As much as I would love to show you all the details of my current project, time just won’t allow it. But there is one specific part of the process I wanted to show you: making the raised panels. Now these aren’t your average raised panels, which we covered in detail in Raising Arizona.
The panels actually consist of a walnut and birdseye maple sandwich (you can see the completed doors to the left). The resulting effect give us a birdseye maple border around a unique piece of walnut. Now this was all fine and dandy on paper, but I was quite nervous about the routing process. Both the birdseye maple and the wacky walnut I used had a high likelihood of tearing or chipping out.
Fortunately, Eagle America makes a heck of a sharp router bit! I was able to make all six panels with almost no flaws whatsoever. The surface was so smooth that it only required a light sanding and I was done. If you are interested in this bit, you can purchase it here, and support the show at the same time since we are now an Eagle America affiliate.
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com

















24 comments so far
a1Jim
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89156 posts in 1775 days
#1 posted 1112 days ago
thanks Mark
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
Bothus
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425 posts in 1374 days
#2 posted 1112 days ago
Hi Marc,
That is so cool. I love walnut and the little woman loves birdseye maple.
I can’t wait to see your finished product.
Thanks for sharing.
Jerry
-- Jerry Boshear, Professional Kitchen Designer, amature woodworker.
ltroupe1
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49 posts in 1176 days
#3 posted 1112 days ago
Looks good Marc. I love your projects so thanks for posting.
ZeroThreeQuarter
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120 posts in 1255 days
#4 posted 1112 days ago
as always, a good lesson loaded with valuable information..
thanks Mark!
-- Your mind, much like a parachute, works best when open.
lanwater
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2438 posts in 1132 days
#5 posted 1112 days ago
Thanks Mark,
As always your videos here and on other sites are packed with good technics and new ways of doing things.
Bill Akins
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412 posts in 1896 days
#6 posted 1112 days ago
As usual, good stuff! Beautiful panels.
-- Bill from Lithia Springs, GA I love the smell of sawdust in the morning.
Woodwrecker
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3038 posts in 1773 days
#7 posted 1112 days ago
You got the touch brother. No two ways about it!
-- Eric
gbear
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332 posts in 2297 days
#8 posted 1112 days ago
very interesting…really looking forward to seeing the finished product. I know it will be fabulous.
-- gbear, Carmichael, CA
mtnwild
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3474 posts in 1725 days
#9 posted 1112 days ago
Awesome, great idea, they really are beautiful!!!
Thanks for the show…....
-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.
OutPutter
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1194 posts in 2188 days
#10 posted 1112 days ago
Nice video again Mark. Is that a multi function table used as your router table? I don’t think I’ve seen that before. How do you get the short ends of the panels flush to the fence as you move the fence back? Does that mean you adjust the miter guage?
-- Jim
thewoodwhisperer
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585 posts in 2382 days
#11 posted 1112 days ago
Thanks everyone. Glad you are enjoying the video.
OutPutter- That is an MFT. The top is called a FesTop and its sold by Woodwerks. A great invention for someone who needs to conserve space.
And yes indeed, I have to adjust the miter gauge each time I move the fence. But that’s easy enough to do using the workpiece itself as the guide. I almost forgot to make the adjustment the first time I moved the fence though. Close call!
-- For free video tutorials and other cool woodworking stuff, check out http://www.TheWoodWhisperer.com
tooldad
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657 posts in 1913 days
#12 posted 1111 days ago
Thanks Marc. This is the duh, why didn’t I think of that. Last year I made a 5 wood blanket chest in which I glued a 3/8” wide piece of maple to the side of the oak stiles and rails, so that the profile would be a different wood. It worked, but oak/maple contrast wasn’t all that great. Panels were myrtle wood from Oregon, so that is why I chose the maple on the rails. Now I have a vision of doing that again with the walnut profile, maple and myrtle raised panels to give the dark/light/dark contrast.
Again, if ever in St Louis, Let me know and stop by the school.
Tooldad
Bob Kollman
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1779 posts in 1389 days
#13 posted 1111 days ago
Marc,
Very special project, I like the insight into the relationship with your customer. Also liked your
raised panels a lot.
-- Bob Kenosha Wi.
GaryCN
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272 posts in 2132 days
#14 posted 1111 days ago
Thanks for sharing this great idea I am going to try it out on my next set of panels.
-- Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
CharlesNeil
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868 posts in 2068 days
#15 posted 1111 days ago
nice job Marc, I also like the design of the piece , I also have that router bit and it does do well
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