# building cabinet doors



## curtis cartwright (Nov 29, 2010)

Hi my name is Curtis Cartwright and i live in the Bahamas. I am a novice in terms of using the table router to build cabinet doors. maybe some one can give me some pointers. Also, what is the best router and table combination to buy.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Hi Curtis, and welcome!
I'm sure you'll get plenty of opinions on both of your questions.
Here's mine. 

I use the table router to cut grooves for door panels, to profile rails and stiles, to make the rail/stile joint (cope), to make raised panels and, sometimes to joint edges. 

If you have viewed any of the Router Workshop videos, you'll see that excellent work can be achieved with a very basic table and fence. I would recommend that you take a look. 

I'm not always a "Bigger Is Better" type of guy, but for serious cabinet making, a 3+ hp rated router certainly makes the job safer and quicker. Especially, if you do any raised panel work with the router. 

If you look at the Router Workshop videos, you'll see that they don't use a router lift, but do use a plunge router for most work. I prefer the lift as my table router is darned heavy. Lifting it out to adjust or change bits each time just does not appeal to my rather lazy nature.

Of course, there are dozens of ways to work around the limitations of a smaller router, my suggestions reflect my opinion that the most efficient and time saving route is best. NOT, necessarily the most cost effective!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Curtis

You can do it the hard way or the easy way, that's up to you 
Get the video below and Marc will show you the easy way, that works..

Cabinetmaking Made Easy-Sommerfeld's Tools For Wood

Marc Sommerfeld's New Expanded DVD Collection

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curtis cartwright said:


> Hi my name is Curtis Cartwright and i live in the Bahamas. I am a novice in terms of using the table router to build cabinet doors. maybe some one can give me some pointers. Also, what is the best router and table combination to buy.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Greetings and welcome to the router forum. Thank you for joining us, and remember to have fun, build well and above all be safe.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

*Summerfeld Videos*

+1 for Bob's recommendations. :agree:Marc's cabinet making video is excellent. His methods produce earthquake proof cabinets. My set of videos is several years old and he only covers raised paneled doors. In his newer ones, he may have expanded his repertoire to include flat panels.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Gene

The new videos are almost the same but he now is using his router bits that are setup like the sharper cutters ( that's to say cutting 1/2" deep ) makes it a bit easy-er to do the math on the door parts but the 4" golden rule is still in place...

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Gene Howe said:


> +1 for Bob's recommendations. :agree:Marc's cabinet making video is excellent. His methods produce earthquake proof cabinets. My set of videos is several years old and he only covers raised paneled doors. In his newer ones, he may have expanded his repertoire to include flat panels.


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## Excelstillmore (Aug 18, 2013)

Hi, my name is Joshua and I'm new to this forum. i was wondering if the Sommerfeld cabinet bit set that much better then the MLCS sets? Also I have a small Craftsman router that was given to me but now I'm ready to get a 3+ hp 1/2inch collet router. What router should I purchase? Thanks


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Joshua,
Just my opinion but, I don't think you can surpass the performance of the Porter Cable 7518 (motor only) for router table use. I have one in a Jessem lift. Great combo.
For a few years, that combo in a Jointech table, was used almost exclusively for cabinet doors, most of which were raised panel. 
Now, it's used for much smaller projects and it still performs well.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Another how-to video, this one from CMT:
Router bits-Rail & stile router bit sets-CMT tools


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Joshua, welcome to the forum.

I would vote for the Triton TRA001, in a table, for your raised panel bits.


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