Replies

1. 
   galenajoe | Jul 20, 2005 04:51am | #1

   I've made a whole bunch of panel doors and I use the same formula for all of then.For the rails I take the final width of the door that I want to make, I subtract the width of the 2 stiles and then I add .75". This gives you the total length of the rails. With your sizes it would be 21.5"-4.75"+.75"=17.5" for the rails. For the panel I usually make it about .25" to .375" smaller in width than the length of the rails. For the hight of the panel I subtract the width of the two rails,4.75" in your case, from the total height of the door I'm making then add about .625".

   You have to play with the width of your doors depending on the type of hinge you're using. Usually with one overlay door with European hinges it's no problem. But if you have two doors butting together in one opening you have to give yourself a little more room. Maybe make the doors .125" smaller than if it was just one door in the opening.  

             Joe 

2. 
   Dave45 | Jul 20, 2005 05:37am | #2

   Rails should be 171/2".  Most cope cutters make a 3/8" tenon on the ends of the rail.  Since each rail has two ends, you need to add 2*3/8" = 3/4"

3. 
   notDusty | Jul 20, 2005 04:51pm | #3

                     manny ,

                                     With the cutters you have and the size of your stile and rails a quick and easy way is to simply subtract 4" from the door width for your rail size and subtract 4  1/8 " to get the panel size .

                              good   luck                  dusty

1. 
   Manny | Jul 20, 2005 05:21pm | #4

   Thanks! How did you come up with that formula? Let's say I am using 2" wide stiles and rails or 1 3/4..? What would be the formula? Same cutters..

   Thanks

1. 
   notDusty | Jul 20, 2005 07:14pm | #5

       manny ,

                          The formula is constant , the numbers change with the stile size and tongue length . It is the same as has already been stated , rail size = door width minus stiles + tongue . Just use the factor in each application to arrive at one number subtracted from the door width will = the rail dimension .

                         hope that splains it better

                                                            dusty

4. 
   Floss | Jul 20, 2005 07:32pm | #6

   Manny,

   Why don't you make a sample. That way if the tenons are a little long/short you will know the exact dimension you need to work to.

   J.P.

   http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com
1. 
   mudman | Jul 20, 2005 08:17pm | #7

   JP is right on. make a sample to know for sure. Sometimes using panel spacer (like spaceballs) will affect the math.

   Mikeplease excuse my spelling.