louvered doors

[ray vile]

my nephew wants me to make a cabinet to hold some high end high, power computer equipment that generates alot more heat than you standard desk top, does anyone know where i can find a link showing how you can go about cutting louvers for the doors, i was thinking that maybe if i made a jig like one that would be used to make finger joints and placed it on an angle i might get the desired cuts that are properly spaced. has anyone ever made a louvered door or a set of shutters. i'm open to any suggestions that would make this easier, 

[Robert J Guidry Sr]

Several years ago, Norm Abrams of the New Yankee workshop did an episode onmaking a jig for louvered door. Not sure if you can find it on their website, but that is the only time I have ever run across snything with Louvered doors.

[ray vile]

thanks robert, i found a link last night but it is a jig you use with a plunge router and i was kinda of thinking of a way i could use a router table or tthe table saw

Robert J Guidry Sr said:

Several years ago, Norm Abrams of the New Yankee workshop did an episode onmaking a jig for louvered door. Not sure if you can find it on their website, but that is the only time I have ever run across snything with Louvered doors.

[Tim E Daniels]

I've never made louvered doors, but it seems very similar to stair balusters.

Cut one oversized board with your groves for the louvers, you can do more than one door worth at a time.
Be mindful that you'll need opposite groves for the left and right sides of doors.
Cut the rabbet (or dado) in the door to accept the grooved piece.
Cut a grooved piece out of the larger board for each side, trim them to length to match each other.
Glue them into the groove behind the door.

[ray vile]

thanks tim, great idea i think that will work just fine, i'll ost pictures when i get them done

Tim E Daniels said:

I've never made louvered doors, but it seems very similar to stair balusters.

Cut one oversized board with your groves for the louvers, you can do more than one door worth at a time.
Be mindful that you'll need opposite groves for the left and right sides of doors.
Cut the rabbet (or dado) in the door to accept the grooved piece.
Cut a grooved piece out of the larger board for each side, trim them to length to match each other.
Glue them into the groove behind the door.

[Dreamcatcher Design & Build]

I just picked up an older Taunton book that tells very detailed how to make louvered shutters.
The book is "Windows & Skylights (Fine Homebuilding Builder's Library)" ISBN 1-56158-208-5
I got the book used from Thriftbooks.com for $0.76 + 3.44 s&h
Usually Taunton FHB and FWW books are just compilations of past articles so you may also try checking the FIne Homebuilding archives, which would require you to sign up for a four day trial membership.

As another idea, I recall seeing a grilled door panel in a more recent edition of Fine Woodworking [FWW #211 April 2010 pg. 52] which Christian Becksvoort routed halfway through the solid wood door panel using a 1/2" or so half-round bit and a router trammel stepped maybe 1-1/2" per pass. Then he flipped over it over and (not rotated) routed halfway through on the trammel again. The result was an awesome looking arched diamond/teardrop grille pattern. Here's the link to that article: http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/24409/4-ways-to-make-panels-pop

Hope that helps some
Good luck
DC

[ray vile]

I remember reading that article in fww now that you reminded me, thanks

Dreamcatcher Design & Build said:

I just picked up an older Taunton book that tells very detailed how to make louvered shutters.
The book is "Windows & Skylights (Fine Homebuilding Builder's Library)" ISBN 1-56158-208-5
I got the book used from Thriftbooks.com for $0.76 + 3.44 s&h
Usually Taunton FHB and FWW books are just compilations of past articles so you may also try checking the FIne Homebuilding archives, which would require you to sign up for a four day trial membership.

As another idea, I recall seeing a grilled door panel in a more recent edition of Fine Woodworking [FWW #211 April 2010 pg. 52] which Christian Becksvoort routed halfway through the solid wood door panel using a 1/2" or so half-round bit and a router trammel stepped maybe 1-1/2" per pass. Then he flipped over it over and (not rotated) routed halfway through on the trammel again. The result was an awesome looking arched diamond/teardrop grille pattern. Here's the link to that article: http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/24409/4-ways-to-make-panels-pop

Hope that helps some
Good luck
DC

[Mark Lesch]

If this is for computer equipment I would make the cabinet with a positive air pressure to keep out dust and dirt.
If you put a small fan sucking in air through a filter down low and out high it will keep the computer equipment cool and a lot more dust free.
Just a thought.

[ray vile]

thanks Mark but I already have one of them fans that rockler sells just for such an application, but i never thought of a 2 fans, that makes alot more scents i was only thinking of one exhaust fan

Mark Lesch said:

If this is for computer equipment I would make the cabinet with a positive air pressure to keep out dust and dirt.
If you put a small fan sucking in air through a filter down low and out high it will keep the computer equipment cool and a lot more dust free.
Just a thought.

[Mark Lesch]

J ust make sure to put a filter on the in side of the fans to catch the dust,