Replies

1. 
   NickC | Feb 25, 2003 10:52pm | #1

   I don't like that design, for the reason you mention. The nature of the "float" will change with the seasons. You may want to consider the Whiteside RP bits (www.routerbits.com).

1. 
   Kauai | Feb 25, 2003 11:04pm | #2

   Thank you, I was afraid of that, even though the tech. still says he has never received any complaints about wood movement. Wonder why they designed it that way.

   Whiteside just make router bits, though, right?

1. 
   UncleDunc | Feb 25, 2003 11:55pm | #3

   Many of the raised panels I've seen on old woodworking texts and in newer sources have a straight taper all the way to the edge. It hasn't been that long since I saw discussions in FWW about raising panels with a table saw.

   And many of these straight tapers were at a much blunter angle than 3 degrees. Three degrees is a 1 in 19 slope. A movement of 1/8" at the edge only changes the thickness of the panel by .006", so it doesn't surprise men that the salesman reported no problems. Assuming he's not just lying.

   My impression is that it's only since the widespread adoption of routers that people have started thinking in terms of a parallel section at the edge to fit into the rail and stile grooves. Before that, picking the exactly right width of the panel to account for wood movement and finish thickness was seen as just part of the job.

1. 
   Kauai | Feb 26, 2003 12:26am | #4

   Your insightful comments reminded me of an illustration in an old book I ran across, Reverence for Wood, showing a feather edge panel board fitted into a grooved style from the 1700s. That panel edge is tapered as you say, at what looks to be about 10 or 12 degrees! I'm feeling better?

2. 
   jgaiennie | Feb 26, 2003 03:02pm | #6

   Unc,

   If that panel shrinks 1/8" in width and the movement is on both edges of the panel as it should be if it's floating properly, that 0.006" will be split between both edges making the effect only 0.003" at each edge.

   jdg

2. 
   NickC | Feb 26, 2003 10:19am | #5

   I learned two methods for making raised panels with hand tools--one very quick and easy, the other a little harder, but with a more refined result. (When I learned, I don't think you could get router bits for this because there was no electricity yet.):

   1) Start with a panel of the proper thickness, and cut to size to include the tongues. Plane a rabbet all around the the proper depth so as to form the tongues.  Note that this leaves tongues that do not slope outward toward the frame. Scribe a line around the panel parallel to the edges where you want the bevel to meet the panel face. Using a rabbet plane of sufficient width, plane the bevel to slope from the inner edge of the tongues to the line.

   The second method doesn't take the bevel all the way up to the panel face, but leaves a reveal...

   2) Using a plough plane, cut a pair of grooves all around the panel. The outer groove establishes the depth and width of the tongue; the inner groove establishes the location and depth of the reveal. Using a rabbet plane, form the bevel from the tongue up to the reveal. Note that the width of the bevel has to be the the width of the rabbet plane.

   There was a third method, for folks somewhat lacking in the plane department: using a bench plane, just bevel the edges of the panel. This was considered somewhat crass, so naturally we did it when ever we could get away with it.