Cathedral raised-panel doors are beautiful, but they can be
intimidating to make. After many years of teaching students how to make
these doors, I've got a trick or two up my sleeve to simplify the
process and remove some of the fear factor. Here's a tried-and-true
recipe to help you safely and successfully make beautiful doors.
There are a few specialized tools you must have to make cathedral
doors. Start with a suitable router table. It should be equipped with a
2-hp or higher variable-speed router that accepts 1/2-in.-shank router
bits. You'll also need a bandsaw or jigsaw for cutting the curves and a
set of door-making router bits. The bits and a template set will set
you back nearly $400, but they are a big part of what makes this
technique airtight. The good news is the router bits are not specific
to cathedral-top doors; they can be used to make any frame-and-panel
door.
You'll need a two-piece matched rail-and-stile set (about $135) to make
the frame. It's easier to get good results with a two-piece set than
with a one-piece reversible bit. With a two-piece set, you feed all the
pieces face down. Reversible bits use one arbor with removable cutters.
Some parts are machined face up, others face down. This often results
in poor alignment between rails and stiles. Plus, it's a hassle to have
to change cutters on the arbor. Bits with a 1/2-in. shank will produce
less chatter and a smoother cut than those with 1/4-in. shank.
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The
end-grain cutter is used only on the rail ends and produces the tongue
and the mating profile to the molded edge. The depth of cut is
controlled by a bearing that rides against the tongue. Mark a number 1
on the end of the shaft with a permanent marker, because it's the first
cutter you'll use.
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The long-grain cutter is used on the inside edge of all the frame
pieces. It makes the groove for both the panel and the tongue on the
end of the rails. It also forms the molded edge you see around the
inside of the frame. Label this bit with the number 2.
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Use
a back-cutting panel raiser (about $150) to make the panel. The main
cutter cuts a broad profile in the face of the panel. At the same time,
the back cutter sweeps material off the back of the panel to leave a
perfectly sized tongue for the groove in the frame. Our favorite bits
come with two bearings: The large-diameter bearing is used for the
first pass and the small bearing for the final pass.
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Make the Frame
First, cut all the frame pieces (see “Sizing a Door,”). For a
good-looking, stable door, make the frame from straight-grained wood.
Next, on your router table, set up the end-grain cutter for machining
the rail ends. Cutting end grain before long grain helps prevent
blow-out on the rails. Here's a memory device for you: Machine the
Rails before the Stiles, because R comes before S in the alphabet. Mark
the back of all the frame pieces. They get machined with their good
faces down, so you should be looking at the mark on the back for all
the cuts. Note: Run the end-grain and long-grain cutters at full speed
on your router.
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PHOTO 1:
Set the height of the end-grain cutter against a test piece in the
coping sled. The cut should leave a shoulder on top of the piece that's
twice as thick as the lip on the bottom (see Photo 4). You can tweak
the height after a test cut.
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PHOTO 2:
Set the fence even with the face of the ball bearing. A straightedge makes quick work of this job.
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PHOTO 3:
Make a test cut, but don't cut all the way through the test piece. You
don't want to cut into the backer block until the bit height is
perfect. That way, the block can be used to quickly set the bit height
the next time you make doors.
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PHOTO 4:
Check the cut. The height of the router bit
controls the depth of the shoulder and the thickness of the lip. The
tongue size is fixed. The shoulder should be about twice as thick as
the lip. In 3/4-in.-thick stock, this works out to a shoulder depth of
approximately 3/16 in. Raise or lower the bit as needed and make test
cuts until it's right.
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PHOTO 5:
Rout the rail ends. Remember, the back of the board is face up for all
cuts. To ensure a uniform cut, keep consistent downward pressure on the
sled at all times.
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PHOTO 6:
Rough-cut the arch in the top rail. Center the
rail template on the top rail with the bottom of the pattern even with
the rail's bottom edge. Use a template that is the same length or
slightly longer than the rail. Trace the template and use a bandsaw or
jigsaw to cut the curve. Stay at least 1/16 in. but no more than 1/8
in. outside the line.
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PHOTO 7:
Flush-trim the rail with a template guide and a flush-trim bit. Use
double-faced tape to adhere the pattern to the rail. The fence is
replaced with a bit cover and starter pin assembly.
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PHOTO 8:
Set the height of the long-grain cutter by
aligning the groove cutter with the tongue on the end of a machined
rail. The top of the cutter should be even with the top of the tongue.
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PHOTO 9:
Make a long-grain test cut in a scrap piece. Use featherboards to hold
the rail down onto the table and a push stick to drive the piece past
the cutter.
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PHOTO 10:
Check your work by fitting a rail into the test
piece. The faces of both parts should be flush. If they're off by just
a little —the thickness of this page, for instance—you're probably OK.
A tiny discrepancy like that will easily sand out after assembly. If
they're off more than that, raise or lower the bit to correct it. Make
test cuts until you've got a good match.
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PHOTO 11:
Make a zero-clearance fence by slowly sliding the infeed half of the
fence into the spinning bit. This eliminates most of the chipping that
can happen on these cuts. You only need the zero-clearance fence on the
infeed side. Caution: Make sure your bit guard is in place and the
mounting bolts on the fence are just loose enough to let the fence
slide easily.
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PHOTO 12:
Machine the long-grain edges of every frame
piece, including the straight portions of the arched rail. Make sure
the piece is face down. You should be able to see the mark on the back
of the piece when you're machining it.
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PHOTO 13:
Begin the arched cut at the precut section of the top rail. First
position the rail against the starter pin without contacting the bit.
Then pivot the rail into the bit so the bit enters the previous
long-grain cut. Caution: Do not allow the bit to contact the end grain,
as this typically causes it to grab the rail and ruin the piece.
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PHOTO 14:
Complete the long-grain cut by pivoting off the
starter pin and riding the router-bit bearing through the entire length
of the arched rail. Use push blocks to keep consistent downward
pressure on the rail throughout the cut.
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Make the panel
Gluing up narrow pieces of wood is the best way to make wide panels.
You're more likely to get a panel that won't warp, and it's your chance
to exercise some creativity. Look for interesting grain patterns or
cool-looking pieces of wood with lots of character. Rip the panel to
width (see “Sizing a Door,”), but don't cut it to length until after
you've flush-trimmed the arch on top, just in case you have a problem
with the flush-trimming step. Mark the back of the panel to remind you
to keep it face down on the router table. Large-diameter panel-raising
bits must be run slowly, at no more than 12,000 rpm. Routers with 3-hp
motors can easily raise the panel in two passes using the fence to
limit the depth of cut. A router whose motor has less than 3 hp may
struggle a bit. Use push pads to grip the panel and guide it past the
bit.
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PHOTO 15:
Form the arch on the panel the same way you did the rail, but using the
matching panel template. Use a square to make sure the pattern is set
square on the panel. Center and trace the pattern, cut outside the
line, tape the pattern to the panel and flush-trim the shape.
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PHOTO 16:
Set the panel-raising bit's height by aligning
it with a rail's tongue. “Eyeball” the bit height so the bottom of the
back cutter is even with the top of the tongue. Use the bit's small
bearing and set the fence 1/4-in. in front of the ball bearing. At this
stage, the fence is back in place of the bit cover.
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PHOTO 17:
Make a test cut on the long-grain edge of a piece of scrap. It's easier
to cut long grain than end grain, so make your test cuts on a
long-grain edge. Make the first pass with the fence about 1/4 in. ahead
of the bearing. Set the fence even with the bearing for the second pass.
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PHOTO 18:
Check your work by slipping the test piece into
the groove and laying a straightedge across the face. The panel and the
frame face should be flush. In this case, the gap means the bit is set
too high. Adjust and test the bit height until it's right. When the
correct bit height is established, replace the small bearing with the
large one.
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PHOTO 19:
Make the first pass on the panel with the face of the fence set even
with the large bearing. The first cut is made on the panel's bottom
edge. Rotate the panel counterclockwise and make the second cut on the
long-grain edge. Keep the panel moving in one continuous motion to
prevent burning. Cuts 3 and 4 will require different setups.
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PHOTO 20:
Set up to cut the panel arch (Cut 3) by
removing the fence and clamping the bit cover and starting pin in
place. Turn on the router and position the arch against the starting
pin without contacting the bit.
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PHOTO 21:
Start the cut by easing the panel into the bit so the bit enters at the
previously cut corner. At this point, the arch is in contact with both
the starting pin and the bearing on the router bit.
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PHOTO 22:
Rout the arch by pivoting off the starting pin
so the panel is only contacting the router-bit bearing. Finish the
arch, reposition the fence so it's even with the bearing and make Cut 4
on the remaining long-grain edge. Replace the large bearing with the
small one and repeat the process (Photos 19 through 22) for the final
pass.
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Assemble the door
With the router table work done, you're almost home free. Still, there
are some tricks for making assembly easier. Sand all the pieces before
putting the door together. Be careful when sanding the long-grain
profile on the stiles. If you sand too much, the stiles won't mate with
the rails the way they should. Prefinish the panel to guarantee the
entire panel is coated with finish. That way you won't have unfinished
edges peeking out of the frame when the panel shrinks in winter.
Prefinishing also prevents glue squeeze-out from gluing the panel to
the frame, which would prevent the panel from floating in the frame. A
glued-in, solid-wood panel is bound to crack as it tries to expand and
contract with seasonal changes.Have everything you need ready before
applying the first drop of glue. Glue dries fast, and you don't want
the glue to start setting up while you're running around the shop
looking for a clamp. Speaking of clamps, use good ones. Sure, you can
make almost any clamp work, but parallel jaw clamps are the best by
far. They stay dead flat, even under clamp pressure. If you only spring
for one pair—and glue a kitchen full of doors one door at a time—you
won't regret it.
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PHOTO 23:
Glue in sequence from 1 to 5. Start with a stile and the top rail. Add
the panel, then the bottom rail, and capture it all with the last
stile. Keep the edge of the rail dead even with the end of the stile.
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PHOTO 24:
When you apply glue to the rail ends, make sure
the entire profile is covered except for the areas just above and below
the groove. This helps prevent getting glue on the panel.
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PHOTO 25:
Clamp the door gently. It doesn't take much pressure to pull the rails
and stiles together. Excessive clamping can bow the door. Measure the
diagonals to make sure the door is square. If it's not, loosen the
clamps and rack them in the same direction as the longer of the two
diagonals. Tighten the clamps, and recheck the diagonal.
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Sizing a Door
Before you can calculate the lengths of the rails and stiles, you have
to know how the door will fit over or into the cabinet opening. If the
door will lay over the opening, it's called an overlay door. You must
know the amount of overlay to make your rail and stile calculations.
The size of the overlay —how much bigger the door is than the
opening—can be affected by the hardware you use. So, get the hardware
before you build your door. If the door will be set inside the opening,
it's called an inset door. To calculate your stile and rail size on an
inset door, you need to know the gap size between the door and the
cabinet (usually about 1/32 in.). Many cabinetmakers cut the parts to
fit the opening exactly and then trim the assembled door to create the
gap.
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Determine
the panel size by dry-assembling the frame and measuring from groove
bottom to groove bottom. Make the panel 1/8-in. smaller in both length
and width to allow for expansion. On many cutters, the shoulder on the
frame's face is aligned with the bottom of the groove (Fig. C). This allows you to simply measure from shoulder to shoulder on the dry-fit frame.
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Tips:Anti-Rattle Snakes
Solid-wood panels expand and contract seasonally. When they're at their
smallest, they can rattle within the frame. You can take the rattle out
with these silicone strips. Make them by squeezing 1/8-in.-dia. beads
of silicone caulk onto a piece of wax paper. After the caulk dries,
peel off the strips and cut them into 1-in. lengths. Set these into the
grooves before you assemble the door. They'll provide a cushion that
allows the panel to expand but not rattle.
Recommended Tool:Coping Sled
Get a coping sled ($40) for making the end-grain cuts on the rails. The
sled uses a quick-release clamp to hold the rails with a firm grip. A
replaceable backer block keeps the rail square to the fence and backs
up the edge of the rail to prevent blow-out.
Recommended Tool: Template Set
A cathedral template set ($70) is a matched set of rail-and-panel
templates. A template can be fastened directly to the material to act
as a guide for the flush-trim bit. A set typically covers a range of
panel widths, generally from 9-1/2 in. to 22 in. Each pattern has a
centering hash mark for locating the pattern on the wood. Sure, with
careful layout, bandsaw and drum-sander work you can make your own
patterns, but it's hard to beat the simplicity of commercially made
patterns (see Sources).
Oops!
Don't forget to mark the backs of all your parts, and pay attention
to the marks! It's very easy to flip a rail and end up with a piece
that's no good!
Tips and Reminders
- If you're making a door with rails and stiles less than 2 in.
wide, it's easier and safer to work with pieces wide enough to make two
back-to-back pieces. After all the machining is done, rip the stock
down the middle to create a pair of stiles or rails.
- Practice making a door with an easy-to-machine material, such as
poplar or pine. Keep a successfully made door, dry-assembled only, so
you can use the parts for future setups.
- Make extra pieces, just in case. Rails are especially easy to goof
up. You'll appreciate having a spare ready to go if you need it.
- Use straight-grained material for the frame and more open-grained pieces for the panel.
- Prefinish the panel before you assemble the door.
Recommended Gear: Bit Cover
A shop-made bit cover with a starter pin is essential, because the
arched shapes can't be cut with a fence. The starter pin acts as a
fulcrum for easing the arched rail and panel into the router bit. The
cover protects your hands and provides dust collection. The large
plywood base allows you to clamp the cover to your router table (see Fig. D).
Source:
Infinity tools, (877) 872-2487, www.infinitytools.com, Classic door templates, PDT-100, $70
MLCS, (800) 533-9298, www.mlcswoodworking.com, Rounded curve template, 9378, $70
Sommerfeld Tools, (888) 228-9268, www.sommerfeldtools.com, Cathedral door templates, TMP-003, $80
Woodhaven, (800) 344-6657, www.woodhaven.com, Cathedral door template set, 5455, $95
Eagle America, (800) 872-2511, www.eagle-america.com, Coping sled, #400-1235, $40
Woodworker's Supply, (800) 645-9292, www.woodworker.com, Double-faced tape, #127-877, $11.