Replies

1. 
   john | Aug 04, 2003 09:04pm | #1

   I prefer to stop the groove 3/8" from the ends of the styles and use a loose tenon, maybe with the same material as you will use for the centre panel. I just think that looks better than running the groove through, also easier than cutting a stub tenon on the rail ends.

   John

2. 
   SCFrankland | Aug 04, 2003 11:40pm | #2

   How big are your doors?  I just finished 42 kitchen cabinet doors that had 4 pantry doors in the mix.  I found that stub tennon are fine on the smaller doors but I they would not hold up well on the larger doors.  Your best bet is either a floating tenon as mentioend or a proper haunched mortise and tenon joint.

   Check out the following link as it may help you:

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00011.asp

   Scott C. Frankland

   "This all could have been prevented if their parents had just used birth control"

1. 
   ripmeister | Aug 05, 2003 04:36pm | #3

   The doors are going to be approximately 24 x 30.  One thing I thought of was using biscuits, essentially a floating tenon to join the rails and stiles, however I'm not sure with that approach that I would have the room for a groove for a floating panel.  Your thoughts?

3. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Aug 05, 2003 05:47pm | #4

   With painted flat panel doors, use plywood or MDF for the panel, and glue it into dados cut into the frame members.   Using the panel structurally makes the door much much stronger than just depending on the corner joinery.  In fact, with a glued-in panel, the corner joinery only needs to keep the frame members from twisting out of plane with each other, and almost any method will do.  For instance, a biscuit is good enough, and is real fast to install.

4. 
   Napie | Aug 05, 2003 07:25pm | #5

   All the painted cabinets in my butlers pantry have MDF panels glued in the soft maple frames and the corners are biscuit jointed.  The have been there three years with no problems.

1. 
   ripmeister | Aug 05, 2003 08:24pm | #6

   Thanks to all  for your input.  I think I'll go with the biscuit/glued in panel approach.  This would appear to be both quick, sturdy and of  moderate skill  level.  A couple last questions.  For a glued in panel  like this how deep a  groove  would you recommend?  Also what should I shoot for in terms of panel size relative to groove depth?  I would assume I should get as close as possible leaving a little room at the bottom of the groove for squeeze out.  Again, thank-you for  your advice.

1. 
   Napie | Aug 05, 2003 10:41pm | #7

   I used 3/8" MDF, rabbeted to 1/4" in a 1/4" groove 1/2" deep, this made for a very solid door.  The flat side to the front, you do not need very much glue at all.