Question about splitting red oak with bandsaw

[lwhughes149]

I am in the mist of making a red oak display cabinet, comes from Woodsmith No. 78 if anyone has that book. The pattern allows the doors to be made without stile and rail cutter. I have a simple stile and rail cutter but it doesn't have the profile that comes on most doors and cabinets. Hope that make sense. You can see the cabinets I used on my kitchen, the pics are in my gallery. To the problem. The doors are put together with 3/8th inch pieces that go together to make the completed door. I have rough wood at 2/4 thickness and hate to waste so much. I would like to cut it in half with a 1/2hp craftsman bandsaw. Is it strong enough to make the cuts? Is there a way of making my simple stile and rail cutter work for doors with 8 panes? I would like to do that even if it doesn't have the cute profile. Thanks Lorraine

[toolferone]

Lorraine, let me if I can help. When you say "2/4" thick do you mean 1/2" thick or 2" (8/4) thick.Your band saw might resaw the rails and styles with a wide blade and few teeth. It will be slow going I would think.

Okay, I just read the article on the doors. It is a bit unusual, but it will work and you only need a 1/4" round-over (a very common bit) and a 1/2"dia core box (round nose) bit. These are bits you might have or should because you will use them a lot (my.02 worth)

If you want to use your bits then you will need to cut out the back of the r&s to leave a rabbet instead of a groove. You need to do this carefully because you don't want to cut away where the r&s join each other. you will need to then cut dado's where the divider go.

I hope this helps.

[lwhughes149]

I am sitting here now looking at a cabinet that is complete with the exception of the doors. There has to be a better way than the one the book shows. Maybe it is time to bite the bullet and purchase the stile and rail cutter for glass. $89.00 Tomorrow is my birthday, maybe I should just order it for myself? You think? It's just money.

[RandyJ]

OK Lorraine. I'll be your enabler! If you think you will build more cabinets like these, go for the R&S bits.


I wish I knew enough about the subject to offer an alternative. Sorry...

Take care,

[cpowell]

Originally Posted by toolferone

If you want to use your bits then you will need to cut out the back of the r&s to leave a rabbet instead of a groove. You need to do this carefully because you don't want to cut away where the r&s join each other. you will need to then cut dado's where the divider go.

The first time I made doors with glass panes I cut the stiles "top to bottom". Color and grain matching/glueing/shaping the spacers to look right was a pain.

Lorraine - Remember to stop your stile cuts short when you remove the backs. You can clean to the line with a chisel.

Chuck

[Travis Porter]

You do not need a rail and stile cutter for glass doors. You can use your regular rail and stile cutters, glue the pieces up, fit a temporary piece in the grooves and use a rabbetting bit to cut them out.

I bought the glass bit set and realize after the fact that it isn't anything special.