Safety Speed Cut Thermwood Corporation ECabinet Systems

Cabinetmaking

You are not logged in. [ Login ] Why log in
(NOTE: Login is not required to post)

In house door makers: What 1 piece of equipment increased your efficiency?

10/7/23       
Mr Fee Member

My side job is building 5 piece flat panel doors for fellow workers who have side jobs.

I tried working with customers but I hate them. So i have been building doors for other employees who do side jobs. A busy month could be 200 doors, an average month about 50 doors.

I'm trying to increase my speed.

I use a SLR to size sticks,
widebelt front and back once @120g,
cut to size on upcut saw,
cope cut,
pattern cut,
hand sand profile (shaper leaves chatter marks)
assemble with parallel clamps,
micro-pin joint, fill holes,
wide belt full door,
bump sand top and bottom,
break face edges with 1mm radius pneumatic trim router,
hand orbital sand back and then face.

Would a door clamp like the jlt help increase production time or is that money better spent elsewhere?

What equipment has helped you increase your production?

10/7/23       #2: Question for in house door makers. ...
cris

You're bottleneck is hand sanding profiles get a shape and sand.

10/7/23       #3: Question for in house door makers. ...
Mr Fee Member

I've looked into them, They need quite a bit of space and with my current situation (being an employee of the shop) it's too big of an ask so i can make doors on the side.

Now if i could get clean cuts off the sharper that may be acceptable. I may dive back into fixing the chatter problem.

10/7/23       #4: Question for in house door makers. ...
Dustin Orth

The hand sanding is a big time suck, if a shape and sand is out, maybe look at a flop flap sander. Like slash wheels backed by a bristle broom. 2 other things, get away from hand clamps and don't bother with filling the micro pin holes on the back of the doors unless requested and then charge a little more for it.

10/7/23       #5: Question for in house door makers. ...
RichC

I don't see anything about power feeding on the shaper. Climb cutting with a shaper could eliminate almost all of that chatter.
I see no need to pin the joint. If the fit you get off your tooling is snug, 5 minutes in clamps is enough to remove the clamps and gently set them down.
No idea what bump sanding is.
I'd add an additional charge for the 1mm radius on the edges. Inset doors have to be fitted anyway. Same goes for the final sanding. These side hack shops may just want to do that themselves.

10/7/23       #7: Question for in house door makers. ...
Mr Fee Member

dustin, will a flap sander affect the tightness of the joint. if not hand clamps what?

Rich C, Sorry i didnt specify but i do climb cut using a steff powerfeeder but i still get chatter, not sure if the wheels are bad or the stand has too much flex but i have tried every postion of the feeder, sanding the wheels, using acetone on the rubber, speed up, slow down, regular cut. No matter what i try i always get chatter that looks like this,

https://ibb.co/P1xsWyP

Bump sanding for me is bumping the edge of the door on an edge sander to sand end grain and flush up rail/stiles

Final sanding is needed. The guys i sell doors to work in the same shop as me, they do side jobs for their own customers and expect doors ready to paint. I find that the radius router bit is faster (or the same) as hand breaking the edges with a pad or sponge and gives a more consistent look

10/8/23       #8: Question for in house door makers. ...
Hen Bob Member

You need to upgrade your shapers and tooling if you are still getting chatter, should be able to come off the shaper with no additional work needed. One shaper should be used to run the rails and the other only for coping.
I also agree that the pins are a waste of time, either get more clamps or a clamping table.
Are you making your doors oversized and then squaring them up? or are you making to exact size?

10/8/23       #9: Question for in house door makers. ...
Mr Fee Member

I use freeborn tooling, even with new cutters i get the chatter. I dont get chatter on the cope cuts. I bought a used SCM t120C but broke the brake pin trying to change the spindle which was frozen, It's at a machine shop getting repaired hopefully that machine runs better.

What glue do you guys recommend? i read dorus express on this site but have been unable to source it. I use titebond 1 and am not sure no pins and 5 min in clamps is enough.

I have made doors oversized and squared them up. I currently do exact size and rarely have problems with out of square doors. I prefer this method because squaring them up on the slider takes time and creates more saw marks for sanding.

10/9/23       #10: Question for in house door makers. ...
Bill

I agree you should not get chatter. That is your number one priority.

Why do you sand with 120 prior to profiling?

I would not use Micro pins, I would use a standard pin. Filling the hole is no different and a pin adds strength, a micro pin does not. With a standard pin the glue is less important.

Good Luck
Bill

10/9/23       #11: In house door makers: What 1 piece ...
Karl E Brogger  Member

Website: http://www.sogncabinets.com

I'd say good heads and a good powerfed shapers.

It's one of those deals though, where I feel everything is important. I wouldn't want to be making doors the way I was five years ago, and I REALLY wouldn't want to make doors the way I did ten years ago. Good shapers, tooling I'm really happy with, automatic coper, good feeders, good widebelt, and a rotary door clamp. I wouldn't want to get lose any of it.

Hen Bob is 100% correct, you shouldn't have to touch the profile after machining.

10/12/23       #12: In house door makers: What 1 piece ...
Mr Fee Member

THanks for the tips guys,

hey bill i sand with 120 because i start with raw lumber and like to ensure an even thickness.

Karl what shapers and tooling do you use? our widebelt is a kundig which is solid, i would settle for a single jtl clamp. ive seen the auto coper videos online, those look sweet, but is it that much of a time saver compared to doing it on the shaper?

10/12/23       #13: In house door makers: What 1 piece ...
gary

Look for some used Weaver brand shapers. They look small and simple but work very well. Their cope and stick setups are simple and again work very well.

10/12/23       #14: In house door makers: What 1 piece ...
Bill

Might the fact that you are putting unplanned wood through the shaper be the source of your chatter problem? You are using a sander as a planer?

10/12/23       #15: In house door makers: What 1 piece ...
Karl E Brogger  Member

Website: http://www.sogncabinets.com

An SCM T160 does most of the sticking and sizing work. I'm content with that shaper, but I wouldn't go with any less of a machine. I've got 3 SAC shapers, I love those things, but the electronics are garbage.

I've got a PMK coper with hsk spindles. Changing profiles takes less than a minute. That productivity of that machine is unreal. I'd say it's 3-4 times more efficient than doing it on a shaper with an air clamp. Reason being, you're doing two parts at a time. When it is cycling, your hands are free to juggle other parts. Put them away, get the next set ready, etcetera.
I haven't used it much, but every time I do I tell the guys they are f-ing spoiled.

It's s big chunk of change for a one trick pony, but it saves mountains of effort if you can justify it.

10/16/23       #16: In house door makers: What 1 piece ...
Andy Member

Get you some better shapers and/or cutters. Then get a used door clamp. Hope this helps.

10/17/23       #17: In house door makers: What 1 piece ...
Mr Fee Member

Andy, I am definitely considering this.

What glue do you guys use? i use titebond 1 but am looking for something faster.

10/26/23       #18: In house door makers: What 1 piece ...
Bruce H

I wouldn't climb cut unless the grain of the wood required that without chipping. If you are getting chatter from your feeder you need new wheels. I use blue ones from Western Roller. They are the softest, wear the fasted but grab the best. I use an outboard fence for stick cuts and think you get better finish because the part is supported along it's length without a gap at the spindle.

11/24/23       #19: In house door makers: What 1 piece ...
Randy

JLT door clamp & panel clamp system has cleared my biggest bottleneck. Paid for itself in the first year of labor savings.

Door clamp panel clamp


Post a Response
  • Notify me of responses to this thread
  • Subscribe to email updates on this Forum
  • To receive email notification of additions to this forum thread,
    enter your name and email address, and then click the
    "Keep Me Posted" button below.

    Please Note: If you have posted a message or response,
    do not submit this request ... you are already signed up
    to receive notification!

    Your Name:
    E-Mail Address:
    Enter the correct numbers into the field below:
     

    Date of your Birth:



    Return to top of page

    Buy & Sell Exchanges | Forums | Galleries | Site Map

    FORUM GUIDELINES: Please review the guidelines below before posting at WOODWEB's Interactive Message Boards (return to top)

  • WOODWEB is a professional industrial woodworking site. Hobbyist and homeowner woodworking questions are inappropriate.
  • Messages should be kept reasonably short and on topic, relating to the focus of the forum. Responses should relate to the original question.
  • A valid email return address must be included with each message.
  • Advertising is inappropriate. The only exceptions are the Classified Ads Exchange, Machinery Exchange, Lumber Exchange, and Job Opportunities and Services Exchange. When posting listings in these areas, review the posting instructions carefully.
  • Subject lines may be edited for length and clarity.
  • "Cross posting" is not permitted. Choose the best forum for your question, and post your question at one forum only.
  • Messages requesting private responses will be removed - Forums are designed to provide information and assistance for all of our visitors. Private response requests are appropriate at WOODWEB's Exchanges and Job Opportunities and Services.
  • Messages that accuse businesses or individuals of alleged negative actions or behavior are inappropriate since WOODWEB is unable to verify or substantiate the claims.
  • Posts with the intent of soliciting answers to surveys are not appropriate. Contact WOODWEB for more information on initiating a survey.
  • Excessive forum participation by an individual upsets the balance of a healthy forum atmosphere. Individuals who excessively post responses containing marginal content will be considered repeat forum abusers.
  • Responses that initiate or support inappropriate and off-topic discussion of general politics detract from the professional woodworking focus of WOODWEB, and will be removed.
  • Participants are encouraged to use their real name when posting. Intentionally using another persons name is prohibited, and posts of this nature will be removed at WOODWEB's discretion.
  • Comments, questions, or criticisms regarding Forum policies should be directed to WOODWEB's Systems Administrator
    (return to top).

    Carefully review your message before clicking on the "Send Message" button - you will not be able to revise the message once it has been sent.

    You will be notified of responses to the message(s) you posted via email. Be sure to enter your email address correctly.

    WOODWEB's forums are a highly regarded resource for professional woodworkers. Messages and responses that are crafted in a professional and civil manner strengthen this resource. Messages that do not reflect a professional tone reduce the value of our forums.

    Messages are inappropriate when their content: is deemed libelous in nature or is based on rumor, fails to meet basic standards of decorum, contains blatant advertising or inappropriate emphasis on self promotion (return to top).

    Libel:   Posts which defame an individual or organization, or employ a tone which can be viewed as malicious in nature. Words, pictures, or cartoons which expose a person or organization to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person or organization, are libelous.

    Improper Decorum:   Posts which are profane, inciting, disrespectful or uncivil in tone, or maliciously worded. This also includes the venting of unsubstantiated opinions. Such messages do little to illuminate a given topic, and often have the opposite effect. Constructive criticism is acceptable (return to top).

    Advertising:   The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue. Companies participating in a Forum discussion should provide specific answers to posted questions. WOODWEB suggests that businesses include an appropriately crafted signature in order to identify their company. A well meaning post that seems to be on-topic but contains a product reference may do your business more harm than good in the Forum environment. Forum users may perceive your references to specific products as unsolicited advertising (spam) and consciously avoid your web site or services. A well-crafted signature is an appropriate way to advertise your services that will not offend potential customers. Signatures should be limited to 4-6 lines, and may contain information that identifies the type of business you're in, your URL and email address (return to top).

    Repeated Forum Abuse: Forum participants who repeatedly fail to follow WOODWEB's Forum Guidelines may encounter difficulty when attempting to post messages.

    There are often situations when the original message asks for opinions: "What is the best widget for my type of shop?". To a certain extent, the person posting the message is responsible for including specific questions within the message. An open ended question (like the one above) invites responses that may read as sales pitches. WOODWEB suggests that companies responding to such a question provide detailed and substantive replies rather than responses that read as a one-sided product promotion. It has been WOODWEB's experience that substantive responses are held in higher regard by our readers (return to top).

    The staff of WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at WOODWEB's Message Boards. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB's Message Boards after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages it deems inappropriate. (return to top)


  • Forum Posting Help
    Your Name The name you enter in this field will be the name that appears with your post or response (return to form).
    Your Website Personal or business website links must point to the author's website. Inappropriate links will be removed without notice, and at WOODWEB's sole discretion. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    E-Mail Address Your e-mail address will not be publicly viewable. Forum participants will be able to contact you using a contact link (included with your post) that is substituted for your actual address. You must include a valid email address in this field. (return to form)
    Subject Subject may be edited for length and clarity. Subject lines should provide an indication of the content of your post. (return to form)
    Thread Related Link and Image Guidelines Thread Related Links posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should point to locations that provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related Link that directs visitors to an area with inappropriate content will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Thread Related File Uploads Thread Related Files posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. Video Files: acceptable video formats are: .MOV .AVI .WMV .MPEG .MPG .MP4 (Image Upload Tips)   If you encounter any difficulty when uploading video files, E-mail WOODWEB for assistance. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related File that contains inappropriate content will be removed, and uploaded files that are not directly related to the message thread will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links, files, or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Limtech Industries, Inc. Lamello
    Today's Sponsors

    Become a Sponsor today!