Rail and Stile door howto

[pierhogunn]

Okay, as many of you know, I really don't know much of anything

and this is another subject that I don't know anything about

how to build rail and stile cabinet doors

I don't know which bits are good to use

how to set up my router table to do this

what things make this easier to do

what order you assemble the parts

what materials are suitable for making the rails and stiles out of...


I have to make 2 cabinet doors, the doors are going to be 30" X 29"
with just a flat panel in the center of the door

can anyone here give me some steps to follow, words of wisdom, or even suggest a few books?

HELP

[Stan]

Much better information follows in the links below this so it was removed.

[unclecritic]

This kinda breaks it down:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/...ctid1344578184

[LCHIEN]

MLCS rail and Stile (only) instructions
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops...1railstile.pdf

MLCS entire instructions
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops...cal_Manual.pdf

MLCS Instruction and video selection page
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops.../instruct.html

[Stormbringer]

This kinda breaks it down:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/...ctid1344578184

Can't be explained any clearer! Excellent vid

[cgallery]

There was an article in a relatively current (news stand) woodworking magazine (can't remember which) on making plain doors using only your router table and a slot cutting bit. Looks kinda clever. I'll see if I can find it.

I suppose it would only be good for a mission or craft type of door, but I happen to like that simple look.

[drumpriest]

I did 3 doors on the wine cabinet before getting one dead flat. The key was to NOT use any of my rail and stile cutter sets. I did a mortise and loose tenon door, it took less time, and turned out perfect. The deeper mortises ensured that it stayed nice and flat when I clamped it up. And I was using jet parallel clamps on all of the doors.

Now granted, I have a domino, I would have done it with a plunge router before, and it would have taken longer, but not TOO much once the initial setup was done.

[JimD]

Materials depend a lot on finish. Will the doors be painted or clear finished?

I have successfully made doors for both painted and clear finish with softwood frames. For clear finish, I used solid softwood raised panels. For painted, the panels were MDF raised. I also painted some shop cabinet doors with 1/4 luan plywood panels. The fit of this plywood in normal slots is loose but I caulked around them before primering and they are fine. For solid wood raised panels, I finish the panel before glueup (and the inside edge of the frame too except where the glue will be). I sand the frame flat at the joints after assembly (with a random orbit sander).

I've also made solid oak raised panel doors and finished those panels prior to assembly too. If you don't finish the whole panel, you risk a humidity change exposing the unfinished edge of the panel. Plywood or MDF flat panels will move much less and can be finished after assembly (they can be glued into the frame too where a solid wood panel must float). Solid wood panels move much more across the grain than in length. if you do not give them room, they will bust the frame. MDF is kind of nasty to work with but takes paint better than plywood.

Jim