how to route a mock door panel feature

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micks

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hi all if for example i have a plain interior door , and wish to add a decorative feature.

so giving the appearance of a raised panel or simular enhancement,

in theory i could purchase some 6mm mdf , make a rectangular or square appeture .cut appeture with jigsaw.possible route using a template .not sure whats the best methode.

route the rectangle ,glue panel to existing door ,

whats got me beat . is how using overlo or simular bearing guided cutter in plunge router, how i can route the (rectangle or square) its only 6mm thick so bearing has nothing to run against.

got some books from libery re routing but cannot find an example of how to produce something simular.

can only find referance to raised panel doors and bits??


thank you
 
What I did to improve the look of some horrible hollow interior doors in my house was to make a kind of picture frame and stick it to the door.
I then painted the inside of the frame a slightly darker shade to the rest of the door. It looks much better than before, i'll try and post some pictures later.
 
what you are looking to do is to use a pattern for your routing process.
even for one door this is a useful idea. for more than one it is vital.

the simplest way is to make a panel out of 12 or 18mm mdf that is a quarter the size of the door, mark out the shape you want. cut it out by jigsaw, then sand back to the line, clean it up, and then attach your 6mm with carpet tape. cut out one side, then flip to get the exact same shape on the next quarter. this way, if there are errors they are all over and thus do not look out of place.

paul :wink:
 
You must use a cutter without a bearing and use a guide bush instead. I have often made panels up in this way with 18mm MDF. The 6mm template must be clean and free of blemishes as any hicup in the cutting of it will transfer to the cutter. Jigsaw it out and then sand it to get a smooth edge for the guide bush. Hope this helps. :wink:
 
Here is an example of a panel being routed using just this method of guide bush and 'open' cutter.
1zcuttingdrawerfronts7bv.jpg
 
mailee the only thing about using a guide bush is that you have to make your jig "offset" to allow for the distance from the guide bush side to the centre of the cutter

paul :wink:
 
Oh yes of course that is true but it is the only way to route a mock panel by hand. It is just a case of measuring the offset and making the template to suit. I use this method all the itme for making mock panels and it works well. Of course I am always open to better/quicker methods as we never stop learning do we? :)
 
thanks all engineer one and mailee i can see how making a template would give simular rectangles etc.

mailee i can follow your methode of making template ,using non bearing cutter and guide bush for making a mock panel in an existing plain door, or a new door that one wishes to make.


what i was trying to fathom was , if i have a piece of 6mm mdf ,i cut out rectangles in the 6mm mdf, i then want to give a (feature) to the edge of the rectangles , and affix the mdf panel to an esisting door .

if my rectangle was 16"X!0" and guide bush margin say 1" template would be 17"X11" inside, use guide bush +cutter to route decorate edge.

ps just found i have no non bearing guided cutter in my set apart from straights .


thank you
 
two things you can still do it with a bearing guided cutter, as long as your plunge depth is set properly, and you put the pattern underneath, if you have bottom mounted bearings whilst with top mounted you do it the other way.

however, your maths are a little off,maybe due to my comments.
what you need to do is actually measure from the OUTSIDE of the router cutter to the OUTSIDE of the guide bush, since the guide bush outside will run on the pattern, thus with a 1 inchguide, and a 1/2 inch flat cutter, the actual amount will be just over 1/4 inch.
sorry if i mislead you, but maybe now it seems easier :roll:

paul :wink:
 
I would use TomTom or MultiMap.
Alternatively you could just hand it over to a delivery company and let them sort it out. :wink:
 
You can also just use the edge of an off cut as long as it is longer than the edge you are routing :)
Just clamp your panel to your board with the edge you are routing flat to the edge of th scrap.

If I have it right, that should work.

I hope that is clear
 
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