# Best Way to Half Lap Glass Doors



## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

I am working on a project with glass doors. There is a center mullion and secondary rail to form openings for leaded glass. I know glass door joinery can get pretty complicated, but luckily the parts are simple craftsman style without any decorative profile. Rails and stiles are 2" wide x 7/8" thick. Mullion and muntins are 1.75" wide x 7/8" thick.

I want to cut the rabbets first, and mill offset tenon shoulders to match. No problem there. The design issue I am having is where the intersecting parts meet for a half lap joint.










A true half lap would leave a gap in the joinery as shown here.










The gap would be covered by the leaded glass frame, but it would be nice if the joinery were a little cleaner.

Other options…
1. Cut the rabbets after the frame is assembled. This would work, but requires additional effort squaring up 16 corners per door, and there are 2 doors. Even the white oak I am using seems to get pretty banged up with that much chiseling. This method allows a true half-lap at the intersections, and would avoid the gap.

2. Cut the rabbets before assembly. Then cut a partially lapped joint at the intersection. This would leave the vertical mullion 1/4" thick at the joint. The muntin would be thicker. All door stock is 7/8" thick. 
This would allow me to cut rabbets first as planned, and would avoid any gaps at the intersection. 
The only hangup I see is the mullion thickness is so thin at the intersection.

3. Cut rabbets before assembly. True half lap that creates a gap. Fill gaps with hardwood pieces after assembly.
Any advise is greatly appreciated.

Any ideas on which method you prefer?


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

You can miter the rabbets if you want, like a mitered
cock-bead frame. It looks nice… there are some
power tool tricks for doing it cleanly but by 
hand works well too.

... not sure I really understand your questions.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/2008/11/12/dress-up-cabinet-face-frames-with-a-mitered-integral-bead


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Thanks Loren,
Yes the mitered method is another option. It is a very traditonal look. Seems like it would be hard to get it right on the first try with hand tools. Some original Stickley cabinets came that way, but not many. They quickly realized how much time and effort it added to the project.

Thanks for the suggestion.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

I'm for #2 I think this is what your saying?
I don't think once it's glued that you would have any strength issues.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

That's what I was leaning toward. In the back of my mind 1/4" thick parts seem pretty flimsy, but that is a lot more material than most delicate mullion style windows and doors.

I have to remember that it is the strength of the whole assembled door that counts, not just individual parts.

Thanks for the rendering by the way. Jbay's illustration perfectly depicts my #2 option.


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

Why not do it like this?


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Yes, I guess that method would work as well. Two dado setups to make and align on the horizontal pieces, but with some test cuts I think I could manage it.

Looks good, thanks for chiming in.


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