1st raised panel question

[Howard Miller]

Just completed my first raised panel for my vanity. My question is how much top edge of the ogee profile should there be? Is this designer preference? I am using a back cutter bit to make edge .25 for rail & stile.

[David DeCristoforo]

It is personal preference to a degree. Most panel cutters are designed to produce a "full profile" in a given thickness of material. Using a different thickness will result in the raised center "panel" being "too high" or "too low". I other words, too much or too little step. Most cutters are also designed to yield a 1/4" tongue when a back cutter is used. Again, there is some room to play but for the "best" result, the material should be pretty close to the thickness the cutter was designed for. Most makers prefer the face of the panel to be on the same plane as the face of the door frame. But again, nothing is carved in stone.....

[Peter Quinn]

Top edge of the ogee profile? By this I understand you to mean the slightly chamfered 'flat' that sets off the ogee molding profile of the panel from the field, or center of the panel? It is really your choice but typically this would be at least 1/16" for cabinet doors. No hard and fast rules. Too slight and it appears out of focus, too great and it can appear out of balance or make a rather harsh transition to my eye. Some panels have a more complicated transition from molding profile to field, such as small quarter round into small cove, and can easily support a thickness as great as 1/4" given their complexity.

If you actually mean the ogee profile, the cutter should force you to render a full ogee profile for your given panel thickness. Your panels look great to me!

[keith ouellette]

I don't know what the going preference is but the the one you did looks great.

As stated above the thickness of the wood has to do with that particular part of the profile. When I did my first cabinets the wood I used was a little to thick and left the top of the ogee a little to high. I ended up running them through the drum sander a few to make it about 1/16 of an inch.

Then they ended up getting even thinner when I didn't like the way the finish turned out and I sanded them again.

[Howard Miller]

I was refering to the raised panel portion of door being too high or too low at David indicated.

Thanks to all for the replies. I will keep is as is and move forward with my drawers.

[Neal Clayton]

howard, the styles are also varied based on architectural style, and changed through history a bit. for instance 100 or so years ago especially in craftsman style architecture, half height panels were popular. this goes along with that being the antithesis of victorian styles which used very deep panels and often bolection molding around the panels.

if you enjoy door/window making i would suggest picking up a few of the reprinted millwork catalogs out there ('universal millwork catalog' comes to mind, from the early 1900s, there are others from slightly earlier decades too). these are a great source of info on designing doors and windows to fit a particular building's style.

[Chip Lindley]

Howard, I noticed from your pix that the back of your panel has not yet been relieved to fit a 1/4" groove. Do you do the panel-raising and back relief in two steps? The addition of a back cutter, and rub bearing/spacer, running with the RP cutter makes for more consistent work.

Some new to raised-panel doormaking use 3/4" rails/stiles, but use a RP cutter for 3/4" panels also. This puts the panel field about 1/8" proud of the door frame. Some may be unaware of this, or actually enjoy it, but IMO it detracts from the *look* of 3/4" raised panels.

I enjoy doors with panels *flush* with the frame, by using a RP cutter for 5/8" material, with back cutter to fit a 3/4" thick panel into a 3/4" thick frame. Of course, 5/8 thick panels could be made, but much material is wasted in planing to 5/8" So, 3/4" panels save work and give an extra dimension to the interior side of doors.

Of course, goes without saying, there are thicker doors for other cabinets and furniture, designed to the liking of the maker. Just a point I thought I might throw in this thread!

[Howard Miller]

Chip,
I am doing the panel raising and back cutting in two steps. My thickness is 3/4". I also like the panel to be flush with the rail/stile, but the best I will be able to do with this panel is a ~1/16" proud panel. Other option would be to plane the panel, or start over. Thanks for your comments

[Steve Clardy]

If you rabbit the backside of the panel 1/8" , it will flush the panel with the front of the R&S's