Raised panel doors

[Doug Sinjem]

I made an earlier post regarding insert cutters. I'm trying to pick a rail, stile and raised panel cutter for cabinet door making.

During my research I found out some manufactures offer a raised panel cutter for the front only. If your using 3/4 stock for stiles, rails and panels it would leave the panel a little higher than the frame of the door.

Other manufactures offer a back cutter for the panel leaving it centered in the frame of the door.

My question is how are most raised panel doors constructed? If the panel is backcut and everything is flush it can be run through a wide belt.

If the panel is proud you can't or is a 5/8 panel used with no backcut. Would this be considered a lower quality door?

I would like to hear input on how people are building their raised panel doors as far as panel thickness, front cut, backcut or both and placement in the stile and rail.

Doug

[Brian Gumpper]

I can only speak to the LRH product I sell but they have both panel cutters and back cutters in their insert tooling offering. I am sure they can be stacked with a spacer and the panel cutter is available in face down configuration. I'm sure all the manufacturers would have something similar.

[glenn bradley]

Inexperience speaking here but, I think its a matter of preference or requirement. Most manufacturers offer their raised panel profiles with a back-cutter option or a seperate back-cutter bit. I don't know that one or the other would be considered a lower quality of build choice.

[Travis Porter]

Not an expert, but I have made the panels 5/8" and when I have used 3/4, I have back cut with a rabbeting bit in the router after I raise the panel.

[Dick Bringhurst]

Like Glenn said, It's a matter of preferance. The last time I did our kitchen I didn't use a back cutter and the doors looked just fine. Dick B.

[Richard McComas]

My preference is to use ¾ inch panels and have the panels stand proud of the frame. My rail and stile cutters cut a tight enough joint that I can assemble the frames without the use of glue and run them thru the wide belt sander without the panels in them.

After the stiles and rails are sanded I disassemble the frames insert the panels and glue the door together, then I run them thru the sander a second time to sand the panels. A little more work but that the way I like to do it.

[Doug Sinjem]

My preference is to use ¾ inch panels and have the panels stand proud of the frame. My rail and stile cutters cut a tight enough joint that I can assemble the frames without the use of glue and run them thru the wide belt sander without the panels in them.

After the stiles and rails are sanded I disassemble the frames insert the panels and glue the door together, then I run them thru the sander a second time to sand the panels. A little more work but that the way I like to do it.

Richard a couple of questions. What type and brand of cutters do you use?

I like the idea of presanding the frames. This was my dilemma when letting the panel stand proud, but sounds like you figued it out.

Also can't you just run the panel thru the widebelt before you assemble the door? Is there a reason you run it thru after assembly?

Doug

[Richard McComas]

Richard a couple of questions. What type and brand of cutters do you use?

I like the idea of presanding the frames. This was my dilemma when letting the panel stand proud, but sounds like you figued it out.

Also can't you just run the panel thru the widebelt before you assemble the door? Is there a reason you run it thru after assembly?

Doug

I have an inexpensive set of stile and rail cutters (insert type) I got back when JESADA was considered a reputable company (before Carlos sold out).

I see no reason not to sand the panels separately before assembly.

[Jerry Olexa]

A backcutter prevents you from removing a little material at a time and sneaking up on your final heigth. I usually do that cut later w a straight bit..

[Troy Wilkins]

A backcutter prevents you from removing a little material at a time and sneaking up on your final heigth. I usually do that cut later w a straight bit..

My raised panel set has a backcutter and I make multiple passes all of the time. Just move the fence instead of raising the cutter for each pass.

[Jim Becker]

Like Jerry, I prefer to do any back-cutting as a separate operation. And I actually do this for flat panel doors so I can have a stouter, stiffer, thicker panel that is "flush" to the frame on the back side rather than use thin panels.

[Laurie Brown]

I just finished making a cabinet with raised panel doors. I used 3/4" thick material and did my own backcut with the router and a straight bit before raising the panel. When I'm finished the panel sits flush with the stiles & railes both in front and back. I bought my panel raising bits in sets. I only have two sets so far, one that does roundover type cuts and one that does ogee.

[Jerry Olexa]

My raised panel set has a backcutter and I make multiple passes all of the time. Just move the fence instead of raising the cutter for each pass.

Troy...OUCH! Good point. Never thought of doing it that way. Anyway, I have a set of cutters w/o backcutters and works for me using a straight bit later. Thanks for the tip!!

[Charles McCracken]

Doug,

The Freud RP2000 insert system offers the ability to make 3/4" panels that are proud of the frame, 5/8" panels that are flush on the front and recessed on the back or 3/4" panels that are flush in both planes. The knives for the second two options are the same.

[Lee Schierer]

Most higher priced and better quality kitchen cabinets use 5/4 (full inch thick finished) material for rails and stiles. Then the 3/4" panel does not stand above the face of the frame and doesn not need a back cut.

When you make the rails and stiles from 3/4 material and the panel is 3/4 thick, the panel will stand out from the frame, but so what. 9 out every 10 people looking at them won't notice and it doesn't bother anything.