rail and stile bits

[trash man]

I recently recieved a set of rail and stile router bits and a vertical raised pannel bit as gift from wife . Think she wants a new cabinent. How do I set up the bits for hight and how many passes do I make ? They came from blades and bits if that helps. I need a little advice so I dont make too much firewood thanks.

Wayne (trashman)

[dlminehart]

Wayne, I'd recommend picking up a good book on using routers. I like Woodworking With the Router: Professional Router Techniques and Jigs Any Woodworker Can Use (Reader's Digest Woodworking)
by Bill Hylton, Fred Matlack. Amazon has it for about $14, and you'll probably save that much worth of wood on your first project.

[JimD]

Wayne,

It depends some on your router but I always do the rail and stile cuts in one pass. I use my PC 690 or a bigger old Ryobi R-500. The PC draws about 10 amps. You want to cut the joint in one pass if at all possible because it will probably open up the clearances if you make multiple passes. Cope the ends first because you will probably get a bit of chipping. That way when you mold the other edge you will clean some of this up. I've never used a vertical panel bit but my general rule is to make 3 or four passes when raising a panel. I could probably do it in less but I feel better going slow. You want to make the last pass with the panel raising bit especially shallow - like 1/16 inch. That way you can move quickly and smoothly and have less sanding to do.

You may want to take some scraps or some pine and make a little door for practise to build you confidence. I think you will find it to be pretty easy.

To get the depth right for the cope and stick bits I start out by moulding the edge of a scrap the same thickness as the frame for the door. I set the bit to give me about 1/16 or a little more square edge above the moulded edge. The advantage of the scrap is you can try again if you don't like your first setup. I then switch to the sticking bit and use the moulded scrap to set the sticking bit. You want the tenon formed by the sticking bit to fit into the groove from the moulding bit. Again a trial cut on a scrap can save a lot of aggravation. I sometimes leave the rails long so I can make a trial cut and then cut if off without ruining the piece. That takes the place of the cut on scrap.

Good Luck!

Jim

[JimD]

Wayne,

I forgot one comment. If you already are aware please do not take offense but you have to do this work in a router table. It would be unsafe to try and use these bits free-hand. You probably knew this but I thought I would make sure. Your router table can be the extension for the BT3100 or as simple as a piece of melamine particle board with the base of the router bolted to it but some sort of router table is necessary for door making.

Jim

[Mainemarc]

Once you get the height for each of the rail and stile bits dialed in, do yourself a huge favor and run an extra peice at that setting. Use any old scrap you have lying around. Mark and save those extra pieces for set up aids the next time you have to use those R&S bits.

[trash man]

Thanks for the advice,quick to help. I will be making another atempt with them today.Yes I do have them set up in table with 2hp router.At least my scrap binn is getting empty.

Thanks Wayne

[mater]

quote:Originally posted by Mainemarc

Once you get the height for each of the rail and stile bits dialed in, do yourself a huge favor and run an extra peice at that setting. Use any old scrap you have lying around. Mark and save those extra pieces for set up aids the next time you have to use those R&S bits.

I made some of these setup blocks and it saves a lot of time in adjustments when you use them.

[monte]

For using the vertical panel raising bit you may want to make a fence for use on your router table to help support the panel stock. Be sure to take several passes to get a good cut. Here's a pic of one I made for a router table I used until I purchased a shaper.








You may also want to make some setup blocks for the rail and stile bits once you've determined the heigth settings. It makes it a breeze to set them up again.

HTH

[drumpriest]

Trash man, I used a set from blades n bits for my microwave cabinet. The doors are from hard maple. To try and make the cut in 1 pass would have scared the **** out of me. I did it in 3. I would recommend that you batch but so that you get consistent results if you are doing the rail and stiles in multiple passes, moving the fence in each pass.

http://www.bt3central.com/forum/topi...TOPIC_ID=17054

They turned out pretty good, I think. These were made with a 2HP ryobi router from the 3 base kit.

[PJC]

quote:Originally posted by drumpriest


They turned out pretty good, I think. These were made with a 2HP ryobi router from the 3 base kit.

I thought the Ryobi kit was too powerfull for rail and stile bits? Obviously not?

Pete

[LarryG]

quote:Originally posted by PJC

I thought the Ryobi kit was too powerfull for rail and stile bits? Obviously not?

The issue is not power -- router HP is kind of like clamps, you can't get too much of it -- but speed. IIRC the 3-base Ryobi's minimum motor speed is around 15,000 RPM. That's okay (although it's pushing the limit) for stile and rail bits up to about 2" or so in diameter, as well as for a vertical panel raising bit like Wayne says he has, but it would be too fast for a 3" or bigger horizontal panel raising bit, which needs to run at no more than 10-12,000 RPM.

[looneytools]

Just a few more points.

Setup blocks are a real blessing. I have standardized on 3/4" stock for rail and stiles, so setup blocks are 3/4" thick. I setup the cut to leave at least a 3/16" shoulder behind the panel. I also do the rail ends first and cut one extra wide piece for both rails, then rip it down the middle. This gives you adequate stock against the fence and allows you to trim off any tear out if the piece is wide enough.

That's all folks!
Bob

[PJC]

quote:Originally posted by LarryG

The issue is not power -- router HP is kind of like clamps, you can't get too much of it -- but speed. IIRC the 3-base Ryobi's minimum motor speed is around 15,000 RPM. That's okay (although it's pushing the limit) for stile and rail bits up to about 2" or so in diameter, as well as for a vertical panel raising bit like Wayne says he has, but it would be too fast for a 3" or bigger horizontal panel raising bit, which needs to run at no more than 10-12,000 RPM.

Thanks Larry, that makes sense.

[drumpriest]

Yes, I made them at 15,000 rpm. It was scary enough, as my router table isn't the best setup ever. I seem to have good success at cutting panel doors out of poplar or pine, the maple and oak doors are a bit hairier. Those are maple, but I'd definately suggest a setup with feather boards all around, so that you arn't anywhere near that bit.

[monte]

The featherboards not only help produce better cuts but the also help you to safely make your cuts.