This is why people don't make cabinets anymore.

▼ IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT VIDEO: ▼
The bit set I used: amzn.to/3KEbaHi (I rabbetted the edges of the 1/2-inch panel to fit in the slot this bit set made.)
A simpler version without the 15-degree bevel: amzn.to/3xjl1PM
NOTE: I prefer to use a 1/2-inch MDF panel. But if you wish to use a thinner panel, these bit sets may be better options:
Bit set for 1/4 panels: amzn.to/3KEbaHi
Bit set for 7/32 panels: amzn.to/3Vwe1Zb
Video about how to make a cheap router table: • A little router table ...
★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★
Whiteside Router Bits is a small, family business in North Carolina that makes the highest quality bits I have ever used. They are worth supporting! : amzn.to/3436Tvz
My Table Saw and Bandsaw are AWSOME! Check them out at Harvey Woodworking Machinery: www.harveywood...
My hand tool collection includes premium tools from Bridge City Tool Works: bridgecitytool...
Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!
(If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission)
Some other useful links:
-Check out our project plans: stumpynubs.com...
-Instagram: / stumpynubs
-Twitter: / stumpynubs
★SOME OF MY FAVORITE INEXPENSIVE TOOLS★
#ISOtunes Hearing Protection (Save 10%): shop.isotunes....
-BOW Featherboards: amzn.to/430ldhv
-123 Blocks: lddy.no/vpij
-Mechanical Pencils: amzn.to/2PA7bwK
-Lumber pencil: amzn.to/2QtwZjv
-Pocket Measuring Tape: amzn.to/2kNTlI9
-Nut/Bolt/Screw Gauge: amzn.to/2CuvxSK
-Self-Centering Bits: amzn.to/2xs71UW
-Steel Ruler: lddy.no/10mv7
-Center-Finding Ruler: lddy.no/10nak
-Bit & Blade Cleaner: amzn.to/2TfvEOI
-Narex Chisels: lddy.no/sqm3
-Mini Pull Saw: amzn.to/2UEHBz6
-Shinwa Rulers: lddy.no/zl13
(If you use one of the affiliate links above, we may receive a small commission)

[@StumpyNubs]

▼ *IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT VIDEO:* ▼ - The bit set I used: amzn.to/3KEbaHi (I rabbetted the edges of the 1/2-inch panel to fit in the slot this bit set made.) - A simpler version without the 15-degree bevel: amzn.to/3xjl1PM NOTE: I prefer to use a 1/2-inch MDF panel. But if you wish to use a thinner panel, these bit sets may be better options: - Bit set for 1/4 panels: amzn.to/3KEbaHi - Bit set for 7/32 panels: amzn.to/3Vwe1Zb - Video about how to make a cheap router table: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHWoco2Ce8Smm68 ★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★ Whiteside Router Bits is a small, family business in North Carolina that makes the highest quality bits I have ever used. They are worth supporting! : amzn.to/3436Tvz *My Table Saw and Bandsaw are AWSOME! Check them out at Harvey Woodworking Machinery:* www.harveywoodworking.com/ *My hand tool collection includes premium tools from Bridge City Tool Works:* bridgecitytools.com/ *Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!* (If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission) *Some other useful links:* -Check out our project plans: stumpynubs.com/product-category/plans/ -Instagram: instagram.com/stumpynubs/ -Twitter: twitter.com/StumpyNubs ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE INEXPENSIVE TOOLS★ - #ISOtunes Hearing Protection (Save 10%): shop.isotunes.com/stumpy -BOW Featherboards: amzn.to/430ldhv -123 Blocks: lddy.no/vpij -Mechanical Pencils: amzn.to/2PA7bwK -Lumber pencil: amzn.to/2QtwZjv -Pocket Measuring Tape: amzn.to/2kNTlI9 -Nut/Bolt/Screw Gauge: amzn.to/2CuvxSK -Self-Centering Bits: amzn.to/2xs71UW -Steel Ruler: lddy.no/10mv7 -Center-Finding Ruler: lddy.no/10nak -Bit & Blade Cleaner: amzn.to/2TfvEOI -Narex Chisels: lddy.no/sqm3 -Mini Pull Saw: amzn.to/2UEHBz6 -Shinwa Rulers: lddy.no/zl13 (If you use one of the affiliate links above, we may receive a small commission)

[@brothehandyman2011]

What you said at the end can go for all things! Basically just get started!

[@JohnSmith-ld1pw]

Thanks for the video. I'm not sure if anybody else has mentioned it, but the link you gave for the bit set you used and the link for the 7/32 panels are the same. I can't seem to find the 1/2 panel version that you actually used. Can you post a link for it? Thanks.

[@StumpyNubs]

@JohnSmith-ld1pw There is no half inch version. That's why I cut a rabbit around the edges of the panel to fit in the slot.

[@michaelgodfrey9384]

Any suggestions to protect against blowout at the ends while cutting the groove?

[@StumpyNubs]

@@michaelgodfrey9384 The grooves are cut in the direction of the grain, so there should be no blowout.

[@Biggus_Mickus]

Dream of making cabinets??? Pffft. I still dream of cutting 2 pieces of wood to the same length.

[@scottmorris4914]

I just want to be able to cut two pieces that are truly square

[@dino.jay2007]

😂 had me laughing pretty good with that one!! Cabinet making is not as difficult as it seems. One of the keys is making careful measurements and be consistent in your cuts

[@andrewsackville-west1609]

Two equal length pieces is simple! Cut one piece to length. Then rip it in half!

[@scotttoner9231]

Length be darned…. A true 90 deg cut in both dimensions would be nice

[@ridercoachdanielle3220]

I just laughed SO hard

[@rickypoindexter9505]

Hey Stumpy - just want to put it out there that I appreciate how you found a balance between teaching and making a dollar on youtube. You still come across as a pretty genuine dude to me and this video was a kick in the ass I needed. Thank you for all you have taught me throughout the years sir.

[@IamtheActionman]

Of the hundreds if not thousands of Woodworkers on YT, I really dig your approach and style. Thanks for sharing and being at the forefront of teaching on YT.

[@robertpearson8798]

I usually make my stiles a little bit long and my rails a little bit wide to allow trimming them after gluing so you don’t have to line up your joints perfectly when gluing.

[@StumpyNubs]

I do too. But I wanted to show the simplest method in this video.

[@robertpearson8798]

@@StumpyNubs Understandable.

[@kenshindoman9757]

Not only do I love watching your videos for their content, but I also love listening to how you speak...never once heard you say things such as 'erm...' or keep saying 'like' the way a lot of people do these days. The epitome of eloquence. Long live Stumpy Nubs!

[@johnwhitehead3685]

For paint grade cabinetry I love poplar. I think it's much better than pine...no pitch to gum up blades, clear grain, machines like a dream.

[@MrSpzwd]

Also cheaper than any cabinet grade pine.

[@johnwhitehead3685]

Yup. I get kiln dried rough cut 4/4 select poplar at a sawmill near me for $2.55bd.ft. Clear white pine is $2.76.

[@philtaylor2043]

I agree

[@stephenobrien1597]

Agreed or a paint grade maple

[@jayadinash9102]

Also a lot less grain than pine.

[@edcctf]

When I was first starting out and I bought a router table I thought the workpiece went behind the bit and against the fence..... it ripped the board out of my hands and shot it across my basement making a (still there) dent in my garage door. Luckily, it took it so quickly that my hands did not get pulled into the bit. That was before the days of YT and I was learning by experience. Thank you for all your safety videos. :)

[@Illevas001]

On the upside you learned out how to make a diy rail gun for whenever you need to defend your house Home Alone style.

[@LonneLeveque]

litterly the best cabinet door build video out there, nothing else is even close, Style, sequence, safety, reality, ..... very thought out and presented.

[@johnduffy6546]

You are an incredible teacher. You know your stuff so well and present it so flawlessly that anyone can grasp what you're presenting. Thank you for such quality content.

[@justaguy328]

I just realized my small city has a makerspace with nearly $3 million in equipment. Holy crap, I can't tell you how excited I was to find it. My woodworking is about to go to the next level! I've always wanted to take on big projects like this

[@tommerrill8140]

Congratulations. I had one like that years ago but moved away. Found in my new town a much simpler setup that cost less but offered less. I've moved again and there is nothing in my new town. I guess I just need to create a maker space here.

[@Maibuwolf]

I work for a custom cabinet factory. If you are making doors and face frames that will be getting painted just use poplar. Works just fine. Also, that shaker style is still very popular. We do those in new homes all the time.

[@mattygee5000]

I made my own kitchen cabs with solid cherry and cherry ply.. no fancy joinery required. Face frame cabs and frame and panel doors all with pocket screws. Everyone compliments how pur kitchen looks.

[@TransplantHelper]

I’ve built cabinets for 40 years and this was great. Thanks

[@TheOtherGuybo]

I came back for a second look at this video because of your recommendation for the router bits - I like the look. I've previously made hardwood doors with interior 1/4" plywood panels. I'm going to give this method a try. I found it odd that the back of the panel seems to fit proud of the back of the frame, and I noticed that you didn't flip the door around for us to see that back side. Wondering about that... Love your channel - your many tips are incredibly valuable to this community. Thanks!

[@Matthewuzarski]

Also wondering this same thing. If i use this method for drawer fronts, i dont want a gap between styles/rails and drawer box.

[@smacfe]

When we built our house, I could not find a cabinet maker who knew how to make frameless cabinets. I built a whole new set of cabinets for my shop as a demo and ended up having to spend almost as much time between building the shop cabinets and teaching the cabinet maker how to make decent frameless cabinets that I could have done the whole job myself. Now, of course, every cabinet maker makes frameless cabinets almost exclusively. Once again your video is a fantastic piece, but you make it look way easier than us poor slobs could ever do.

[@quirkygreece]

Regarding your opening statement, James: When we bought our current house we asked five so-called kitchen fitters for prices to build a new kitchen for us. We had a blank canvas, but the corners weren’t square and we wanted our appliances in specific places which meant that the cabinets needed to be bespoke units. Every 'kitchen fitter' said “It can’t be done”, because we wanted cabinets that weren’t standard. I have some experience in the building trade, so we decided to build the thing that couldn’t be built; we bought several sheets of 18mm, 6mm and 4mm baltic birch plywood, some tools, including a table saw, mitre saw, orbital sander etc. I also made the wooden counter tops from pallets (had to buy a planer for that bit) laid in brick pattern on ply and finished it with 2 coats of stain and 12 coats of varnish and my wife painted the units, doors and drawer fronts. I don’t think it was any cheaper, in fact it may have actually cost more, but we have a top quality kitchen, exactly how we wanted it and of course we ‘gained’ the tools . . . and as you said, that is exactly how I started my woodworking journey!

[@wellscampbell9858]

That's unbelievable. I share a shop space with a custom cabinetmaker, and I am under the impression that his bread and butter comes from situations where the cabinets are not standard. Otherwise he's competing with Ikea. We're in the Bay Area which is both hilly and seismically active, and I've helped with installs that had nothing to do with plumb and level spaces. He has a bunch of techniques to address these challenges; he does a lot of scribing on-site to interface with wacky walls for instance. Not entirely familiar with the term Kitchen Fitter, perhaps that's different from a custom cabinet outfit?

[@Matasky2010]

Cabinets can be made to fit any space, sounds like you scared them all off with your approach. When they said it 'couldn't be built' they really meant 'it's not necessary to reinvent the wheel here'. They build/ install kitchens everyday, they've seen and dealt with every possible situation imaginable. Not saying every company is 'top-notch', but if several are telling you the same thing there's likely a valid reason.

[@quirkygreece]

@@Matasky2010 Have you ever bought a kitchen in Greece? Try it and then tell me again that cabinets can be made to fit any space and that they build and install kitchens every day . . . not here they don’t. They buy pre-made units and fit them, but they don’t make bespoke units, so when it comes to a corner that’s greater or less than 90 degrees they are stumped, and if there happens to be a space of non-standard size, such as 220 mm, they have no answer except to shunt all the units along, meaning appliances and sinks are not in the designed places. Greek kitchen fitters are malakas.

[@gcanzano36]

@@quirkygreecesounds like a pretty low octane situation out there. I’m a bespoke cabinet builder myself, and my professional existence is contingent on people being unable to find pre built units to accommodate their needs. I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered a true 90 degree corner yet.

[@quirkygreece]

@@wellscampbell9858 A kitchen fitter should - SHOULD - be able to fit all the units and adapt or make units to fit - plus be competent to handle the electrical and plumbing work required. I did it all, so it’s not rocket science, just hard graft and requiring a bit of ‘outside the box’ thinking.I think Greek kichen fitters are lazy, at least that’s my experience - or incompetent and out of their depth with anything outher than a standard Ikea style unit.

[@archerpro137]

This man is awesome. I am a contractor and I approve this message!

[@jamescaneda9515]

I’ve always loved woodworking. I’ve been practicing to build glass in door cabinets. After all these years now that I’m retired. That style is old fashioned and the wife wants simple plain doors. Well I’m going to make them anyway for my garage.

[@BelleChasseHome]

THANK YOU!!! I look forward to building a built in library for my office. Book cases with adjustable shelves and Cabinet Doors and Drawers. I know its basic for many, but Im new to woodworking and It will be my first project in order to learn how to begin using a new Bosh router Table, and new Track Saw. Overall, the beginning of cabinet making. They will be all Birch. Go big and pay the price for learning to make mistakes...lol "FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS" You def LOVE what you do. I appreciate it too! U.S. Marine Corps-retired

[@liamlarsen1912]

I'm a journeyman carpenter who worked in a cabinet shop for three years. We put foam spacers in the groove for the panel without gluing the panel to the stiles and rails so the hardwood could move independently from the MDF panel. Our logic was that it prevented cracking due to glue restricting movement. I'm curious to know your thoughts on this method compared to gluing everything together.

[@Tyler1169]

doesn't matter too much with an mdf panel, it won't expand and contract, i'd just put glue a little glue to hold the panel in place not glueing the whole thing in. if it was a solid panel, glueing it could cause the door to explode. those spacer balls are mostly to prevent rattling since that panel is free floating

[@tilted_skirm]

The rails and stiles won't grow or shrink along the grain, only across it, so the middle panel won't be affected, and since the rails and stiles are only a few inches across, you'd need a micrometer to measure any wood movement, something the wood fibers can accommodate without issue

[@davearonow65]

​@Tyler1169 the spacer balls also keep the floating panel square as the wood moves.

[@robertpearson8798]

I used little rubber barrel spacers for the same purpose but my panels were made of cherry.

[@davesatosky5840]

spacers are only needed if using a raised panel made from solid wood.. if using an mdf flat panel glueing the panel in all the way around will produce a much stronger door.

[@paulmichaud3230]

I started building 50 doors and drawer fronts last weekend. Believe me, the router bit is worth the investment. I tried shaker doors using only the table saw and was not happy with the results. I took the advice from Stumpy's previous video and using half inch MDF panels. Feels rock sold, but the larger doors are hefty.

[@josiahutah3712]

I was also worried about weight and larger doors. What size were yours? Do you feel they were too heavy?

[@rickcimino5483]

One thing a guy taught me is to take a wider board and run that through the router and then rip the rails out of it. This is better than running individual rails one at a time. Worked for me.

[@timhahn7542]

Do you mean take one long board and run it thru the router, then cut each rail out?

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

My smart choice to subscribe to your channel is reinforced (almost) every time I watch one of your videos. You, sir James, are a master educator. Not a wasted word, no irrelevant chit chat, no distracting music, just perfectly-paced, confidence-building instruction designed for the beginner thru advanced woodworkers. Beginners & Intermediate woodworkers (I’m in this range somewhere) might need to watch twice & take notes, but in the end we now know what to do, the tools required as well as why we need to do it the way you’re demonstrating. Thanks again for your commitment to making us better makers!

[@johnd9863]

Several comments were made with concern over the 1/2 inch MDF panel sitting proud of the back side of the door. I purchased the Whiteside bit set (model 6009) recently and it appears the profile may have changed from what is shown in the video. When the bit is set up flush to the back of the rails and stiles, it places the groove exactly in the center leaving 1/4 inch reveal in front, and 1/4 inch material in back. This makes 1/2 inch material sit virtually flush with the back of the cabinet. The downside is that you see less depth to the reveal in front. You can adjust if you want by just raising the bit during setup but then you have the panel sitting proud in back. Just a matter of preference in the end.

[@jameszintel9091]

Cabinet doors is what started me down the woodworking path!! Now I’m hooked loving wood working.

[@reddottx]

Really like this method. I use the Freud bit that adjusts the panel cutter to fit narrow 1/4” plywood. This is way better. One problem it solves that isn’t mentioned is when you use it for false fronts on drawers.The panel is flush against the box rather than leaving the gap left by the narrower panel which will help when you attach the hardware. A word of caution would be to make sure the gaps on the inside are equal on all sides if you make the panel smaller than the opening. Otherwise having no gap at the bottom and 1/8” at the top or 1/8” on some lefts and some rights won’t look very good when you open them up. Or worse, lines that aren’t parallel. Yikes!! 😅 Nice one Stumpy.

[@stevem268]

i replaced all of the doors and drawer fronts in our 25 yr old kitchen last year. went from yellowing white washed oak to a semigloss white. 35 doors/drawers! i also added drawers where there were just doors and made some other changes to the cabinets themselves which were in great shape. i used exactly that bit set(except from Lee valley) i used poplar rather than pine, machines beautifully and paints very nicely

[@stephenobrien1597]

I remember people went crazy for pickled oak in the 90’s and I was never much for it. Just made them look pink when we built them

[@ronhaefner7833]

I have done this for years. The shaker style is a great way to go. Three shapers do the trick, one for the coping bit, one with a power feeder for the profile, and one for the raised panel bit. Easy to do. Even use this technique to build panels for cabinet bodies, sides and backs. Three thumbs up.

[@stephenobrien1597]

I spent many days gluing up panels and running 3 shapers building raised panel doors.

[@GARRY3754]

I started using 5/4 for doors with 1/2” plywood. I like the look and a little easier to work with.

[@ryanevans8182]

Used this setup to build my laundry room cabinets a few months ago. Super easy. I would say the only consideration it to make sure the gap for the door face is a perfect match between the rail and stile to ensure there is no way they can come out of alignment during glue up

[@Matasky2010]

Slight profiles like that 15 deg bevel really show their value when the cabinet is painted, especially white. They add depth and shadow lines that give the cabinet a premium look.

[@philshock3805]

I like those doors, James! But for not much more money, poplar would be a better choice for the rails and stiles. Poplar will paint beautifully and be more durable than pine. I'd love to redo my kitchen by painting the cabinets (they're structurally fine), but making new doors may be less hassle than prepping the existing oak doors and change it up a little. Biggest issue with my kitchen is that the upper cabs are a mere 13 inches above the countertops. (Must have been built for a really short person.) Raising them would be an easy weekend project if it weren't for the tile backsplashes ... and if I'm going to retile the backsplashes, might as well change up the countertops and get that single basin sink I've been eyeing ... yeah, it becomes a whole thing. lol

[@coburnlowman]

Painting oak is a capital offense. My Pastor's daughter had cabinets made of black walnut. She wanted to paint them. She had no idea of what she had.

[@philshock3805]

@@coburnlowman So is finishing oak in a "pickled" finished. Pretty hideous in my opinion.

[@coburnlowman]

@@philshock3805 Yeah. That's as bad as painting it. We put down oak flooring in our church. One day I was sitting in a chair looking down at the awesome grain. Someone thought I was down n out. I had to tell them I was just admiring the tiger stripe grain.

[@1959mikel]

My kitchen reno years back started with re-upholstering the kitchen chairs… kaboom… new kitchen!

[@philshock3805]

@@1959mikel Haha ... amazing isn't it? One little improvement just reveals the next weakest link! I just wanted to refinish my front door .... ended up painting the entire house and two out buildings!

[@UnlikelyToRemember]

It was storm windows (pretty similar) that got me started. The originals are clear 5/4 Doug Fir, so buying larger 2x sizes (which are often Fir not Pine) was a cheap way to getting what I needed.

[@MurraydeLues]

We used to prime the panel before assembly on the doors to seal them against moisture. Nicely explained.

[@Tyler1169]

its mdf

[@richardhaas1989]

Completely finish the panels before assembly. SO much easier all around and if the panel shrinks raw wood is not exposed. ( Like finishing table tops all-around for the same reasons BEFORE attaching to the apron and legs.)

[@MurraydeLues]

@@Tyler1169 Correct. We would trim 10mm off the edge of the sheet before cutting the panels to remove the edge that had already expanded. I developed a process for cutting panels on the CNC where the blanks came to me oversize, I then sized them to 3mm smaller than required panel width. The height was exact. They were then primed and I used the new thickness to machine the groove with 0.1 mm clearance. Worked a treat. The stiles and rails were CNC machined, so when the door was assembled, it was square and the correct height, Final sizing was then done on the CNC as well.

[@BenWolkWeiss]

I was going to come here with a question about that. I had pretty good quality cabinets with MDF panels swell below my sink where water would drip doing dishes without me noticing. Or maybe from cleaning the cabinets and the moisture getting in the cracks. I'd be tempted to go with plywood panels but if pre finishing will work, that sounds like a good path.

[@j10001]

@@BenWolkWeiss I agree that just the idea of putting MDF in a kitchen or bathroom gives me pause. Spills happen and things get wet. Plywood feels much safer for this purpose.

[@EverydayPeople2471]

Been building cabinets and furniture for over 40 yrs now. Always learning new techniques and new products, keep chasing perfection and efficiency. Always a great watch.

[@andrewacton5885]

Did you end up having the back of your mdf and the back of your stiles/rails flush? You didnt mention anything about keeping the shaker profile at a ¼" deep so the backs are flush

[@nagranoth_]

he showed in the video they are not flush....

[@Montezuma03]

It looks great from the front, but there's a funny step in the back?

[@taylorscott7960]

@andrewacton5885 - I’m thinking you could use 3/8” MDF to get it flush at the back

[@joegarcia9082]

I was wondering the same thing. Wouldn't you want it to be flush?

[@andrewwilks2700]

I like the Freud set with a 22 degree angle, but for sure these type of bit sets are the best for building shaker cabinet doors. I used an extended tenon on some of my larger doors for extra strongness.

[@kendallwright7793]

I really appreciate how you explain, in simple terms, the details. love the content

[@bobledger7951]

James, I enjoyed watching you go through your door making process. Mine is very similar. I agree that the bevel around the perimeter of the stile and rails makes a big visual difference, and it makes wiping dust or spills from a door in use so much easier too!

[@ScotWithOnet]

I have a similar matched router bit set like that (with a quarter round bead instead of a 15 deg bevel) for making doors. I always cut an extra rail or style (or two) because no matter how many times I mark the pieces, I ALWAYS run at least one of them through the router upside down.

[@romanbaird1625]

Very well presented. Clear and informative. I understood most of what you showed before I even clicked on your video. I watched just to see the fit of the door frames with that bit set. I like that fit. Seems very stable. But good work on the content. Keep it up.

[@ramcgmecom]

What does the back of the door look like? I looks like the back panel will be raised off the door (that is - not flush with the back). Do I have that right? Or am I interpreting that incorectly?

[@josiahutah3712]

That's what I saw as well.

[@nannoman]

I was hoping for him to turn the door around as well because I think you're right, the back panel will protrude into the cabinet space.

[@jimknowles5483]

You are both observant and correct…! The. 1/2” panel will be high as shown!! Also the back side is going to have a reveal groove….. that I think will need to be centered…… so all the gaps will be equal…! Why… because he likes to make the height and width 1/8” less….which yields a 1/16” gap all around ……if centered..

[@3rdPartyIntervener]

@@jimknowles5483 very noticeable, if you happen to be inside the cabinet with a flashlight.

[@chrisanthony579]

Good video James, But I think if would be only fair to show your viewers that back side of the completed door. I build quite a few stile and rail man doors and use 3/8" MDF. There is nothing wrong with 1/4" MDF for flat panels on cabinet doors since most panels will be less than 15". Also worth noting that I can but soft maple for less than what I can buy clear pine. If folks are limited to big box stores. Poplar is also a good choice but from some reason is a little more than what soft maple is. Again, great video showing nice work can be done with very basic tools.

[@AB-nu5we]

If you've got your cabinets built and measurements taken, you can treat those door builds like a 'weekend' project, batching them out relatively quickly, that method, that straight forward. Thanks James.

[@xorsyst1]

Well I'm not a good enough woodworker to make doors like this, but I am making some shaker-style doors by gluing thin MDF decorative rails & styles to a flat panel door, and this video encouraged me to cut them with a 15 degree bevel on my circular saw. It does look better, so thank you for the tip!

[@richc9503]

Same way I've made doors for years but I just use 1/2" plywood for the center panel, I never liked 1/4". I like that bit set, I may have to invest in one.

[@FumblingArborist]

Stumpy, I just wanted to say how much I appreciate these 'practical wood university lectures' of yours. And how I continue to be amazed by your eloquent presentation style. Impressive and highly appreciated. Thank you

[@charlie-ty2fq]

absolutely the best "how to" DIY video I've ever viewed on youtube. I'm a lifelong fan of this guy and his channel!

[@DMCnME]

Quickly becoming my favorite KZbin channel. Wish I would have chosen 1/2” mdf instead of 1/4” plywood when I made my doors. Next time.

[@billbee235]

I just built a door with this exact method as part of a baby gate for my basement and it turned out awesome. The only step I flubbed was the rabbet on the 1/2” mdf panel which stood proud on the back because I didn’t test fit…. but I just sanded it down, rounded the edges and learned my lesson. Once you get it, it’s hard not to want to do all drawer fronts and doors like this

[@kevinleopard6711]

From the looks of it his ought to sit proud, too. At 7:13 he's showing how to measure the panel rabbet, but you can see that the back of the panel will sit well proud of the rails and stiles. You must have done a lot of sanding to get the panel flush on the back.

[@geliomatheus]

That's right. Would be ok for doors, but not good for drawer fronts

[@csimet]

I could not agree more with your intro and this video's theme. I'm in the middle of my own self-upgrade to my kitchen and have already built five new cabinets and started to build all new cabinet doors & drawer fronts throughout (38 total). Not only has it been an enjoyable project, but they have come out much better than anything I could have bought and are all custom to my design (better built, better materials). By my rough estimate, the entire cost will be well under $6000 and might have saved me $20,000 or more. I also used the same profile on my doors... the extra bevel adds a nice touch. The Freud bit sets (99-762 & optional 99-862) also allow you to add the bevel to the inside lip if you want and are fully adjustable. Really dresses up the look.

[@MICHAEL062590]

I do like using the 1/2” routed for the center. Definitely stronger. I do remodeling and was always scared to tackle building them myself until I asked someone and they did a horrendous job and I knew I could do better. 2 years later and it’s easy now. But I didn’t think to watch video and just figured it out on my own and asking my grandfather that had a cabinet shop. 😂

[@mauricesmith3209]

Did my kitchen using a £10.00 rail and style set from Amazon. Once I got them dialed in there were no problems.

[@msk3905]

Key to this task are the router bits, buy them and cabinet building is sooo easy

[@carltonrubio7937]

Great Video, but it looks like the panel protrudes proud of the rails on the rear, am I missing something? I thought the panel would be flush with the rails and stiles on the back... Thanks Again for the video!

[@StumpyNubs]

A little more than 1/16. It looks perfectly fine when painted. It's worth it for the added strength.

[@cireednoc868]

I was asking the same thing because he didn’t show it in the video

[@montelott8570]

Good video James, l say this having built thousands of cabinet doors through my tenure as a cabinet maker.

[@aaronholder4100]

Wonderful video. Well done Mr. Nubs. It’s so easy to overthink projects. Your ability to ease people in to the art with accessible projects, and your clear communication style make you a first class teacher.

[@faithful451]

Thanks, I've been putting off putitng doors on a tall pantry cupboard I built, because I wasn't happy with the thought of putting single boards up as doors, worrying they'd warp. This has given me an idea to make the doors well. Thank you

[@fepeerreview3150]

A great video, as always! Back in the "good old days" when this was all done without electricity you could get matched pairs of hand planes, one for the tongue, the other for the groove, in all kinds of interesting profiles. Of course, the old planes can still be found with a bit of searching. Yes, it's slower. But it's satisfying in its own way as well.

[@briangustin3745]

Love to see you do a video on raised panel doors - I have done a few but both methods (table saw and raised panel bits on router table) scare the crap out of me and I can never get them exactly perfect.

[@ronludington5393]

I did this many years ago, but I did use knotty pine, and instead of mdf, I used wavy glass that I sandblasted a pattern into. (this was after going to big box and falling over at a 10k price for a kitchen for my new house) then it was a trip to sears for a radial saw and router. But it certainly is something you can do with time. Wish I could put a picture here. Oh, might need to clamp (on a sled) when doing the ends, they can be sucked into that router bit , ruining them.

[@yojoehd]

I agree with your process and the substantial amount of rigidity you get with a half inch panel of MDF. The rabbet in the MDF must be perfectly cut for the shoulder to press tightly against the inside edge of the stiles and rails. If the rabbet width is cut too narrow, the stile and rail intersection will be open. Cut too wide and there will be a gap between the panel and the edge of the stile and rail. If you are able to get a perfectly tight fit and the panel happens to expand (joint opens) or contract (panel/ frame gap), the perfection will obviously be visibly compromised. I prefer to pre-paint or pre-stain my panels, then assemble and allow the entire thickness of the panel to "float" within the stile and rail frame. I have never experienced a failure over the lifetime of hundreds of custom doors. I really did like your methods of setting the various heights and depth on the router table. Working with hardwoods may necessitate the need for some "hold down" systems as material is passed across the router.

[@deantellulater9785]

Great video you could totally make those doors an upgrade by just using a profile bit on the edges, love it too bad I just bought kitchen cabinets lol

[@plausibledeniability2941]

Excellent video James, also wanted to say you're looking so healthy these days! really enjoying the channel mate.

[@garymiller5937]

You make it look so easy, James. Is it really that simple? If it is, I may try it for garage cabinets. Thank you for the video, James! I look forward to and enjoy all of your work. 😊😊😊😊❤❤❤❤

[@jhelton1233]

He's an amazing teacher. He did leave out the part where you have to plane, joint and sand all the rails and stiles. He shows the fun part in this video! :)

[@woodenman1954]

I finish my panels on all 6 sides with paint and primer. This way they can slide in the groove with out binding, I do not glue them. I also finish the inside edges of the door before I assemble the door, that way paint does not get into the space between the panel and door and it looks perfect from every angle. I do the same with stain and poly doors. I use half lap joints for more strength as the panel does not hold the door parts together.

[@Eric998765]

I wish this video would have been posted three years ago. I redid my kitchen and while the cabinet boxes were perfect, my doors were horrible. I used 3/4 ply for the stiles and rails and 1/4 ply for the center. I was building them in an open barn in SC so even though they didn't get rained on the humidity warped them in the short time it took me to build everything. Luckily it was just a mobile home and now it is just a rental, but I was so embarrassed I never posted pics tot friends in family. Lesson learned. My new house that I'm currently building will definitely have hardwood cabinet doors, though I'm not too sure about mdf center, I'll think on it

[@Aaron-nj4ou]

Thanks for this. I switched table saws from a Unisaw to a small jobsite saw and I needed to find a more consistent way to build doors since the jobsite saw is not as consistent with the dado stack (maybe it is me?).

[@dalanbronnenberg]

One of your best pieces. Getting ready to build out the pantry room with full height cabinets, old farmhouse style. I have several sets of cope and style bits but this job may call for a fresh and sharp set of the 15 bevel bits. Hardwood lumber costs are making many sizeable projects a major undertaking that will generally make the cost more than big box lumberyard/furniture store products, and that wasnt always the case. Of course making what you really want as opposed to taking what you can find is why most of us do this. Thx.

[@rickhayhoe]

Excellent video, brief, well illustrated and directly to the point of: Just do it. In my case it's a large houseful of cabinets and other built-in furniture. The half inch MDF thickness recommendation was a surprise, but I guess it does make sense for durability. Living in a metric country, I was already wondering if maybe 9mm would be better than 7mm or 1/4 inch for Shaker cabinet door and drawer panels.

[@Yakub9000]

I have been considering tamarack for some shelving and cabinets, the grain is really beautiful in some flooring I saw recently.

[@robd7703]

Top notch teaching. You are one of the best . I have built many cabinet doors and your video still taught me some valuable lessons. Thank you.

[@SCherry-j1t]

Most excellent video. One tip is to make the doors 1/4 inch too big, and square them off on the table saw, especially for inset. Plus, it's OK to have a router for every bit.

[@truckguy6666]

truly one of the best secrets if you're trying to make money, is to have a router for each bit. The time saved setting up bits pays for the router in short order. I have lost count!

[@SCherry-j1t]

@@truckguy6666 Right, you don't need expensive tools, but if you want to do things in a hurry, you don't want to mess with the setup for every cut.

[@JeepinMaxx]

Thanks for the video - perfect timing! I'm about to embark on my kitchen cabinet door building. Just invested in a Whiteside rail and stile bit set and will use the techniques you showed to complete my project.

[@Bigfish92084]

So Glad I stumbled upon your channel. Very well done video and explanation. I think you have inspired me to start making Cabinet doors. Thank You!

[@wimvandenbosch6657]

My limit is wooden pallet wood flower boxes. All said and done I love this channel.. great ideas , great teaching and imparting safety in the profession. Thank you.

[@jamesgallagher3317]

I used to make doors like this 15 years ago but it took 2 spindle moulders and 3 different cutters. I'm going to be looking at these cutters as my own workshop is at least 10 times smaller than the joinery shop I used to work in

[@MK-bj7qn]

Like always .. short, effective and filled with awesome tips. I enjoy watching these clips. I have been making cabinets for many years as a hobbyist but how you describe things are so awesome and very simple to process. I watch these not bc I don’t know how to do it but because I love to learn how you use simple methods to teach and give effective tips that help new beginners. I hope I can utilize your methods to teach my kiddos.

[@DIY.with.DianeD]

I never tire from watching your videos. You are an excellent speaker, and very knowledgeable! Thank you for continuing to share with the rest of us! You encouragement to just get started is a great exit!

[@SRMWorkshop]

This is much easier looking than my plan to make replacement doors for the kitchen. Thank you.

[@BenjaminMellor]

Once I eventually build my own kitchen, I definitely plan on using these router bits, assuming I remember.

[@glencrandall7051]

That is a very interesting router bit set. I will have to make a few doors in the near future. I will have to seriously consider your method. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@MikeJowsey]

Brilliant! Thanks for those tips. I finished building 14 doors for my kitchen a week ago :-( wish I'd seen this first!

[@Steve-GM0HUU]

Thanks for posting. I really like the look of the door with the 15 degree bevel. Others have mentioned using things like foam or rubber instead of glue around the MDF panel. I am wondering if another option is caulk.

[@charleshennings5134]

excellent presentation, dude thank you so much for sharing this passionately

[@TheTsunamijuan]

Router bits definitely make the job easier, and more repeatable. When I worked for a cabinet shop, we often ordered the doors as it was more cost effective for our smaller shop. Though it wasn't uncommon to have to remake doors, modify, rebuild damaged ones. Based on how tight our delivery contracts where. So many times I have remade styles for shaker doors using nothing but a table saw. Good times :)

[@johndoe6032]

That bevel is a nice touch on the frame. Any tips on prepping the wood frame for paint so the wood grain doesn't show through on the end product?

[@n8sot]

I hate you Stumpy!!!! I just did my whole kitchen. But now I WANT that 15 deg bev!!!!! Damn It!!!! It never ends! LOL. Great vid.

[@tonyn3123]

Thanks. I've been thinking about a rail and stile bit set for a some time and I know Whiteside makes quality ones.

[@chrisnash2154]

Stumpaaaay! I placed my order last night. Apparently I got it in just in time because Amazon is sold out now!👍🏾😁👍🏾

[@TheLovelyMissBeans]

Thank you, not just for the training, but for the confidence booster. Do you have a companion basic cabinet video, btw?

[@Conservator.]

‘Freedom units’ sure helps to keep your brains up with divisions. 😉 All jokes apart, I enjoyed watching the video. Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱

[@RichardCramer-tq9nu]

I have a similar router bit set. Once you have set them up a couple of times, it goes really fast. My biggest issue has always been part orientation, finish side up or down. As good as they look for paint grade cabinets, they really do look Shaker elegant on cherry or oak. Safe travels

[@MCsCreations]

Thanks a bunch for the tutorial, James! 😊 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@drummingFelix]

Excellent explanation. No ad's. Nice Video stumpy. Greetings from Germany

[@williamjefferson3426]

Thanks Stumpy, lots of great content. Amazingly how much I learn when I continue believe I can do better with every build. Keep putting out your message

[@mindyhall4638]

Love your channel; and loving the new look with the beard and mustache!

[@calotron357]

What a great video. No nonsense music or over explanation. Just straight to it, perfect.

[@ronhaefner7833]

What could be next? Mid-rails and mullions? Another tip is to keep the rails slightly more than double wide when making the end cuts and profile cuts, then rip to final width. This gives you a little bigger piece of material to maneuver. I also put a (clear) blade guard over the bit. No "router stop" on these things.