Working on a hard maple dining room buffet that will have two doors, each about 17" square. I usually opt for floating plywood panels, but would like to try raised floating panels for this project. Router table or TS? I don't have a panel bit, but willing to make the investment. A bit concerned about the safety of the cut on the TS. Thoughts?

Larry

On 12/26/2012 9:51 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:
Working on a hard maple dining room buffet that will have two doors, each about 17" square. I usually opt for floating plywood panels, but would like to try raised floating panels for this project. Router table or TS? I don't have a panel bit, but willing to make the investment. A bit concerned about the safety of the cut on the TS. Thoughts?

Larry


Either way Larry,

The TS is not very difficult or dangerous.
I would put a raised fence on your fence for support and a raised
feather board to keep it against the fence above the blade. I don't but
it will protect your fingers.

If I cut on the ts, I use a handscrew on the top of the raised fence,
attached to the panel, it prevents me from slipping out and away. I also
feather right before the blade.

As for router bits, you can, and I do also, but it takes much longer.
You need to sneak up on the finished cuts. Take 1/8 at a time. Process
the endgrain first, then long grain. It pays to have a backer for the
endgrain,

You have way more options with a router bit, but you need to slow the
speed down quite a bit.

Practice first, then go for it. Make sure you use a zero clearance
insert on your fence, it helps to keep it cleaner.


Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong. Base it on the look you want.
Do you plan on backcutting? You don't need a dedicated panel bit that
back cuts. I don't back cut, but if I had to, I would just use a rabbet
bit, a mortise bit, or even a dishing bit (bowl /tray bit).

Experiment, relax.

Gramp's shop wrote:
Working on a hard maple dining room buffet that will have two doors, each about 17" square. I usually opt for floating plywood panels, but would like to try raised floating panels for this project. Router table or TS? I don't have a panel bit, but willing to make the investment. A bit concerned about the safety of the cut on the TS. Thoughts?

Larry
Larry, I have been reading about this stuff. Did you know that besides
a bevel cut, that you can achieve a cove cut (pretty much the same way
we discussed making crown) on a tablesaw? My reading suggested not
using square doors and going with a ratioof 5:3 or someother ratio of
integers besides 1:1. Maybe this should be discounted since you'll have
2 doors side-by-side. Ihope you'll proceed with this project, then I can
get the benefit of your experience! : )

Cheers,
Bill

Gramp's shop wrote:
Working on a hard maple dining room buffet that will have two doors, each about 17" square. I usually opt for floating plywood panels, but would like to try raised floating panels for this project. Router table or TS? I don't have a panel bit, but willing to make the investment. A bit concerned about the safety of the cut on the TS. Thoughts?

Larry
http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-...-tablesaw.aspx

Larry, You might enjoy the link above. With a little more effort you
might be able to make one with a cove rather than a bevel cut.

Bill

Gramp's shop wrote:

Working on a hard maple dining room buffet that will have two doors,
each about 17" square. I usually opt for floating plywood panels,
but would like to try raised floating panels for this project.
Router table or TS? I don't have a panel bit, but willing to make
the investment. A bit concerned about the safety of the cut on the
TS. Thoughts?

Larry

If you fix your panel to a bench and use waste stock to encapsulate it
(same thickness as your panel you dont need a router table.

Just take small slices over several passes and dont force the machine

On 12/26/2012 8:51 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:
Working on a hard maple dining room buffet that will have two doors, each about 17" square. I usually opt for floating plywood panels, but would like to try raised floating panels for this project. Router table or TS? I don't have a panel bit, but willing to make the investment. A bit concerned about the safety of the cut on the TS. Thoughts?

Larry



Either will work however you have a much much greater choice of profiles
going with the router bit. And if you go with a router bit you are
absolutely going to want to be spinning a 1/2" shank bit.

On Dec 27, 11:25*am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 12/26/2012 8:51 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:

Working on a hard maple dining room buffet that will have two doors, each about 17" square. *I usually opt for floating plywood panels, but would like to try raised floating panels for this project. *Router table or TS? *I don't have a panel bit, but willing to make the investment. *A bit concerned about the safety of the cut on the TS. *Thoughts?

Larry

Either will work however you have a much much greater choice of profiles
going with the router bit. *And if you go with a router bit you are
absolutely going to want to be spinning a 1/2" shank bit.

Larry,
I did all of my kitchen cabinets with raised panels (with a cove) on
the TS. You'll need to secure a fence at a 45 degree angle to blade.
Push each panel thru slowly, raising the blade after each pass around
the panels. The end-grain may require additional sanding to get rid
of the cut marks.

Robin

rlz wrote:

On Dec 27, 11:25*am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 12/26/2012 8:51 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:

Working on a hard maple dining room buffet that will have two
doors, each about 17" square. *I usually opt for floating plywood
panels, but would like to try raised floating panels for this
project. *Router table or TS? *I don't have a panel bit, but
willing to make the investment. *A bit concerned about the safety
of the cut on the TS. *Thoughts?

Larry

Either will work however you have a much much greater choice of
profiles going with the router bit. *And if you go with a router
bit you are absolutely going to want to be spinning a 1/2" shank
bit.

Larry,
I did all of my kitchen cabinets with raised panels (with a cove) on
the TS. You'll need to secure a fence at a 45 degree angle to blade.
Push each panel thru slowly, raising the blade after each pass around
the panels. The end-grain may require additional sanding to get rid
of the cut marks.

Robin

if the end grain needs additional sanding your using the wrong cutter
or the cutters blunt.

steve robinson wrote:
rlz wrote:

On Dec 27, 11:25 am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 12/26/2012 8:51 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:

Working on a hard maple dining room buffet that will have two
doors, each about 17" square. I usually opt for floating plywood
panels, but would like to try raised floating panels for this
project. Router table or TS? I don't have a panel bit, but
willing to make the investment. A bit concerned about the safety
of the cut on the TS. Thoughts?

Larry

Either will work however you have a much much greater choice of
profiles going with the router bit. And if you go with a router
bit you are absolutely going to want to be spinning a 1/2" shank
bit.

Larry,
I did all of my kitchen cabinets with raised panels (with a cove) on
the TS. You'll need to secure a fence at a 45 degree angle to blade.
Push each panel thru slowly, raising the blade after each pass around
the panels. The end-grain may require additional sanding to get rid
of the cut marks.

Robin

if the end grain needs additional sanding your using the wrong cutter
or the cutters blunt.

You missed it Steve - he's using a table saw.

--

-Mike-

Thanks for the good tips. I'm going to use the TS and have a good plan for securing the piece. Will post results.