Making cabinet doors

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hdtheater
Posts: 263
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:14 am

Making cabinet doors

Post by hdtheater »

I am about to build a new cabinet for my laundry room. Has anyone done raised panels with their Shark? If so, did you do this with special bits or did you usea round over bit and model n Aspire? I am looking for tips, tricks, hints and some places to get affordable plunge bits for raised panel carving.

Thanks,

-Eric
Thanks,

-Eric

Facebook.com/inspireddesignstx

4DThinker
Posts: 951
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:00 am

Re: Making cabinet doors

Post by 4DThinker »

The assorted software tools I use don't have any way to describe a roundover bit in their tool catalogs. You get basic end mill, ball tip, ball, cone (V), and that's about it. You can certainly stick roundover and cove bits in the router though, but you'll need to set them up as end mills and be clever how you tool path for them. I've never used my Shark for cabinet doors other than to carve a design in the face of one. Once you get it figured out, post some photos and tips.

hdtheater
Posts: 263
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:14 am

Re: Making cabinet doors

Post by hdtheater »

I have doors in my house that I know were made on a CNC and I want to replicate those.

Initially, I am imagining Aspire and an 1/8" ball nose to replicate the existing doors. However, that just seems excessive and I am possibly over thinking it. I mean a cabinet shop does not spend that much time adjusting existing designs. It can't be that hard once you know what works best.

I think getting the right bits and VCarve could do what I am wanting to do. However, I have not found plunge bits to do what I want just yet.

I have this posted on Vectric as well and am hoping to find a thread somewhere, where it was done to just get me headed in the right direction before I start spending money.

Once, I figure out what I want to do and get started, I will be sure to post and show everyone what I did.

Thanks,

-Eric
Thanks,

-Eric

Facebook.com/inspireddesignstx

4DThinker
Posts: 951
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:00 am

Re: Making cabinet doors

Post by 4DThinker »

Take a picture of one of those doors and post it here. I'll get a better idea of how to do it once I see what was done.

BillK
Posts: 885
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:08 am

Re: Making cabinet doors

Post by BillK »

4D and hd,

There is a way to add a special tool bit where you can actually draw the tool's profile and add it too your tool database. When you select it for cutting, the profile will reproduce in 3D in your model. There is an Aspire tutorial video on this also for a cabinet door I believe.

Where do you get such bits? I think I've seen some on Grizzly.com.
BillK
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hdtheater
Posts: 263
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:14 am

Re: Making cabinet doors

Post by hdtheater »

Thanks! I don't have Aspire yet, but if it is best to use Aspire to accomplish this, it may be time.

-Eric
Thanks,

-Eric

Facebook.com/inspireddesignstx

jeb2cav
Site Admin
Posts: 1524
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:04 pm
Location: Kentucky
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Re: Making cabinet doors

Post by jeb2cav »

Hi Eric,

You can create a 'custom form cutter' in VCarve Pro. Open up the Help in VCarve Pro and do a search for 'custom form cutter'.

There's also a Cabinet Door Panel tutorial in the 2D and 2.5D section of the VCarve tutorials - don't know if that will help you or not.

4DThinker
Posts: 951
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:00 am

Re: Making cabinet doors

Post by 4DThinker »

BillK wrote:4D and hd,

There is a way to add a special tool bit where you can actually draw the tool's profile and add it too your tool database. When you select it for cutting, the profile will reproduce in 3D in your model. There is an Aspire tutorial video on this also for a cabinet door I believe.

Where do you get such bits? I think I've seen some on Grizzly.com.
I'll have to look into that, BillK. I don't have and won't be buying Aspire, as all I need for the jobs I do is VCarve and occasionally Cut3D. As for bits, Amazon.com has a good selection of bits from various vendors. I bought some assorted sized round-over bits with no bearing to use to round over edges of furniture parts, but have just been using an end mill profile set to the bottom diameter and carefully described in the name given. Assign a profile toolpath and give it the cutter radius for depth. Usually I've preceeded that profile with a straight bit so all the roundover bit has to do is round over the edge.

BillK
Posts: 885
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:08 am

Re: Making cabinet doors

Post by BillK »

Sorry if I misled you, that feature is available in both Aspire and V-carve. I was just saying that I remembered seeing it in a video tutorial for Aspire where a cabinet door was being made.

Apologies.

BillK
BillK
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Instagram: carvingsbykurtz
Twitter: @CBKwoodcarver

sk8nmike
Posts: 389
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:35 am
Location: Carrollton, Tx

Re: Making cabinet doors

Post by sk8nmike »

You can make the entire cabinet door on a CNC, but most people don't have the correct tools and it's not as fast as using a router table.

For the rails and stiles just set the work piece on a scrap board and edge route, or you can stand the boards on their sides and use a 1/4" end mill to cut the channel and a round nose for any edge shaping.

The panel is where the trouble comes in. You can't clamp it from the edge like a normal carve. You have to use a vacuum clamp or double sided tape to hold the panel and then use a panel bit. If you're going to undercut the panel you will have to get creative with the pattern in order to fool the CNC, neither Aspire nor VCarve have an undercut feature.

I make custom cabinet doors and have found that it's less stressful to made the basic door on a table and then do any carving on the CNC.

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