Making the windows and the divided lights was probably the most daunting task of the whole project. From the start I had a pretty good idea of how to do everything else. These just flat scared me!

As i got close to this step I started to sketch some ideas. I was asking about this on one of the forums. Bob Smalser told me it only looked hard, that it was actually very simple and explained how to do it. I was on the right track with my ideas but Bob provided the missing piece(s) of the puzzle. And he was right, it isn't as hard as it looks!

First step is cut a rabbit on the backside of the door. Then you start to cut and fit your horizontal (or vertical if you prefer) pieces of grill. This is where it pays to measure carefully, test the fit, trim a little more off and test the fit again. it's time consuming but it results in good tight joints. For fitting these a hand plane such as a Stanley Cabinet makers Plane (#90, #92. #93, #94) is the perfect too. It can take very small amounted of the wood off till you have a perfect fit. Something most power tools can not do well.

Next I removed my one horizontal piece and made my one vertical full length piece just like I did the horizontal one. Once I had it fitted properly I put the two pieces in place and as in the photo I transferred my dimension from one part to the other. I also marked the area that was to be removed. Otherwise it's very easy to get confused and make a perfectly useless piece. You don't have to ask how I know that.

I then go the table saw and cut the two dado's for a lap or straddle joint. Again I stress, set your depths on scrap and then carefully cut and test fit and then recut. I didn't have a dado set wide enough to cut the slots in one pass, so I did it in several smaller cuts so I could "sneak up" on the right size. This is another very good time to use a hand plane for the final fitting.

Woops! Somehow I marked this one wrong or maybe wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. Regardless it didn't fit. I didn't have enough stock left to make a new peice, so I repaired this one when I glued everything together. I recommend when you cut all the stock to size for the grills that you run some extra in case you do something like this. I didn't have enough left over to make a new one and since I was painting these doors I decided to just repair it