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STILE-CUTTING CONFIGURATION
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RAIL-CUTTING CONFIGURATION
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A reversible stile and rail bit makes perfect-fitting frames for doors and cabinets without dowels, mortises or biscuits.
Reversible bits have removable profile- and slot-cutting wings along
with shims and a guide bearing mounted on a single shaft. Depending on
its orientation, the profile cutter either creates the profile on the
stile (above, left) or its coped negative on the rail (above, right).
Changing the setup means disassembling the bit (below), rearranging
the wings and reassembling—a two-minute process. Make sure to orient
the cutting wings correctly, so they face into the cut. Shims allow
adjusting the fit.
One of the best buys you can make for your table-mounted router is a
set of stile-and-rail bits. These bits allow you to join frame pieces
together by making a decorative version of the tongue and groove joint.
This joint is often called a “cope and stick” joint, because the rail
is coped to fit around the profile that's “stuck” onto the stile. When
assembled, two stiles and two rails form a frame with a groove around
its inside edge, perfect for holding a panel. Stile-and-rail bits come
in a variety of profiles (Fig. A) and are great for making kitchen
cabinet doors and other frame and panel structures. Most manufacturers
offer them either as matched two-bit sets or as a single “reversible”
bit. With the two-bit set you get one bit to make a “profile” cut on
long grain (the stile cutter) and another to make a matching “coped”
cut on the end-grain (the rail cutter). With the single, reversible-bit
sets you get removable parts that can be configured to make both cuts.
Matched sets with separate bits are best in production shops, but
reversible bits are a good choice for anyone working with a budget,
because they usually cost less than matched sets and still offer great
performance. Using a reversible bit is a piece of cake (Photos 1 - 6,
below), as long as you remember to make the cope cuts face-side up and
profile cuts face-side down. Making the changeover from profile to cope
cutting (or back) takes only a few minutes. You'll be impressed with
the quality of the fit and the speed with which you can make a quantity
of doors or frames.
Fig. A: Stile-and-rail bits come in a variety of decorative profiles.
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PHOTO 1
Start
by making cope cuts on the ends of the rails. Install the bit
configured for rail-cutting. The use a straightedge to set the fence
flush with the guide bearing, to assure a smooth pass
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PHOTO 2
Make test end-grain cuts. You'll need a sled to hold the rail safely
and ensure a square cut. Simply glue a block of wood with one
squarely-cut end onto a larger piece of 1⁄4-in. plywood, aligned on one
edge. Then attach a toggle clamp. Clamp the rails in the sled face-side
up for all end-grain cuts.
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PHOTO 3
Set
the bit's height by making test cuts until the rabbet on the bottom of
the rail is at least 3⁄16-in. deep. Otherwise the corresponding bottom
shoulder on the stile will be too thin and may break. Once the bit's
height is set, make all of the coped end-grain cuts on the rails.
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PHOTO 4
Disassemble
the bit to rearrange the pieces for making the profile cuts. Leave it
mounted in the router when loosening the locking nut—it's a handy way
to hold onto the shaft. After rearranging, don't over-tighten the nut
or you'll damage the shims.
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PHOTO 5
Configure
the bit for stile-cutting. Set the bit's height by aligning its
slot-cutting wing with the tongue on one of the rails. These cuts don't
require a sled. Use scrap stock to make a test cut, check its fit with
the rails and make adjustments, if necessary.
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PHOTO 6
Make
profile cuts on the inside edges of the stiles and rails. Orient the
pieces face-side down and mark the edge to be routed. Use push blocks
to hold the workpiece against the fence and the table when you guide it
past the bit.`
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SOURCES:
MLCS, mlcswoodworking.com,
(800) 533-9298, Reversible Combination Rail & Stile Router Bits, #8851-8854, $45 each;
Woodcraft Supply,
www.woodcraft.com, (800) 225-1153, Whiteside Reversible Stile &
Rail Bits, #405703-405705, $78 each;
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Coastal Tool, www.coastaltool.com, (877) 551- 8665, Amana Reversible Stile and Rail Bits, #55350, #55370, #55380, $97 each;
Woodworker's
Supply, www.woodworker.com, (800) 645-9292, Woodtek Reversible Stile
and Rail Router Bits, #110-183, #820-739, #820-746, #821-005, $48 ea.
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