Even if you don't have a planer, biscuits aren't necessary. If you have problems with the stock slipping out of plane (and your milling is proper, and you aren't overclamping, etc.), cauls are your answer.
Cauls have been around about as long as wood, but for some reason a lot of people haven't heard of them. They simply are long, straight pieces of stock clamped across the face of the boards. Because they are hard to describe without pictures, look at this page:
http://shop.woodcraft.com/woodcraft/...VW5ADTRPDC37FA . This is a clamp system with cauls built-in.
The biggest mistake one can make when using cauls is to glue them to the face of the panel (a disaster). To prevent this, clear plastic packaging tape is applied to the face of the cauls (that rests against the panel).
Since you have no preference for the type of wood, I wonder if you plan to paint these doors? If so, MDF (medium density fiberboard) is a perfectly acceptable material for the panels. It is available in 4x8 sheets and is dirt cheap. It is not suitable for the frames, as it has little strength to resist bending. As a cardboard-related product, care must be taken to keep it from getting wet.
Dave
Linear Mode
