[jughead]

I am building hardwood cabinets (hawaiian curly koa) and am currently building shaker-style door frames for the first 3 doors, the stiles are about 40" and the rails are about 18". I intend to insert glass or plastic in the door frames, 1/4" thick (in a grove).

I have seen various types of corner joints but I am thinking of simply cutting a tongue and grove the full width of the 2-3/8" wide frame on my table saw, then gluing and pinning it with a 1/4" dowel. The shoulder of the tongue (on the rail) would stop the tongue from protruding past the outside edge of the stile. This seems so simple but since I have not seen this joint discussed (that I can find), I am wondering why not? I like the look of the full width joint but obviously if no one else does this, there must be good reason why not (or maybe it is so simple that no discussion is warranted). Any thoughts?

Mahalo.

 

[xplorx4]

Greetings and welcome to the router forum. Thank you for joining us, and remember to have fun, build well and above all be safe.

 

[jw2170]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

 

[curt99]

Mahalo,
Greatings, If I understand you correctly, you intend to use a toungue and groove joint for the door frame and reinforce it with a dowel, That will work fine even with the added wieght of the glass but you will have to install the glass when you assemble the door and you run the risk of cracking the glass while you fit and finish the door. You might want to think about holding the glass in with wood glasing strips and removing the inside sholder of the stile & rail and makig a rabbit cut and ajusting the end cut of your rails and using 2 dowels to reinforce the joint.

I hope you under stand what I'm tring to say.

There are many ways to do it but this is one method I have used.

Good Luck,

Curt

 

[jughead]

Shaker door joint construction

Thanks for your reply. I have seen this type of glass installation in cabinet doors and I guess the best way to describe it is like the glass in a picture frame, correct? The routered inset seems a little cleaner, but I certainly see your point about possibly cracking the glass during the glue / clamping process and what a mess that would be while rushing around trying to get everything lined up and gooey with glue, only to have the glass fracture.

Maybe a 3/8" wood strip tacked into place might be the better way to go. In any case, I am glad that the full stile width tongue and groove is a viable joint method.

Mahalo for your input.

Jughead

Mahalo,
Greatings, If I understand you correctly, you intend to use a toungue and groove joint for the door frame and reinforce it with a dowel, That will work fine even with the added wieght of the glass but you will have to install the glass when you assemble the door and you run the risk of cracking the glass while you fit and finish the door. You might want to think about holding the glass in with wood glasing strips and removing the inside sholder of the stile & rail and makig a rabbit cut and ajusting the end cut of your rails and using 2 dowels to reinforce the joint.

I hope you under stand what I'm tring to say.

There are many ways to do it but this is one method I have used.

Good Luck,

Curt

 

[Mark]

Hey, Welcome to the community!

 

[bobj3]

HI


They make a router bit set just for that type of job at the right price, you don't use any dowel pins in the joint, they will stick out like a sore thumb at finish up time,,end grain stock will not take stain the same..plus they will have that a little dip or high spot in no time..

2 PC ELITE SHAKER DOOR ROUTER BIT SET 1/2" SHANK - eBay (item 380279138508 end time Nov-13-10 12:32:41 PST)

The set also comes with the cutter for real plywood size plus the 1/4" cutter..

You should never put the glass in at glue up time by way, it's the last thing you put in the frame,,next to making your own trim glass molding on the router table to fit your doors..and than rip it to size on your table saw...than finish it and tack into to place with pin nails..


=========

Thanks for your reply. I have seen this type of glass installation in cabinet doors and I guess the best way to describe it is like the glass in a picture frame, correct? The routered inset seems a little cleaner, but I certainly see your point about possibly cracking the glass during the glue / clamping process and what a mess that would be while rushing around trying to get everything lined up and gooey with glue, only to have the glass fracture.

Maybe a 3/8" wood strip tacked into place might be the better way to go. In any case, I am glad that the full stile width tongue and groove is a viable joint method.

Mahalo for your input.

Jughead