We build all of our cabinet doors in house. We square and size the door panels on our slider and don't use it for much else because we have a cnc. It is in need of replacement. I was going to buy a new small sliding saw but one of my guys used a vertical panel saw at a shop he used to work at. He said it was faster than the slider for door panels.
What are you using for this task?
From contributor Ji
Striebig vertical.
From contributor Ri
Yep, Striebig vertical. Used one for four years. Calibrated correctly, with proper technique, used to cut two sided melamine dead square, and with sharp blades chip free.
From contributor Br
I have both a Striebig and Altendorf. For what you are wanting to do I'd use the Striebig.
From contributor JR
Are you guys talking about solid wood raised panels, flat veneered panels, or both? We have been using just a table saw for years and haven't had squareness issues that can't be compensated for with panel spacers in the door grooves. Am I missing something, or just building my doors in a way that doesn't require extreme panel accuracy?
From contributor Ri
JR, guessing you build face frame. For ease of assembly, frameless benefits from super accuracy and squareness.
Imagine sharing gables and 1/8" gaps - that is standard for closet organizers.
From contributor Ga
We glue up our solid wood panels slightly over length and over width and trim to size.
Do any of you glue up the panels to length eliminating the end trimming all together?
From contributor JR
I interpreted OP as cutting the interior panels for 5-pc cabinet doors. I build 99% euro cabinet doors and the center panels float on foam spacers that center them during assembly. So if a panel is out of square by a little bit, no big deal.
If we are talking about banded slab doors, then sure, I can see why you need the precision.
Gary - that's how we do it. Sometimes a stave will shift and make it difficult to run an uneven edge on the shaper. I guess a shape and sand feed system or Unique 250 type shaper would eliminate the need to trim ends though, since the edge doesn't ride along a fence.
From contributor ga
JR, yes, solid wood cabinet door panels.
A shop I briefly worked at years ago glued panels to length. Untill my last post I guess I forgot about that. Maybe a quick bump on the edge sander if a stave shifts. Have to give it a try.
From contributor Fr
re squaring off doors that you made
forget the table saw..use a shaper to take off 1/16" ea side
you save massive amounts of time and the edges need far less sanding. i came to do this after 30 years trimming doors on the martin slider...am kicking myself for not waking up sooner. no door maker (ie: conestoga, etc) uses a table saw to square off.
time savings and safety increase especially if you use a feeder..for us we do 1 big kitchen a week and it saves so much time its crazy.
