I am building the corner china cabinet that I saw in one of your books (The Virginia corner unit with divided lite upper door). My question is concerning the divided lite door...I can mill the mullions between my shaper and router but am having difficulty making the cross lap milling where they intersect. What is the best method for milling the mating joints, particularily the 45 degree cuts required?
Darlington, SC
- Mark T.
Our Expert
Instead of a cross-lap joint, I suggest that you use the Amana Divided Light Door Bit Set. The set #55360 uses mortise-and-tenon construction which is stronger and much easier to construct.
When using a mitered joint with a half-lap on a narrow mullion the miters substantially reduce the width of the narrow mullion and weaken it. However, the mortise-and-tenon with a cope, which is the joint used on the Amana set, is strong because it does not reduce the width of the mullion.
The Amana set also has an attractive traditional profile which will compliment the corner cabinet that you are building.
By the way, the book that you've mentioned is not mine.
It is a compilation of projects by several different woodworkers.
The book's editor decided to use the mitered joint in the illustrations.
