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Raised panel doors

| Posted in Tools for Home Building on September 18, 2004 07:56am

I’m looking to set up a system for making raised panel doors.  Other than 3 different shapers, I’m at a loss for a good set-up.  Ritter makes a three spindle machine, but it’s three phase (my shop is single phase) and it’s $13K.  That’s more than I wanted to invest.

Anybody got any good ideas?

Ed.

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  1. maverick | Sep 18, 2004 09:43pm | #1

    I have two shapers. both are 3 HP deltas. cost about $1400 each. One I set up to do the end cuts across the grain using just a mitre gauge to feed by hand. I could probably get away with a much smaller machine for that function.

    On the other machine I make the side profile and cut the raised panels. Its not so bad switching set-ups after the stile and rail are done. That machine has a stock feeder (a must have)

    I do a lot of raised panel wainscoting also. having 2 machines speeds things up. If I had to buy all over again I would get a delta 5 HP single phase and a 1.5 HP knock-off. I have to make several passes even after rough cutting on the table saw when panel raising.

  2. User avater
    BillHartmann | Sep 18, 2004 10:08pm | #2

    Here is the RBI Pannel Master.

    http://www.rbiwoodtools.com/s/static/panelmaster_one/panelmaster_one.htm

    1. GACCDallas | Sep 18, 2004 10:54pm | #3

      Bill,

      Do you have one of these?

      Ed.

      1. User avater
        BillHartmann | Sep 19, 2004 02:05am | #4

        No.

        They are a semi-local company and I see than at the WW shows.

        There scroll saw is suppose to be a very good one.

        1. Snort | Sep 19, 2004 06:45am | #5

          The 3 spindle machines are slick. Do you have to have new one? And, 3 phase conversion isn't too tough.

          10 years ago we ran up on a 12" Northfield jointer. Great price, but it was 3 phase. Partner was going to woodworking school, and his instrctor had a Fine Woodworking article about taking an old washing machine motor and a big cheap 3 ph motor and making a converter. We did it for 75 bucks. It's still working...or just set up three routers<G> Don't worry, we can fix that later!

          1. GACCDallas | Sep 19, 2004 08:04am | #6

            The electrician next door to us said it would cost a fortune to set up the shop for 3 phase.  I never thought about changing the machine.

            I've been burned more times than I want to remember with used tools, but I sure don't want to spend $13K to make cabinet doors.  I could buy 433 doors from a door shop for 13K.  That's a sh*t load of doors.  I'm 50 years old - how many more doors am I gonna need?

            I think I'll just buy two cheap shapers.  I'll set my 5hp Delta up for panels and set up a cope knife in one new shaper and a stick knife in the other.  I can't think of a cheaper solution.  Jet makes a small shaper for about $800 new.  I'd bet the horse and a half shaper will do stiles and rails just fine.  Setting up the panel knife on the shaper is no big deal, so I'll use the Delta for other knives as well.  The cope and stick cuts can be tough to dial in sometimes.  Not as bad as a lock mitre, but time consuming just the same.

            Unless someone has a better idea. 

            I sent off for the book on the machine that Bill mentioned.  I need to know it's limitations.  For doors, you seldom need more than a 2-1/4" S&R.  But for wainscotting, you need wider stock.  At $3K it's kind of steep - unless it works as well as they say.

            Ed.

          2. User avater
            BillHartmann | Sep 19, 2004 05:45pm | #8

            "The electrician next door to us said it would cost a fortune to set up the shop for 3 phase."

            I think that we have a "failure to communicate" here.

            You want to know what it would cost to run the 3 phase machine when you only have single phase.

            Your electrican neighbor was probably talking about puting in full 3 phase service.

            http://www.andersonconverters.com/page2.html

            That is the first web site I came across with the prices for a rotory phase converter. $400 and probably less than another $100 for installing it with the door maker over what it would cost just to install a single phase machine.

          3. moltenmetal | Sep 19, 2004 05:54pm | #9

            These days you can get a nice variable-frequency drive which will take 230 V single phase and produce variable-frequency 460 V 3 phase power.  Two birds with one stone- you get both the 1 to 3 phase conversion you need AND a variable speed machine to boot!  We're able to buy basic-function variable speed drives for up to about 2 hp for ~$350-$500 CDN these days, with a 5 hp unit being a fair bit more because of the high 230 V current you need on the input side.  These drives also act as motor soft-starters and motor overloads, so they provide some motor protection as well as the basic function.

  3. User avater
    hammer1 | Sep 19, 2004 09:27am | #7

    Grizzly makes a three head shaper, about $3600 delivered.

    http://www.grizzly.com/products/item.cfm?itemnumber=G9933

    Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

  4. andybuildz | Sep 19, 2004 06:31pm | #10

    I may be missing something here but........

    I used my Williams and Hussey to run dozens of raised panel doors on 3/4" pine stock with no problems.

    It works on 110 and 220.

    Be well

              andy

    The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!

    http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

    1. GACCDallas | Sep 19, 2004 10:42pm | #11

      Andy,

      I've got the W&H and I can see how you could run the top cut on large raised panel, but I can't see a way to run any panel under the length of the distance between the pinch rollers.  Like for a drawer front.

      Also, how do you do the cope and stick?

      Ed.

      1. andybuildz | Sep 19, 2004 11:18pm | #12

        being that one end is open on the W&H size never seemed to matter.

        Far as the stiles and rails go.....being that I dont have a shaper I run them off on my table saw with attachments.....

        edit: on lengths that were too short to run tween the rollers I simply screwed the pieces to a long length of stock to run em through...no biggie.

        be unhelpful andy....sorryThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!

        http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

        Edited 9/19/2004 4:20 pm ET by Andy Clifford(Andybuildz)

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