# Mating rails and stiles



## billw (Oct 8, 2009)

My first woodworking project is building wainscot paneling for our living room and staircase. I've got the panel build to where I'm comfortable and satisfied with the end product but I'm not real happy with the way the rails and stiles are mating. Some of them don't sit flush. I've made them at different times. I'm guessing that when I set the router bit up I may have been a little off or I didn't keep enough pressure on the board when I was feeding them. Is there a way to ensure that I get good flush fits every time I make them?


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## BHOFM (Oct 14, 2008)

billw said:


> My first woodworking project is building wainscot paneling for our living room and staircase. I've got the panel build to where I'm comfortable and satisfied with the end product but I'm not real happy with the way the rails and stiles are mating. Some of them don't sit flush. *I've made* *them at different times.* I'm guessing that when I set the router bit up I may have been a little off or I didn't keep enough pressure on the board when I was feeding them. Is there a way to ensure that I get good flush fits every time I make them?


I think you answered your own question.










:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

Just kidding you know..


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

It could also depend upon your router table setup. What type of support do you use when cutting the ends of the rails? I have built a small sled with a hold down clamp to keep the rails perpendicular to the fence when cutting. It would be very difficult to do this job with only hand held support.

G


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Try this:*

Set all the rails on the bench against a straight edge and check for different lengths. Find the shortest one, or make an additional one if it's too short. Then trim them all to the same length and run them thru the cutter again using the set up from the opposite end as a match for height only if it checks out as a good fit against the stile. 
Sounds like the afternoon shift on Friday made some and the morning shift on Monday made some and the others were made on lunch break.:laughing: You've got to make them all at the same time! 
In this case you have to find a common place to start and make them all alike. If the rails end up a "little short" a narrow strip can be added on the outside edge of the stile to get back the difference, if it won't be an obvious glue joint. Try to match the grain direction. 
It ain't how many screw-ups you make it's how clever you are in fixin' 'em! :yes: bill


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Bill,
In addition to what Woodnthings said, once you get a good match, run a couple of extra pieces (one of each) and save them for setup blocks. You should be able to set the router bit height with ease then.
Mike Hawkins


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## billw (Oct 8, 2009)

woodnthings said:


> Sounds like the afternoon shift on Friday made some and the morning shift on Monday made some and the others were made on lunch break.:laughing: You've got to make them all at the same time!


I believe you hit the nail on the head. It's a matter of cockpit errors on my part. Some I did late night after work, some I did when I was fresh on a Saturday morning. I'm going to build all of them for the next wall at the same time and make sure they fit right, and make one for a setup jig, BEFORE I assemble the wall . A rookie mistake that I won't make again, I hope:yes: 

The other thing I think I screwed up was with board thickness. I'm using rough cut red oak. I only used the gauge on the plane to measure thickness. I picked up a digital caliper. This time the stock thickness is all within +/-.003 inch of each other. Hopefully I'll have a better result this time around. 

The reason I asked was because an acquaintance is telling me I need to run them through a wide drum sander to get them flush. I'm thinking he may need to use one but doesn't want to spend the money. :smile: I saw a thread here on a DIY wide drum sander. I have quite a few of the parts already laying around. After the holidays I'm going to build one.

Thanks for the advice everyone.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

[Quote:The other thing I think I screwed up was with board thickness. I'm using rough cut red oak. I only used the gauge on the plane to measure thickness. I picked up a digital caliper. This time the stock thickness is all within +/-.003 inch of each other. Hopefully I'll have a better result this time around.] 

Bill,
Even without the calipers, if you run all your stock through one final pass without moving the height of the cutterhead, they should all come out uniform. In fact, after I get done ripping my stock for rails and styles, the last thing I do is run them on edge, four or five at a time stacked together, so they all end up the same width also. 
Mike Hawkins


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