How to Make Raised Panel Door Jigs

Measure the height and width of the cabinet opening for the raised panel door. Add 1 inch to both measurements. Cut two pieces of 1 by 4 to the modified height measurement for the rails, and cut two more pieces to modified width measurement, minus 4 inches, for the stiles. For instance, if your opening is 12 inches wide by 20 inches high, cut two boards to 9 inches and the other two to 21 inches. Rip all four boards to a width of 2 1/2 inches on the table saw.

Subtract 4 inches from the original measurements. For the panel, cut enough 1 by 4 boards at the modified height measurement so that, when laid side-by-side, they are at least as wide as the width measurement.

Lay the boards for the center panel side-by-side. Place a bead of glue in between each joint, then clamp the boards together with a pair of large woodworking clamps. Allow to dry for 24 hours.

Install the two outer blades of a stacked dado blade set into your table saw. The width of the combined blades should equal a 1/4-inch-wide cut. Raise the blade to a height of 1/2 inch. Position the saw fence 1/4 inch to the right of the blade.

Place one of the two stiles on edge, flat against the saw fence. Turn on the saw, and guide the board through the saw blade, cutting a 1/4-inch-wide groove in the edge of the stile. Cut a 1/4-inch-wide groove in one edge of the other stile and the two rails.

Measure in 1/2 inch from each end of the two rails, and make a pencil mark on each side of the board. Lower the saw blade to a height of 1/4 inch above the table. Insert one of the rails into the miter gauge (set to 90-degrees), and trim off the material from one of the pencil marks to the end of the board. Repeat with the marks the opposite side of the rail to form a tenon. This tenon should fit comfortably into the groove of the stiles. Cut the other end of the rail, plus both ends of the second rail in the same manner.

Replace the stacked dado blade in the table saw with a single sharp carbide blade. Place a pencil mark on the blade's throat plate directly over the center of the threaded saw blade arbor.

Remove the glued panel from the clamps. Trim the panel to the finished door size minus 4 inches in both height and width.

Lower the saw blade beneath the throat plate. Place a 2 by 4 board flat on the saw table, perpendicular to the saw blade. The front edge of the 2 by 4 should be aligned with the pencil mark on the throat plate. Clamp the 2 by 4 to the saw table with a medium woodworking clamp.

Place the trimmed panel flat against the 2 by 4 to the right of the saw blade. Turn on the table saw and raise the saw blade to 1/8 inch above the table top, which will cause the blade to cut slightly into the 2 by 4. Push the panel along the 2 by 4 fence jig, allowing the table saw blade to cut a shallow arc along the entire side of the panel. Rotate the panel, and repeat the cove cut along all four edges of one side of the panel. Only cut the front side of the panel.

Raise the blade another 1/8 inch, and repeat the previous step, deepening the cove cuts on all four edges of the raised panel. Continue the process of raising the blade slightly and deepening the cove cut until all four edges of the panel have only 1/4 inch of stock remaining.

Sand both sides of the raised panel, the rails and the stiles.

Place two shorter edges of the raised panel into the grooves of the two rails. Apply woodworking glue to the tenons on the ends of the two rails, then insert edge of the panel and the tenons into the grooves of the stiles. Do not place glue on the raised panel in the grooves of the rails and stiles, as the raised panel should float inside the rails and stiles. Clamp the completed door in a pair of large woodworking clamps and allow to dry for 24 hours.

Remove the clamps and give the completed door a final sanding.