Grills in glass cabinet doors

[Michael Donahue]

Hey folks. I was wondering how you go about making the grilles in a cabinet door with glass. I was wondering if you can make them with the same stile and rail set as your doors, just out of narrower stock. If you could do something like this, you could glue the door together than take the inside part of the groove off with a rabbiting bit and chisel maybe. This would then allow you the access to put in the glass as true divided lites. I may be way off, but would something like this work? If not how is it usually done?

[David DeCristoforo]

The basic process you describe is exactly how it's done. However it requires the use of holding jigs to safely handle the typically small, narrow pieces. Also the rabbets in the mullion bars ( the "official" name for them) are typically cut before assembly. There has been a lot of discussion here and elsewhere. Search the universe for "divided light doors".