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Thread: Help finding a raised Panel bit to build a interior door

  1. #1

    Help finding a raised Panel bit to build a interior door

    I just had three solid wood six panel doors installed in my hallway to replace hollow doors. I have a small (20 1/2" by 50" hollow door) door that is for a small linen closet that is above the 25" by 20" return for my heat pump. This is typical setup for houses build in the 80's. I would like to build a door for the closet to have panels that somewhat resemble the other doors. I have several Cabinet door bit sets, but they all have large concave bits to raise the panel. I am trying to find a1/2 shank bit that will have an almost flat area from the stile to the center section of the raised panel. That will somewhat match the other doors. The only thing is since it is not a real door it will not been seen from both sides (like a bedroom door) so the inside will look like a cabinet door. I will have to plane the panel from 13/16" to a thin one to make it match the other doors.


    Can someone help with the name of these door bits or a site that sells them?
    Thanks
    Johnny

  2. #2
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  3. #3

    I was thinking something like this. The panel will need to be at least 3/8" short of coming up flush with the rails and stiles

  4. #4
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    You can make nice raised panels on your table saw. I've made sliding doors for our closets, kitchen pantry cabinet and other cabinets with raised panels that were made on my table saw.

    IMG_0730.jpgkristinpantry2.jpg

    Here's how:

    Several times now, people have asked how to make raised panels on a table saw. I have been very successful at this so, I thought I would share how I do it with all of you.

    1. The first step as shown below is to cut the "reveal" in the face of the panel. I show it here being done with a router and a 3/8" dia round nose bit, but you can also make these cuts with a table saw blade raised up 1/8"-3/16". To me the round nose is easier to work with and leaves a more appealing panel (My wife likes it better for cleaning also). Make a couple of test pieces for the next step as well while your router is set up.

    Router cuts
    raisedpanel1.jpg


    2. Next you need to tilt the blade so that it makes the angle to go from the tangent of the bottom of the groove you just cut to the thickness you want at the edge of the panel. Typically I make this 3/16" so I can cut a 1/4" groove in the rails and stiles. The angle will make the panel 1/4" thick at the point where it meets the top of the groove in the stiles. I usually draw a pencil line on the back side of a test piece and set it on the far side of the blade and align the tilt by eye to match my line. You need to also set the fence so it is the proper distance away from the inside tooth of the blade to achieve the edge thickness you are after. A zero clearance insert will make this set up much easier and provides needed support as you push the pane through the blade making the cut. An open throat plate may allow the panel to tilt as you make the cut, which is not desirable.

    Featherboard set up
    raisedpanel2.jpg

    3. Once the blade angle is set and the fence is positioned, I locate two feather boards as shown above. The one in front of the blade pushes the bottom edge of the panel against the fence as it enters the cut. The one behind the blade pushes against the panel just above the cut area (black plastic piece through the handle of the featherboard) to keep the panel against the fence as it exits the cutting area. The magnetic feather boards work well for this, although I have done this with conventional home made feather boards as well. Note: I use a 24 tooth ripping blade for this cut as it is a ripping cut and a crosscut blade will tend to burn the wood.

    Fence guide board
    raisedpanel3.jpg

    4. To help guide the panel through the cut I clamp a guide piece across the back that rides on the top of my fence. This gives you good control of the panel and a place to put your hands far from the blade, which will be exposed. You can't use a guard when making these cuts so watch your fingers. Also the cut offs do tend to kick back because they are under the tilted blade, so don't stand behind the blade. My feather board placement will stop them.

    Feather board placement
    raisedpanel4.jpg

    5. When everything is set, I usually make a test cut in a piece of scrap that also had the grooves routed in it just to make sure the blade cuts exactly tangent to the bottom of the groove. I make test cuts in scrap until I get it right. Then I place the panel to be cut in position as shown above. I always cut the cross grain first, then I cut the the long grain. You can either cut both ends then the sides or work you way right around the panel, both methods will work. Cutting the cross grain first eliminates any chance of tearout damage on the sides.

    Finished raised panel
    raisedpanel5.jpg

    Here is the finished panel ready for sanding. I put the cut offs next to the area they came from so you can see what got cut off. I use a Porter Cable 5" adhesive disc random orbit sander to remove the saw marks and to even out the cut with the groove a little if it needs it. The paper on mine sticks out from the edge of the disc about 1/4". This paper will curve nicely up the remaining groove and give a good transition from the flat cut area into the groove. The slight ridge you see on the end grain of this panel will be removed by sanding. The cut offs are shown next to the area they were cut from.

    Okay a few notes.

    You can skip the router cuts if you want the bevel to end right at the face of the board.

    My fence is about 7" tall and has a metal face that is flat on top and parallel to my table surface so the guide board stays on the top all the way across the table. The metal fence cover and magnetic feather boards are available from Grip Tite (800) 475-0293

    Your panels need to be reasonably flat. The wider the panel the flatter it needs to be. A curved panel will not produce good results as it will not track the same all the way through the cut area.

    Your fence needs to be perfectly aligned with your blade. If it pushes the board toward the blade or lets it fall away from the blade, the results will be less precise. Fences set so the tail away from the blade will also produce less desirable results.

    Your blade needs to be sharp. I used a 24 tooth Freud coated thin kerf blade. The cuts you are making are more of a rip cut than a cross cut so the ripping blade works better. The important thing is to get a cut without burn marks or tooth marks. Push the panel smoothly all the way through the cut. I use a craftsman 10" saw with the standard factory motor and it handles this task very well. You can push too fast and stall the blade. Just let the blade cut.



    Finally, creating raised panels this way is very rewarding. It will amaze your woodworking friends and non-wood working friends alike who think you need thousands of dollars in fancy equipment to make panels like these. You do have a lot of blade exposed and no guards can be used, so be very conscious of where you leave your fingers. I keep mine firmly attached to my hand at all times and up on the guide board that rides along the top of the fence.

    I hope this helps. Feel free to write to me if you have questions.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  5. #5
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    Johnnyy -- I'm confused. You say you want a source of a router bit. Then in your second post, you show a pic of the bit you want. Why not buy it from wherever you got the pic?

  6. #6
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    It is time for you to buy more toys er, tools.

  7. #7
    Hi Jamie..That was a CC I got from another site someone sent me. I can not find where to buy it. Sorry for the confusion..
    Thanks Johnny

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnnyy Johnson View Post
    Hi Jamie..That was a CC I got from another site someone sent me. I can not find where to buy it. Sorry for the confusion..
    Thanks Johnny
    Amazon..

    https://www.amazon.com/Yonico-2-Inch...dDbGljaz10cnVl

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