Making Rail & Stile Glass Doors.... Need some help....

Stuart Ablett

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Early in the new year I will be tasked with building a new stand up cigar humidor for the liquor shop. The cash register area is going to get a $50,000 facelift, and part of that will be a new cigar humidor. We are not paying for this, one of the tobacco companies is :D We are also getting a new sign for the shop out front too. They were going to provide humidor, but it was a particle board and plastic piece of poor quality junk that I would never put quality cigars into, they would smell like plastic and glue in a week :eek: :doh:

The new humidor will be kind of like a China Cabinet, if that makes sense.

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Some ideas.

My first question is can anyone recommend a rail and stile bit set for glass doors?

I'm looking hard at the new Freud set, this one >> Freud 99-763 << with the optional cutter for glass doors, I'm not sure if this is any good, but I figure it is not bad.

Any opinions out there?

Cheers!
 
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I dont use a specail it. I use the profile I like, then will take a extra pass to remove to back part of the rail and stile. Then all I do is use silicon to glue it into place and add a small trim pice onto the back.This way it is easy to remove the glass if/when it gets broken.I watched a wiser cabinet maker use this method.
 
Thanks for the feedback Larry.

Alan, I thought about that too, but the rails and stile bit set I do have, I don't like the profile for this job, besides, the price of the new bit set will be partial payment for my labour, so I am getting a new bit set :D

Looking at a decent made in China, shipped to the US humidor of this type, will easily set me back $2500, so even with the price of the tooling I'll buy, the wood, and the humidification device, it will be way, WAY below that amount. The Monster-In-Law gets another great deal :rolleyes:

I may go for the Freud set, as I can get it at Rockler and they have a few other things I want on sale right now.... ah a few other things I "NEED" ;) :D
 
Most glass sets that I have seen do not have very good glue area in the coped joints, unless you also dowel. I build glass doors like Al to get better strength. Silicone also stiffens the door using the rigidity of the glass, so they resist sagging over time.
 
My first question is can anyone recommend a rail and stile bit set for glass doors?

A seperate rail and stile set is a waste of money for glass doors, unless you're banging out a rediculous amount of doors.

I cut the backside out of the rails on the tablesaw then glue up the door like any other minus the panel. After its been through the widebelt I take a rabbet bit to cut most of the backside out on the stiles, then finish it off with a flush trim bit for laminate, (the non-bearing type)

Boom. Glass door.

Buying a separate set of cutters will never pay.
 
+3 on getting or using a regular door set and cutting the back. Depending on the end use I have cut a strip to fill in behind the glass. Or installed it just as you would in a window with glazing points and putty.
 
I ended up getting the >> Freud Premier Rail and Stile << bit set which will do a lot of things, and I got the add on cutter for doing the glass doors.

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All paid for by the L shop so what the hey! :D
 
I recently completed a wine cabinet for my son and DIL that has the kind of glass doors you are looking for. The doors are plain old mortise and tenon construction, with the tenons 1-1/4" long. They are that long because the glass in the doors is heavy (sandwiched safety glass) and I wanted the doors to resist racking. The glass is set into rabbets cut on the back side and held in place with nailed-in strips. It is also cushioned by a small bead of silicone around the edges.
 

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Very nice Bruce work and cabinet Bruce, you got more pictures? How about a post or two in its own thread if you can? The flatlanders need more posts here before them Spinny guys mount a coup.:D

Stu you gotta show us this build as you go along. I would like to hear all about how that bit works out cause i got steered completely off the multi use bits by Carol via her book. That has not stopped me from drooling over them from time to time. This one looks great.:thumb:
 
Stuart : I have the set from Sommerfelds and have made many Glass doors with that set. Also comes with a DVD witch is very helpfull.
WWW.sommerfeldtools.com , It cost $129.90 They sell the Rubber glass panel retainers at $14.90 for a 25ft Roll. Makes installing the glass very easy. I have used this set for several years and like it alot. Also you can make divided panels with it as well. also there is no charge for shipping.:D:thumb:
 
A seperate rail and stile set is a waste of money for glass doors, unless you're banging out a rediculous amount of doors.

I cut the backside out of the rails on the tablesaw then glue up the door like any other minus the panel. After its been through the widebelt I take a rabbet bit to cut most of the backside out on the stiles, then finish it off with a flush trim bit for laminate, (the non-bearing type)

Boom. Glass door.

Buying a separate set of cutters will never pay.

I have a glass door set and I still do it this way.
 
Hey Stu here are some pics from the china cabinet that I made with glass doors. I picked up the set from CMT but any set will work. I just cut the back off the door profile with a chisel and then put blocks in to secure the window. You might want to put some form of seal in the glass to hold the moisture in.
 

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