Double sided raised panel doors with the router table?

[Brian]

I'm looking to make a new door for the front of my house and would like to bounce this off the group. I plan to keep it fairly simple from a design perspective: three columns of double sided rectangular raised panels with an arched row of top panels. Now I'd like to do this on the router table. I'll start with 8/4 stock (Sapele, Mahogany, Macore, or Fiddleback figured walnut -- haven't decided) that I'll mill to 1 3/4" thickness. I think the panels can be routed in "two" passes (multiple passes per side) with standard 3 1/2" cove panel bits (in lieu of one pass using a shaper at the local JC for which I'd have to supply the $200 cutters). The rails and stiles could, theoretically, be done the same way... Two passes on the router table. Setup will be critical to acheive a centered grove that matches the panel tounges. I think it can be done this way, though. What do you think? I'll probably proceed with a pine prototype, but am interested in some experienced feedback, input, and suggestions....

Another area of concern is going to be how well a south-facing solid spar varnished wood door will stand up to 100+ degree heat and 6 or so hours of direct summer sun... What say you to that?!?

Thanks!!

Brian.

[Brian]

Wow. Nobody?

:-/

Brian.

[Bob's Newsgroups]

Brian,

I'll take a swing at your question. Since I work for a largish company that makes doors, I have a few suggestions.

First, for both the stiles and rails I'd strongly suggest that you laminate them rather than using solid 8/4. Face glue two pieces of 4/4 for stability. You might also want to laminate your panels in a three-ply configuration. Use a thin crossband as the center layer.

Your machining plan sounds good. Remember to let the panels float and allow for seasonal changes.

As for your exposure -- your might want to build two doors so that you can always have one door on the house, and another in the shop. With the direct sun any known clear coat will start to fail in pretty short order. You may get three years before your need to do maintenance on the finish if you are lucky and live a pure life. If you paint the door with a light color you'll have much less maintenance, but you'll also have a painted door.

Bob

[Bob's Newsgroups]

The doors you see at Home Depot probably have what we call an engineered stile and rail. Basically that means that the stiles and rails have a fingerjointed and edgeglued core with clear edge strips and veneers glued to the edges and faces. Only the very high end product is made with solid lumber. Some of the imports, especially from "mahogany" type woods may be solid and not laminated. There are plenty of good doors at the big box stores, but know that they beat the tar out of all of us on price. Some folks do cut some corners. Some imports are made by folks new to the market.

By stability I do mean resistance to warp or other movement, yes. You are also right about the crossbanding. It will help prevent the panel from splitting through it checks do open up.

configuration.

[Brian]

Thanks for the input. Seems like the doors I see on display at Home Depot are solid. Or at least I can't detect a seam on the edges. When you say "stability" do you mean less prone to warping, etc? And by "crossband" I assume you mean a thin layer with the grain going across (at 90 degrees to) the two outer layers?

Thanks.

Brian.

[nospam]

yeah, yeah...

you can use the table saw to waste most of the wood off before you send them through your router. save some wear and tear on the router and bits.

I generally make a full length groove in the edge of the stiles and use it to recieve both the lip of the panel and a tongue on the ends of the rails.

make the prototype to fit somewhere. garden gate?

it's gonna need yearly maintenance.

Bridger

[Brian]

The door I really like at Home Depot was cherry (and I'm fairly certain solid) and carried a $3200 price tag. I think I can make that door for about $500 :-)

Thanks again for your advice.

Brian.