# Raised Panel Doors



## Roger Manning (Jan 5, 2007)

Anyone here make raised panel doors?
I have been making my own for about 7 years and find it fast and easy, I just started to make arch top and other styles.
I would like to hear from others who make them.


----------



## Rob (Oct 31, 2006)

The last set I made, I used a Shaker style bit from Lee Valley. The panel is 3/4" solid oak but the proud face is on the inside of the door. 








Pardon the photography...


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Nothing to it really. I have two sets one from MLCS and one from Eagle.

Do you use a shaper or a router table?


----------



## Roger Manning (Jan 5, 2007)

I use a router table, I have three sets of cutters for frames and four for the panels. I just started making arch top with templets I got from Woodhaven.


----------



## joasis (Sep 15, 2006)

Welcome to the club Roger...just making it official.


----------



## C&D Woodcraft (Dec 1, 2006)

Anyone sub out their doors? 
The only full kitchen I've done (mine) had 24 doors and drawer fronts, I subbed them out to a company in Texas for $600. They were solid maple, arched, raised panel doors. There was no way I could do it for that cheap. 
The company I used is now out of biz, but there are lots of companies that only do doors.


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Maybe they went out because they were too cheap?

I simply don't attempt to compete on price alone anymore. Sometimes I barely consider it.

But I agree with your comment, I have subbed out the doors before when I had more jobs going that I should have. I had eight guys working for me in 99 and we were doing too many jobs and getting to where the quality statred to suffer. 

The doors I subbed out on this one job were so bad I told the customer that were so far behind that I had some temporary doors made for them to use until I was able to make them myself.
The customer was a longtime client of mine. One of my first. 

She knew I was full of it and what had happened and tried to say they were good enough. I insisted. Told her it would'nt matter that I was going to show up with the permanent doors and a court order to install them in order to protect my reputation. 

That got a laugh out of her. Two weeks later I installed doors from a different sub that I had gotten a commitment of quality from after he had to listen to my story. They were not cheap but they were top notch. In the long run it worked out great. I took the doors back to the original sub and pointed out all the flaws and told him how I was sure it was great for his NH contractors but I didn't accept this junk normally and was sorry I hadn't picked them up myself or I would have rejected them. 

Since I was fairly laid back about it and non-confrontational, he responded the same way and said there would be no charge and would I give him another chance sometime. I said yes and I did a couple years later. the doors were perfect, and the pricing had not changed.

Quality comes in people too. He had a super busy shop and had sacrificed some quality control for big volume, and i understood his position because I had unitentionally done the same thing. He made up for it. I went by there back in May and dropped off soome prints for a bid. he had downsized and dropped a couple of NH contractors and said he was glad he did. Said he had already started getting complaints when I broght the doors back, and since he downsized his returns were back to zero.

Be careful about subbing cabinet work and make clear you are on the same page as to quality before you put in an order.


----------



## Rob (Oct 31, 2006)

I subbed a bunch about 6 years ago. I think there were 30 of them and I had to spray with white lacquer. Even though I had the equipment to make them all, (except for 50 or so clamps) it was a wise financial move to sub.
I've heard the arguement that it is a cop-out to do this. To me it was a wise business decision.


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

That's no cop-out Rob. Just like me and my propensity to claim that hand cut dovetails are the onlky way to go. This is an unreasonable position for me to take.
Some guys will simply never get the hang of it nomatter how many they cut. Others do it as a business decision; they have alot to cut and have no other option.
Subbing out doors when yhou have to or heck even want to is never a cop-out.
i have subbed entire cabinet jobs out before when in reality i could have built them myself but just didn't want to fool with it.
I don't like carcass work anymore unless it is high-end furniture, and I don't get to make anything but a mess lately.


----------



## clampman (Oct 20, 2006)

Texas,

That's a great story. Thanks for taking the time to type it all out.

I too make all my doors, on shapers, because I am too particular about them and no one would ever take the time to make them the way I like.

regards,

Jimc


----------



## pianoman (Jan 16, 2008)

Ya, arched top doors... the best way is to use a shaper. You need to have about 15 different arch templates... to accomodate different width doors and seperate templates for the pannels. The cutter on the shaper will have a ball bearing guide. Use a pneumatic jocky slide for template and work piece. This is a production setup that requires a high level of confidence. Rick


----------



## pianoman (Jan 16, 2008)

Raised pannel doors in the interior trim world is usually found in the kitchen and bath area. But not always!!! You can use a table saw or router... but , raised pannels on the job are best kept to the shop. I`m sure there are high end trim guys that fabrocate real raised pannels with a minimum of tools to lugg around... I just think it is safer in the shop!


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Making raised panel doors is a time and material decision. Most all the shops I know have sub contracted out the doors and drawer fronts at times when there just isn't enough time. 

Being all set up doesn't change the fact that it's one of the procedures that can make or break the quality of a project.

For the hobbyist that's into WW'ing for the fun of it, and likes getting into projects, making doors might be right up there with "do it for the experience".

I will say that doing them myself allows me the choice for material selection as for matching, and an ongoing quality control for any problems. My suggestion is that if there is a decision to farm that end of the job out, try to locate a local shop. Solving problems and shipping become minimized.


----------



## Capt Crutch (Jan 21, 2008)

Does anyone make them on a table saw? That's the only way I've tried it...


----------



## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

I am going to take a stab at making raised panel doors, not for commercial endeavours, just for my own personal satisfaction of trying something new to me. I will be using router, with table and bits. I already have most of the equipment I need, I just have to bulid a bigger/better router table. That is kind of in the works now. I look forward to hearing from any body else giving it a shot.

Gerry


----------



## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Capt Crutch said:


> Does anyone make them on a table saw? That's the only way I've tried it...


Nothing wrong with doing it on a table saw, I've seen some great results from that method. I have a cutter head that holds three replaceable bits. I am going to have another look at it to see what profiles I have.

Gerry


----------



## dpmcreations (Feb 3, 2008)

*well!!!!!!!!!!!*

I make them for the most part, but I do sub them out from time to time if the job or my schedule requires it... I prefer to make them myself, but again it just depends...


----------



## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

I make my own raised panel doors. Usually rectangular with no curves. But I have on occasion made curve top doors or tombstone doors with hand carved inside corners. I have a 3 shaper setup which makes quick work of it. All 3 HP shapers. Two feeder for the panel and stick and just a miter for the cope.


----------



## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Those are nice looking cabinets and doors Leo. What wood are you using?

Gerry


----------



## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Thanks Gerry. They look even better with the crown on. The wood is Cherry and it is just clearcoated with MLC MagnaMax.


----------



## skymaster (Oct 30, 2006)

Decorative Specialties, thats my answer to doors:smile: Normally I cannot buy my material for their prices and quality.


----------

