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I cut the mortises using a brad-point drill bit. I used a mortising jig that I made for the book, The Best Jigs & Fixtures for Your Woodshop. By setting my drill press at its highest rotating setting (about 2,500rpm), I’m able to make a clean-cut mortise. Nice!
Yes, I’m using my original router table to cut the grooves for the raised panels. It’s simply a matter of connecting the mortises. Lower the leg part so the router bit is in the mortise and cut until you come to the other mortise. Then cut the panel grooves in the rails. These run the entire length of the parts. Remember, no grooves in the top and bottom front rails and front leg parts.
I used the same bit that I used to cut the grooves to cut the tenon faces and the edges
Now I started work on the panels. I cut them to size and leveled them using a hand plane and a random-orbital sander. To “raise” the panels, I used my table saw. After cutting the panel bevels, I cut the 45° bevels on the leg parts. Be sure to make 4 right-hand and 4 left-handed parts!
Pair the leg parts and lay them out with the sharp edges of the bevels touching. Run a piece of masking tape along the joint. Flip this assembly over and apply glue to the bevels. Then fold the assembly. Make sure the leg parts form a square and let the glue dry.
