Replies

1. 
   Amasa13 | Feb 17, 2006 08:22pm | #1

   Short of taking apart the frame of the door, I can't see how you'll get the floating panel out. 

   If the panel is a solid piece (versus strips of t&g) you might consider using a templace and router to cut out the bulk of the panel, put in a rabbit and mount the glass on the floating panel itself. 

   Just an idea.

2. 
   TomT226 | Feb 17, 2006 08:42pm | #2

   Not really too bad.  Find a door that the panel is kind of loose, and poke a piece of thin cardboard or cardstock till it bottoms on the panel rabbet.  Mark that.  It's usually 3/8" on most cope/stick F&P doors.  Make a template (of 3/4" MDF) the size of the opening plus the 3/8" on each side, plus the clearance of a PC temp guide with what ever bit you want to use.  The back panel tounge is usually 1/8" thick.  Carpet tape the temp to the door, and rout out the back and remove the panel.  You can always clean up the rabbet with a 3/8" piloted bit on the router table and square the ends with a chisel.  You can put a couple of guides on the outslde of the temp so you can lay the door in if you don't want to use tape.  Press fit.

    

1. 
   keedman | Feb 17, 2006 11:50pm | #3

   Tomt..thanks for the info/ideas. I'll give it a shot. I had an old door I took apart and found the rabbet to be 1/2" instead of 3/8". keedman

3. 
   DougU | Feb 18, 2006 09:19am | #4

   I've done this a number of times, all came out just fine.

   Take a laminate router with a 1/4" spiral cutter, make a simple two or four sided jig to follow. Cut from the back side of the door, the depth you cut can be seen by looking on the ends where you see the cope and stick joint.

   Trim out the piece of wood that is holding the panel in place, when you've gone all around you have a rabbit that the panel is sitting in. Square up the corners with a chisel.

   All you have to do is place your glass in and use any number of methods to hold it in place.

   Doug

4. 
   john | Feb 18, 2006 04:41pm | #5

   I've got a Festool plunge saw and guide rail I use for this job. Obviously you need to know how deep the grooves that the panel fits in are. Using the Festool is much faster and less messy than a router. You still have to finish the corners (I use my Fein Multimaster for this)

   I know this advice is no good if you don't have the Festool equipment, but maybe you were looking for an excuse to buy some????

   John

   If my baby don't love me no more, I know her sister will.
5. 
   FastEddie | Feb 18, 2006 06:08pm | #6

   Use a jigsaw to cut out the panel.  Cut a very large hole in the middle of the panel, almost up to the frame, then carefully chipm out the remaining scrap.  You're left with a door that looks like it was asembled without the panel.

   Then get a bearing guided rabbetting bit witrh the rabbet depth (width?) like you want, and run it around the opening from the back side.  Adjust the depth properly, and as the bearing follows the outline of the opening, it cuts a perfect rabbet for the glass.

   The advantage is that there's no need for a template,m and you can easily follow a curved top rail.

    

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

   
   

   ---

   Edited 2/18/2006 10:09 am ET by FastEddie

6. 
   steve | Feb 19, 2006 07:11pm | #7

   really a router and template is the only way to go, if a lot have to be done with same sized rails and stiles, then a router table with a stop setup might make it marginally quicker

   ive done this manytimes with just a router and template, using a pc690 and a straight bit with a top bearing