Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 25, 1999 01:02am | #1

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   Kim - did you cut full tennons in the corners where the rails and stiles intersect? How did you cope the muttins? Where they cross each other, that is. - jb

2. 
   Kim_Carleton_Graves_-_Carleton_W | Sep 25, 1999 03:09am | #2

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   Jim -

   No, I didn’t mortise and tennon any of the parts. Do you know these new fangled rail and stile router bits. You can get them in pairs or as a stackable set of cutters like a set of shaper cutters. By arranging (and rearranging) the cutters you can get a positive and negative which then mate. The coping is done for you. I was skeptical at first because the tennon is only 3/8” long, and there is a majority of end grain gluing. But apparently this is the modern way to make doors for cabinets and even mullions and muttons for glass doors.

   Anyway, the real issue for me is how to keep all these parts square and at just the right position during the glue up. I know that shops who specialize in door work have specialized clamping tables that hold everything square. But I don’t have that. I did do the six pane window this afternoon. I marked the position of each element and then two of us worked like mad to get the whole thing glued up (using PVA) before the glue set up. Polyurethane probably would have been better, but I was out.

   I was just looking for some tricks if anyone had done this sort of work before.

   Best,

   Kim Carleton Graves

   Carleton Woodworking

3. 
   Guest_ | Sep 25, 1999 03:20am | #3

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   Kim - Yeah, I use similar stackable cutters with no tennons for stile and rail cabinet doors (I often reverse the curve on glass doors - really looks sharp) but cabinet doors are subjected to nowhere near the humidity fluctuations that a window is. Maybe I misread your original post, but if these are indeed exterior windows, you might want to rethink your joints. Just a thought. - jb

   BTW - I visited your site a few months back on the recommendation of another professional. I was impressed. You really build some nice stuff. Good luck with those windows. - jb

4. 
   Tedfrd | Sep 25, 1999 10:17am | #4

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   Kim,

   If they are all roughly the same size, why not build a two sided square assembly jig with spaces at the mullions on a flat workbench. You could then apply the glue, (exterior I hope), and cross clamp in both dimentions (directions). Once clamped, the window could then be moved to a drying lcation after the glue is initially set up.

   A layer of wax paper under the joints will keep the bench clean.

5. 
   Guest_ | Sep 25, 1999 07:44pm | #5

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   Kim,

   My suggestion was going to be pretty much the same as Tedfrds. A simple jig of plywood and scrap soild stocks should work fine, even on saw horses placed on a level ground surface. The wax paper is a must.

   Good luck,

   Ed. Williams

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 27, 1999 07:09am | #6

   *I'm not sure exactly what advise it is that your looking for, but it sounds like you want advise on how to quickly glue up the larger units before you your glue sets up. First use a good slow setting glue. Next set up, if possible, in stages, take a look at your project and determine how it can be glued up in stages. I think one of your problems might be that you want to set your panes of glass like a panel. Don't do it. glue up your frame and muttins first then install the glass. You'll have to rabbit out the frames and muttins, but if you don't the first piece of glass you have to replace before the windows are even installed will cost you more time than all the work to do it right. Building windows is a real trick, even for the best of craftsman. you may be in over your head. I hope your building your own frames. That way you won't have to climb up and down the ladder fitting each window. Ten Times. TC

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 03, 1999 08:43pm | #8

   *I built a similar rig not long ago. Plywood with a big 90 degree corner.Keep the material less than 3/4"and the wax paper is a great idea. Wish I'd been thinking back then. Skip

6. 
   Kim_Carleton_Graves_-_Carleton_W | Oct 03, 1999 08:43pm | #7

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   Hi Guys,

   I'm looking for tricks of the trade! I've built a window using standard rail and stile bits. Now I have to glue it up. The first window has only six panes, but subsequent ones will have up to sixteen. How do you glue up and clamp these pieces while keeping everything square?

   Thanks for your help.

   Kim Carleton Graves

   Carleton Woodworking