My first cabinet doors

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I just finished cutting rails and stiles for four 36"x12" cabinet doors. I had setup the router table over the holidays to do this and just yesterday bought the rail and stile bits for the router.

Set up didn't take me as long as I thought it would and the results weren't the disaster I thought they might be. ON the web page below I have the first two test doors I made up.

One thing that I had trouble with was the last inch of the cuts....when the wood passes the end of the first fence on the table, it dips in to the bit a tiny bit (no pun!). This is evident in the first door on the page below. I think I will probably make up a hardwood fence for both bits and make them zero clearance to help avoid this, but if anyone knows a shortcut to avoiding this, let me know!

http://www.hannawoodworks.com/CabinetDoors.html

[Tyler Howell]

Very Nice. Tight clean fit.

[Steve Clardy]

Nice tight even joints. Yes, make you a one-piece fence. Make sure it is flat all the way through, no bows. Then align your fence with a steel ruler to the bearing on the bit. This is very critical to keep the "dips" out of the ends of your stiles. Steve

[Michael Perata]

Steve mentioned using a steel bar to align your fences.

I have a 36" bar made by Starrett that has become one of the go-to tools in my shop. I use for aligning fences, setting jointer and saw tops, lining up rips for my slider, etc, etc.

The bar is pricey at $125 +/-, but I would definitely recommend the investment.

[Chris Padilla]

Michael,

I have the same precision straight-edge from Starrett. It is a valuable tool in the shop to determine flatness of tops and projects as well as what you stated.

Not cheap but a very nice tool.

[Charles Bruno]

Your door joints look tight, who makes your bit set?

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I bought the Rockler set for $84. I have a Starrett ruler, just haven't checked it yet...I've had my head under the hood all day.