Doors, cabinet sides
Panel groove
A groove in the frame and a panel that floats in it.
Use when
- A frame has to hold a panel that will move.
Don’t use when
- Do not glue the panel in the groove.
- Keep
- Waste, hatched on the drawing
- Dimension
- Long parts are broken. The 1 in bar is true scale.
Stock
Thickness steppers move by 1/16 in, or 0.5 mm. You can type 3/4 or 1-1/8.
Sizes
| Mark | Size | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Groove width | 1/4 in | 1/4 in in 3/4 frame stock or a 1/2 in drawer side |
| Groove depth | 1/4 in | Shallow end, 1/4 in |
| Up from the bottom | 5/16 in | On a drawer, 1/4 to 3/8 in off the bottom edge |
| Panel clearance, each side | 1/16 in | 1/16 to 1/8 in, so a solid panel can move |
Cut sequence
1Plow the groove
Width 1/4 in, depth 1/4 in. On a drawer, 5/16 in up from the bottom.
2Size the panel
Leave 1/16 in shy on each side. A solid panel is finished before it goes in.
3Dry-fit, then glue
Close the joint dry. Check that shoulders and faces meet, then glue. If this is a frame or a box, check both diagonals before the glue grabs.
Stop when: Dry-fit is tight with hand pressure, square, and the diagonals match.
Glue
Mostly mechanical
Strength
furniture
Movement
A solid panel in a groove is captured, not glued across its width. Finish the panel before you assemble.