Entry and passage doors have traditional been made on shapers, but you can do the same professional work on your router table with our Interior & Exterior Door Router Bit Sets. Shown on our sample door, above, is one of the three profiles we offer (Ogee, Mission and Shaker).
Each set includes two slot cutters to adjust between a thicker exterior door (1-3/4"-thick) and a thinner interior door (1-3/8"-thick), by simply switching out the slot cutter on the bit.
With the bit set for your door thickness and the height adjusted in the router table, the fence depth needs to be set. Using either a straight edge or steel rule, align the fences with the inner-most edge of the cutting profile. Remember, when working with larger router bits, a slower speed (12,000 rpm) is strongly recommended for safety and for a better finished cut on the edge of the wood.
Proper hold-downs or feather boards will keep the material tight against the bit and improve the quality of the cut. I'm using Jessem's Clear Cut Router Table Stock Guide and a board behind the workpiece to give me plenty of support during the cut. Along with the slower bit speed, remember to move the workpiece past the bit at a reasonably slow rate to let the bit cut. Too fast and you'll end up with chatter and tear-out, and we don't want that!
With the stiles complete, it's time to switch to the rail-cutting bit. Because I'm cutting an interior door, I've removed one of the two center bearings to match the profile on the stile-cutting bit.
When running the rails, continue to use the same slower bit speed, and support the cut as well as possible. I'm guiding the bit using my miter gauge (check for square before cutting!), but you might also want to consider Infinity's Coping Sled for even more support.
Making an extended tenon will add great strength to the door joints and keep a door from starting to rack over time. Using an extended cutter, and setting the router bit up to match the profile on the already created rail end, make multiple cuts to slowly create the extended tenon.
Choose from one of our three profile choices, or plan for future options by choosing our 00-527 set that includes all three! Then get cracking and make some doors!
