Raised panel

Comment

Comment by Jay Boutwell on September 26, 2012 at 9:49am

You can do a lot with a straight bit but when you get into some of the more complexed bits a whole new world of door building will open for you.  When this happens then it could be that it will be your favorite thing in woodworking.  When you are ready to invest and need some help in choices let me know and I can help you as I have a great source for bits.

As time permits I plan on doing up some more directions on door building to help others expand in their knowledge.  Building doors for customers can become a full time business and does not take up as much room as building a full set of cabinets and enjoyment of building them becomes a great passtime and can become a family activity as well.   Many out there do not need a full set of cabinets but would like to change door designs.  This would just fit in with a person needing a project without tying up a large amount of shop space and investments in materials.  In my area a set of cabinet doors, arched full raised doors sells for about  $1500.00.  You will have about $500.00 in materials and pocket the rest. This would be for small kitchen of maybe 12 to 15 doors standard sized doors. 

Comment by Jay Boutwell on September 26, 2012 at 9:09am

Thank You TomBoy for your nice comment.  Busy?   yes I have been and enjoy every minute of it.  Reference to the bits, yes I have several different sets to cut raised panels.  I also have bits to cut shaker style doors as well as glass panel bits to cut either full divided light doors (doors with one single piece of glass with grid in the front of the glass) as well as the true divided glass door.(door with individual glass pieces in each grid hole) 

I also have the miniture raised panel bits for cutting miniture doors for things like small jewelry cases or other small boxes and or cabinets.  I might add that the bits allow me to make the doors in a flat panel as well.  Doors are my favorite part of building cabinets and having a nice assortment of bits allow me to do several custom sets of doors where I build just a set of doors, sometimes with a faceframe to fit, for customers.  Good money in these as well as having all the fun doing it.