How to make this cabinet door

[Dan Stuewe]

I was over at some friend's home this weekend and I noticed the doors the their upper kitchen cabinets looked like the picture below. How do you think the mullion and stiles were notched to fit the horizontal pieces? (my drawing isn't great, but basically there is a "V" shaped notch with the point of the V flat - \_/)

[John Lucas]

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-sa32.jpg

I made a mission style mirror with muntins/mullion construction that is similar. Here is website how-to on it:
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-sa4.htm

[Mark Singer]

Dan,

There is more than one way. If you stack all the stiles and mullions on edge and clamp the together. Then make a router jig that is basically 2 boards. Using first an up cut spiral waith a scarp backer front and back. Dado out a rectangular slot through all the edges. Repeat with a chamfer bit to make the angles. Of course it will take a few passes. That way everything is the same and the spacing matches. If the doors are small you can do it on the tablesaw with a sled and a spacer block...flip them around with the blade tilted to get the reversed angle. The plow through the stack with a dado blade. If the doors are small it can be done on the router table. Another way is on a sliding compound miter saw. Limit the depth, cut the angles , then the square bottom still make a stack rather than cutting one by one.

[Jim Becker]

Hand tools!! Get those brows growing thick, Dan!... ;)

[Mark Singer]

Jim,

The problem with doing this by hand is it takes forever...it would be like hand cut dovetails...and they wold vary which means gaps where the mullions fit in , or scribing each one. This is a lot like the closet doors in my guest house....I used the router technique....you cut them all at once and they are the same...IMHO...the eyebrow part is still good though:rolleyes:


Hand tools!! Get those brows growing thick, Dan!... ;)

[Jim Becker]

Good point, Mark. I guess I forgot that none of us have unlimited time in the shop...lol!

[Dan Stuewe]

Thanks for the ideas, guys. My first thought was going neader, but the tightness of the fit just could not be achieved by me (on that many pieces). I was kinda thinking a router would somehow fit into the solution. The number of passes is a bit intimidating to me (more passes = more chances to mess up). I really do like the design feature, maybe most wouldn't notice it, but I appreciate it.

[Mark Singer]

Dan,The trick here is to cut the chamfer or "V" portion first...it will go fast. Then use a straight bit and add the flat bottom... I have some similar doors I made with a square inset and I made a lot of them!...if you want to stop by your just 2 towns away!
Thanks for the ideas, guys. My first thought was going neader, but the tightness of the fit just could not be achieved by me (on that many pieces). I was kinda thinking a router would somehow fit into the solution. The number of passes is a bit intimidating to me (more passes = more chances to mess up). I really do like the design feature, maybe most wouldn't notice it, but I appreciate it.