How to Cut Raised Panel Doors on a Table Saw

Measure the opening of the cabinets and write them down. The length of the top and bottom rails (horizontal boards) of the door frame needs to be the width of the door opening minus twice the width of the side stiles (vertical boards of the door frame) plus 1 inch, or twice the 1/2-inch depth of the groove that you will cut in them. Transfer these measurements to the boards. Make two of each. Cut them to size. Mark the inside face of each stile and rail where you are going to cut the groove.

The width of the door panel is the rail length minus an expansion allowance of 1/8 inch per every 12 inches minus 1/16 inch for assembly clearance. The height of the panel is going to be the door height minus the top rail width minus the bottom rail width minus 1/16 inch assembly clearance plus the panel groove depth multiplied by 2. The panel needs to be shorter than the dimension of the space in the center of the frame. Cut the door panel to fit inside of the rail and stile frame.

Set up only two outer blades of the 1/4-inch Dado blade set. Place the dado blades in the table saw blade insert. Center them so that both sides of the blade insert will support the wood when it is cut. Position the rip fence to 1/4 inch from the right of the Dado blades so that the blade tips extend 1/2 inch above the worktable surface. Test the blades with a piece of scrap wood to ensure that they have been set to cut a groove in the exact center of the side of the stile or rail. Cut the marked sides of the stiles and rails.

Adjust the Dado blade to 1/4 inch above the work table's surface. Use a miter gauge to make a 1/2-inch long by 1/4-inch thick tenon on the end of the two rails.

Insert the panel raising fixture. Move the worktable tilt angle to 15 degrees. Adjust the blade up to 3/6 inch. Clamp a test piece of wood to the jig and make a cut. Clamp the center panel of the door to the jig and cut all four edges.

Sand down the wood. Apply a layer of wood finish to the panel. Glue and then clamp down the stiles and rails together around the panel. Do not glue the panel to give it room to expand and contract.