Trimming the bottoms of doors square. (w/pics)

[Leon]

I have been doing it this way for years. It sure does beat sanding.

[David F. Eisan]

Hello everyone,

I am working on the last of the kitchen doors for my parents. These are the first Rail and Stile doors I have worked on since installing the DeWALT sliding table on my newly restored 60's Unisaw. For the first time I was able to trim the bottom of the doors rather than try to sand the bottoms flush. I must say it is a dream.

When I set up the saw, I scribed a line strait back from the left side of the blade into the cast top, this helps greatly when cutting. With the door on the sliding table, I over hang the bottom of the door a smidgen over the scribed line and then make my cut. It takes off any glue squeeze out and trims the door strait and square.

cannot believe how easy this is now and how perfect it turns out.

Thanks for looking,

David.

Every neighbourhood has one, in mine, I'm him.

[tom]

At'sa nice sliding table...(drooling) Tom

[George]

Sliding table solution to a problem we folks who have to do without have solved by referencing the kerf on our cutoff sled's fence.

Remember the "exac-ti-cut" Sears saws? They had a resettable plastic insert to show the kerf. Not long until we have some sort of laser, I guess.

[B a r r y]

I do the same with shop-made sleds.

Now if it were an odd angle, I'm drooling over the slider myself!

Barry

[Leon]

You can do the same thing at the front of the insert or use the kerf in a zero clearance insert.

[Leon]

David, consider this also. And yes I know it goes against some rules but if you pay attention it works just fine. I use this technique. Although you should not use your rip fence to cross cut a narrow board or panel it works just fine if the panel has some substantial width to it. Basically if you can easily push the end of a door with out the rail of the door rocking against the fence you can safely use the fence to trim the tops and bottoms of the door. Test the feel. The longer the door is, the more likely it will rock. Also simply firmly hold the door down and against the fence to prevent kick back.

With that said, leave the rails on the top and or bottom slightly proud of the ends of the stiles during glue up. With the rails slightly proud you will have a straight edge to run against the fence.