Hi, I'd like to make a raised panel door that has the "arch" on the top
Stile (the top horizontal piece of the door frame that holds the panel
in.

I've made the traditional rectangle raised panel doors before. However,
when running the rail/styles in the router table, I've found I need a
featherboard pushing hard on the wood to keep the panel grove cut
accurately.

So, how do you cut the arched stile? It doesn't seem like you can use
the router table fence. It seems like you just have to do it freehand
and use the bearing on the bit.

I guess you'd have the same problem cutting the raised panel as well.
So, how do you do it?

You are correct in that you do it on the router table freehand.(With a
bearing on bit). The way I did it for my doors (first time) was to
leave the board much longer than needed and was able to feed the board
without getting my fingers close to the cutter. I did a 2 door set and
cut the arch and routed it before cutting in to 2 pieces.
Hope this helps.
Bruce

bf wrote:
Hi, I'd like to make a raised panel door that has the "arch" on the top
Stile (the top horizontal piece of the door frame that holds the panel
in.

I've made the traditional rectangle raised panel doors before. However,
when running the rail/styles in the router table, I've found I need a
featherboard pushing hard on the wood to keep the panel grove cut
accurately.

So, how do you cut the arched stile? It doesn't seem like you can use
the router table fence. It seems like you just have to do it freehand
and use the bearing on the bit.

I guess you'd have the same problem cutting the raised panel as well.
So, how do you do it?

"bf" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, I'd like to make a raised panel door that has the "arch" on the top
Stile (the top horizontal piece of the door frame that holds the panel
in.

Actually the Stile is vertical, you are describing the Rail.


I've made the traditional rectangle raised panel doors before. However,
when running the rail/styles in the router table, I've found I need a
featherboard pushing hard on the wood to keep the panel grove cut
accurately.

Pushing vertically down on the piece or horizontally against the fence?


So, how do you cut the arched stile? It doesn't seem like you can use
the router table fence. It seems like you just have to do it freehand
and use the bearing on the bit.

The arched horizontal Rail is cut with the band saw or jig saw to form the
arch and then free hand fed into the bit. The bearing controls the depth of
cut. If you have to push hard your bits may be dull or not spinning fast
enough.


I guess you'd have the same problem cutting the raised panel as well.
So, how do you do it?

If you want Rockler makes a template set.
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product...ilter=template

This makes cutting them very easy but limitis you to thier shapes.

Dave


"bf" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, I'd like to make a raised panel door that has the "arch" on the top
Stile (the top horizontal piece of the door frame that holds the panel
in.

I've made the traditional rectangle raised panel doors before. However,
when running the rail/styles in the router table, I've found I need a
featherboard pushing hard on the wood to keep the panel grove cut
accurately.

So, how do you cut the arched stile? It doesn't seem like you can use
the router table fence. It seems like you just have to do it freehand
and use the bearing on the bit.

I guess you'd have the same problem cutting the raised panel as well.
So, how do you do it?

TeamCasa wrote:

If you want Rockler makes a template set.
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product...ilter=template

This makes cutting them very easy but limitis you to thier shapes.

Simple enough to make one's own template...which is what I recommend.

If at all possible, take an initial pass w/ a slightly oversize bearing
and then do the final pass to cleanup the cut and minimize tearout.
Make sure you have a really sharp bit and use most straight grain pieces
you have.

I recently made my first pair of arched doors
for our kitchen. Instead of a wood panel, I
used a distressed glass - looks real nice.

Anyway, since we wanted to mimic the other
arched doors in our kitchen, I traced the outline
of one that was closest to the size door we wanted.
Cut it out on the bandsaw, shen shaped it with
sandpaper to get it as perfect as I could. This was
my template (MDF).

Next, I cut out some oak to the approximate
size then used a pattern trim bit. As Bruce said,
leave some extra length to trim later.

Next, I ran the slot/roundover shape with
a door trim bit on my shaper. It was the first
time I ever freehanded anything, so I made a
holder with a couple handles out of scrap as a
safety measure. It is important to use a pivot
point of some sort to get you started - my shaper
has a metal bar for that purpose.

I actually messed up the first pair of rails I did
because I coped them first and the bit nosed-dived
into the door when I got to the end of the cut. On my
second try, I left them long, did the curve, then
trimmed to size and finally ran the cope. Much
better result.

Good luck (be careful!)

Lou

In article .com, bf
wrote:

Hi, I'd like to make a raised panel door that has the "arch" on the top
Stile (the top horizontal piece of the door frame that holds the panel
in.

I've made the traditional rectangle raised panel doors before. However,
when running the rail/styles in the router table, I've found I need a
featherboard pushing hard on the wood to keep the panel grove cut
accurately.

So, how do you cut the arched stile? It doesn't seem like you can use
the router table fence. It seems like you just have to do it freehand
and use the bearing on the bit.

I guess you'd have the same problem cutting the raised panel as well.
So, how do you do it?

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 15:21:14 -0500, loutent wrote:

I recently made my first pair of arched doors
for our kitchen. Instead of a wood panel, I
used a distressed glass - looks real nice.

LOL. Do you mean antique glass? When I think of "distressed" I think of
new wood that is intentionally marked up with hammers and even hatchets (in
an exposed beam house). So "distressed glass" made me spit-laugh, for
which I thank you. -- Igor

Freehand on a router table with a pivot point, and a feather board over the
router bit.

I first make a bevel cut on my TS using a combination of a fence/tenoning
jig to hog out as much material as possible. Makes the routing much easier.

-nick


"bf" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, I'd like to make a raised panel door that has the "arch" on the top
Stile (the top horizontal piece of the door frame that holds the panel
in.

I've made the traditional rectangle raised panel doors before. However,
when running the rail/styles in the router table, I've found I need a
featherboard pushing hard on the wood to keep the panel grove cut
accurately.

So, how do you cut the arched stile? It doesn't seem like you can use
the router table fence. It seems like you just have to do it freehand
and use the bearing on the bit.

I guess you'd have the same problem cutting the raised panel as well.
So, how do you do it?

Hi Igor,

I knew someone would pick up on this.
Got to measure your words carefully
around here.

I actually squared off the back of the doors
to avoid any glass problems. SWMBO picked
out the actual glass at a local glass place.
It (the glass) had no name, so I made one up.

She wants me to take a couple of photos & post
them on ABPW.

I like it, but YMMV!

And, you're welcome!

Lou

In article , igor
wrote:

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 15:21:14 -0500, loutent wrote:

I recently made my first pair of arched doors
for our kitchen. Instead of a wood panel, I
used a distressed glass - looks real nice.

LOL. Do you mean antique glass? When I think of "distressed" I think of
new wood that is intentionally marked up with hammers and even hatchets (in
an exposed beam house). So "distressed glass" made me spit-laugh, for
which I thank you. -- Igor

"loutent" wrote in message
...
Hi Igor,

I knew someone would pick up on this.
Got to measure your words carefully
around here.

I actually squared off the back of the doors
to avoid any glass problems. SWMBO picked
out the actual glass at a local glass place.
It (the glass) had no name, so I made one up.



IF! your glass is not optically clear and has thin lines running through it
here and there, it is Antique glass. Antique glass was laid out hot and
left to cool on straw. The straw would make the thin lines intermittently
appear in the glass. Scatter in the mix some small air bubbles.

Stained glass suppliers do a pretty good job of faking this type of glass so it
might be contemporary

"Greg" wrote in message
...
Stained glass suppliers do a pretty good job of faking this type of glass
so it
might be contemporary

Yeah, I shoulda mentioned that the "Antique Glass" style is still produced
today to look like the old stuff. Still the particular look I described is
referred to as Antique glass regardless if is old or brand new.

Hi (again) bf,

I posted some pics of my arched door kitchen
project in ABPW if you're interested in seeing them.

Lou

Thanks for everyone's advice here.. some of it covered stuff I hadn't
even thought of.