I'm looking to build about 60 full overlay Shaker style doors and drawer fronts, all square profile and painted white. The rails & stiles are 2 1/2" wide with the stiles the full length of the fronts. The center panel will be 1/2" Baltic Birch. I want to rabbet out the plywood to leave a 1/4" tongue to fit into the rails & stiles. The plywood will be flush, on the back of the door and recessed back from the face of the rails & stiles. I don't want the edge of the door frame to show a cope & stick profile. Would rather do a mortise/tenon joint. But How?
The rails can be cut the full length and the plywood just notched out, so I should be ok there. How would I start and stop the groove in the stiles and also cut out the mortise, while on a router table. I was hoping there would be a bit, like half of a T&G set, that I could use and 'plunge' horizontally the stile to cut the groove. Will I have to take the stile off the table to make the mortise?
That's what I want to do but here is where it gets good. I don't have a router yet:frown:. I built a table extension on my Delta table saw. I was planning on adding a router plate or lift and an under table router. This project does have a budget. I know, woodworking and budget, lol. Anyway my initial thoughts on purchases:
1) Incra Magnalock plate & Triton 2.25hp router> $345
2) JessEm Router Lift II & Bosch 1617 2.25hp router> $400
I really don't know what the lift offers over the plate. I can adjust both from the top. I know lift is probably more accurate, but I use a depth gauge anyway. I know I have to lock the Triton router after adjustment, do you have to do the same with the lift? As far as the router goes, I can't seem to find just a motor, the 890 PC's seem to be all out of stock. The JessEm lift doesn't seem to work with a Triton router. Any preferences on routers in my case? Thanks for all suggestions.
Hello Tom, welcome to the forums...
We're happy you found us...
The mortise/tenon joint....
plunge cut the groove and mortise simultaneously w/ a straight bit in the stile...
the straight bit will be more forgiving than a solid carbide spiral...
solid carbide bits are brittle and don't tolerate abuse or stress well...
cut a mortise in the rail's end and go w/ a loose tenon...
this is not a plunge cut, think stopped dado...
also, a ¼'' of tenon is too short... consider at least ½'' at a bare minimum instead... more for the stile...
go for more flex resistance and rabbet the ply ½''...
an idea...
instead of a mortise go w/ a rabbet done on the back side of the frame, freehand, after the frame is assembled...
square the IS corner radius w/ a chisel....
insert your rabbeted plywood...
both the frame an plywood rabbets can be cut freehand w/ a
rabbeting bit for a near perfect fit...
if you were to carry the edge rabbets through on the stiles/rails for the ply before assembly and do a reverse rabbet on the ends of the rails, that would give you blind half lap joints everywhere that would be very strong..
another idea...
instead of the plunge mortise use a
slot cutter and spline (through or blind) the butt joints...
this all can be done free hand...
the slot can be cut through or stopped/blind, freehand quite easily..
the rabbet on the ply can be cut w/ the slot cutter, freehand...
the mortises...
build a mortising jig... (see the PDF)...
way safer and easier than table plunge cutting...
more control too...
The RT...
the lift offers plenty...
the JessEm is all KISS/MISS and a fine instrument...
the CS/TS at JessEm are outstanding and then some..
1/128'' increments of adjustment are easy... 1/256'' cuts w/ a little fussin'....
way safer to do plunges...
Adjustments and lock/unlock is done from the top...
way simpler and easier than a plate/router combination...
as for the 1617EVS-PK...
getting the kit is a no brainer... best of both worlds...
you'll do more freehand than table...
and you'll pick up a stable of routers... trust us on this....
I shy away from plunge cuts on an RT...
but here is how...
more on plunging...
DO NOT forget to use featherboards and stops...