Help please? Trimming 3mm off new cabinet doors

Hi Everyone,

Looking for some advice, please? I'm making a few doors for some cabinets I've created. I picked up a couple of cheap pine chests of drawers, have removed the drawers and runners, etc, and am adding shelves and doors to convert them into cabinets. I had no idea how much room to leave around the outside of the door edges, and, frankly, think I'm going to run into trouble once I add the hinges.

What is the easiest way to trim down the outside edges of the doors? They're just made of 18mm ply. (I used 12mm, then framed the front of the doors with 6mm, which is glued and nailed onto the fronts). I'm thinking that an electric planer might be the go?? I tried using the table saw, but it got a bit wobbly without the riving knife in situ. Would I be able to use a router for this? If so, what sort of bit would I need?

Also, is there a standard allowance for the gap around cabinet doors using mortice/non-mortice hinges.

I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks very much.
Lizzie.

A flush trim router bit and a straight edge is a good way to remove a small amount. Clamp the straight edge to the door and let the bearing ride along the straight edge.

Are the doors to be fitted internal to the cupboard or on the outside - ie. inset or overlay? I normally aim for 3 mm around outsides of doors and between doors if inset.

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Originally Posted by Lappa

Are the doors to be fitted internal to the cupboard or on the outside - ie. inset or overlay? I normally aim for 3 mm around outsides of doors and between doors if inset.

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Thanks Lappa. The doors will be fitted inside the cabinet. So I allow 3mm on each side, and top and base? Sounds good.

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Originally Posted by NCArcher

A flush trim router bit and a straight edge is a good way to remove a small amount. Clamp the straight edge to the door and let the bearing ride along the straight edge.

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NC, thanks for your reply. Why would I need the straight edge? Wouldn't I just let the router run against the edge of the door? Any recommendations for a good router?

Table saw should be ok, riving knife does not stop wobbles, something else is causing wobbles

NCArcher is spot on. The bearing on the router bit follows the straight edge so the door is trimmed exactly to the straight edge

http://woodtools.nov.ru/books/WoodTi...a%20Router.pdf

Thanks China. The problem with the table saw was that, because I was trying to trim off such a small thickness, the cut off bit wedged at the side of the blade, which then jammed and slowed, causing the wood to move sideways, to the left. I agree, theoretically it shouldn't have made a difference, but it did.

Thanks Lappa, that makes more sense.

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Originally Posted by Lizziecro

The problem with the table saw was that, because I was trying to trim off such a small thickness, the cut off bit wedged at the side of the blade, which then jammed and slowed, causing the wood to move sideways, to the left. I agree, theoretically it shouldn't have made a difference, but it did.

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Hi Lizzie
if this happened it's usually an indication that your saw is either not set-up properly or you're not using it correctly. Either is not good.
Would you like to post a photo of the setup?

Thanks Ian, I appreciate your comment. The machine is otherwise running perfectly. I imagine part of the problem was how I was feeding the timber into the blade.... very carefully! Ha ha. I'm a bit cautious about working without the guard on the blade. The surface of the ply was quite slippery. I like my fingers attached to my hands. It's probably all just rookie error. I haven't used the saw without the riving knife and guard before. Maybe I just had the fence up too close to the blade. I was trying to trim a minute amount off, thinking I'd do it incrementally.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lizziecro

Thanks Ian, I appreciate your comment. The machine is otherwise running perfectly. I imagine part of the problem was how I was feeding the timber into the blade.... very carefully! Ha ha. I'm a bit cautious about working without the guard on the blade. The surface of the ply was quite slippery. I like my fingers attached to my hands. It's probably all just rookie error. I haven't used the saw without the riving knife and guard before. Maybe I just had the fence up too close to the blade. I was trying to trim a minute amount off, thinking I'd do it incrementally.

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Just to confim... the part of the drawer front running against the fence is the good side, not the part you're removing?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lizziecro

Thanks Ian, I appreciate your comment. The machine is otherwise running perfectly. I imagine part of the problem was how I was feeding the timber into the blade.... very carefully! Ha ha. I'm a bit cautious about working without the guard on the blade. The surface of the ply was quite slippery. I like my fingers attached to my hands. It's probably all just rookie error. I haven't used the saw without the riving knife and guard before. Maybe I just had the fence up too close to the blade. I was trying to trim a minute amount off, thinking I'd do it incrementally.

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It has to be asked, why were you working without the guard or the riving knife?
and trapping the off cut between the fence and the blade is a definite no-no


none of us want you to loose a finger or three, or to suffer kickback.

Ha ha ha! Yes, TCCP, you have just struck the problem! Sheesh. Hmm. That'll do it. Indeed, I was trying to trim the part against the fence. Brains certainly left the body there. Good grief. Sounds pretty stupid now.... ha ha ha. Oh dear. Ah well we live and learn. It worked beautifully on the top of the first door, even if it was a) the wrong thing to do and b) just ridiculously stupid!

I've realised why I did it....My table saw has actually got a rip capacity which will take the width of the door, just not wide enough to take the length of the door. I'd trimmed the top of the door off in that way, and then had to trim the length of it off, so just followed suit... Geez Joyce.

Good on you TCCP. No wonder no-one understood what had happened and why! If I wasn't laughing so much, I'd be completely embarrassed! Ha ha ha. Thanks very much. :doh:

Ian, see above for what happened. Uhuh. I took the riving knife and guard off so I could cut a very fine length off the board. That was how I trimmed the top of the board, which wouldn't have fit in between the fence and blade. Stupidly I just used the same system.

Nothing to see here folks, move along now.....