# Routing Arch Top Cabinet Doors



## jreid64 (Jun 11, 2012)

Gentlemen,
I am making some custom display cabinets for a friend of mine and they have requested that the stiles for the tops of the cabinet doors as well as the cabinets themselves be arch shaped. My stile width is 1 1/2". Basically I was thinking of setting up some sort of a circle jig to cut both the cabinet stile and the door stile out of at the same time. If necessary, I can post a picture. I tried free handing this with a jig saw then cleaning up the edges witha spindle sander but it is simply too mismatched to properly look good when the door closes into the arch cut out of the cabinet. I thought about cutting them both out of a piece of plywood but bear in mind that the doors are all glass with the exception of the 1 1/2" stile on all sides include the arch shaped piece at the top. I need to know what would be the best jig out there for this as I have numerous doors to build. Anyhelpt would be greatly appreciated. Some arches are 5 1/2" at the top (very small) to about 48" diameter at the top on the bigger stuff. Rockler has some decent jigs but I need something precise and accurate for duplication. Thanks guys!


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## jreid64 (Jun 11, 2012)

*Picture for clarification*

This is the doors that were done by hand but the are not even between the door and the cabinet when you are up close.


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## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

I'd go with a pattern, MDF or ply. Work with the patterns till you get a good result, then use a router with a pattern following straight bit. You should get consistent results. You could hand route or use a table.

GCG


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

I agree make up some templates, and you might consider making doors that have a lip on them, that way there is no concern about have them match the the opening exactly, (you won't see the gap)

I was just wondering how is that door on the left side going to open with that post in the way?


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## jreid64 (Jun 11, 2012)

The doors are going to be split down the middle so that when they are open, it is basically what you see split down the middle. The doors will be joined at that center opening with a full length piano hinge and they will open like a bi-fold shutter towards the center to allow access. I had the spindles placed further back but the owner wanted them positioned there simply becasue she liked them better in that position. The top unit is built on top of a very old mantle she got at an estate sale. Thanks for the advice. Every little bit helps!


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

using an Auto cad program you could make the arch then enlarge it or shrink it keeping the same proportions. Once you have the pattern you could lay it out on MDF and then make a template out of it. MLCS has door templates but I don't know if they would work for what you are trying.


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## TomE (Dec 17, 2010)

If you can get the arches to reveal "perfectly" to the cabinet (piano hinges applied and door braced) then you can tweak the squares to fit.

BTW, looks like a neat project.


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## PorterCable690 (Apr 24, 2012)

*A Circle Jig with Serious Radius Reach*

Here is a simple homemade circle jig with 3-feet of radius reach. Makes quick work of the large arcing arch shape cuts especially where match up work is necessary. Just a thought...


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## PaulDaniels (Jun 16, 2012)

mgmine said:


> using an Auto cad program you could make the arch then enlarge it or shrink it keeping the same proportions. Once you have the pattern you could lay it out on MDF and then make a template out of it. MLCS has door templates but I don't know if they would work for what you are trying.


mgmine has a good idea. However, instead of auto cad, download google sketchup (it's free & takes just couple hours to learn) which is a 3d modeling program. You can make your template on this and go to "Design, Click, Build" at fine woodworking website. They have hundreds of tutorial for woodworking using google sketchup. From there you can find a small tutorial on how to print 1/1 scale prints on multiple pages if necessary and paste that paper template onto some hardboard to make an accurate template for finish routing after you rough cut it on the bandsaw. Hope this helps.


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