, this was pine I was working with, I can't imagine cutting doors for a large project in oak or other hardwood

Is this the shapers niche, the ability to remove more material more quickly and cleaner.

When all the dust cleared and there was a lot of it, I had a nice looking raised panel cabinet door, so all I'm looking for now is to improve the process and make it a little safer.

Thanks,
Curt

[David DeCristoforo]

Cutting raised panels in hardwood is a job for a shaper, not a router. The router setup is useable for a few doors now and then but if you are planning on doing this as a regular thing, it's time to call in the big guns....

YM

[Norman Pyles]

I feel you need a bigger router, to spin that bit. That's why I recomended the vertical bit. Take very shallow passes, and it will be easier on your router. Good luck.

[Peter Quinn]

IME you can raise panels with a router in hardwood safely and effectively if you have time for the multiple passes required. I don't believe a router less than 3HP can spin a 3"+ cutter at a constant speed under load for any length of time. If horizontal cutters are your choice start shopping for a production router with EVS and a solid stable table to hold it.

Vertical bits come in an array of profiles and are made for smaller less powerful routers. I have used these bits and a 1 3/4"HP router to make panels from cherry and walnut. It still takes 3-4 passes whose depth can easily be adjusted using 1/4" or 1/8" shims cut from hardboard or mdf and taped to the fence. Remember to use a tall solid fence and proper feather boards for consistent quality cuts.

There comes a certain satisfaction from making your own raised panel doors the first time. I found that by the second time making panels with a router I was thinking, "Wow, I'd like to never do that again" and started saving and looking for a shaper. There isn't any part of panel raising with a router that I enjoy as a wood worker. I started that way because I had too to get going. If my ambitions were to make a few doors now and then I would probably tough it out with the router, but for extensive panel raising the ultimate router table is in fact a shaper.

[J.R. Rutter]

I still remember the first time I sent a panel through my new shaper with new power feeder and new panel cutter in a single pass. A beautiful experience that only a wood geek would truly appreciate!

What router are you running?