Building Mitered Doors

Set the fence on a table saw to 1/4-inch from the blade.

Cut a 1/4-by-1/2 inch dado into two 24-by-2-by-1 inch pine boards and two 34-by-2-by-1 inch pine boards with the table saw.

Align the four boards together on the work table into a rectangle with the 24-inch boards, the rails, in the top and bottom positions, flush with the ends of the 34-inch boards, the stiles, which are on the sides. Make sure the dadoes face the inside of the rectangle.

Cut the ends of each of the the boards with a miter saw. Set the miter saw fence to 45 degrees. Place the boards along the fence so the dadoed edge faces away from the fence. This will guarantee the cut is done in the correct position.

Cut a 1/2-inch biscuit hole into the mitered cut of each board.

Connect the two stiles with one rail. Place a biscuit covered in wood glue into the biscuit holes on both ends of the rail. Insert the biscuit into the holes on the two stiles. Keep the dadoes aligned on the inside of the rectangle.

Fit a 3-inch door frame router bit into a router. Insert the router into the hole in the router table by clamping it to the underside of the table.

Set a 22 1/2-by 32 1/2-by-1 inch pine board on its 1-inch edge. Glide the board, the cabinet door panel, along the router table to cut a mitered etching into the panel. This makes the panel a raised, decorative panel. Turn the board onto the next 1-inch edge and glide that edge along the router table. Continue to turn the board until all of the panel's edges have been mitered.

Apply wood glue inside the dadoes of the three connected boards and the one loose stile. Insert the panel into the dadoes of the three boards until it is firmly set inside the cabinet door frame.

Place a biscuit, covered in wood glue, into the biscuit holes on both ends of the second rail. Insert the biscuit into the open holes on the bottoms of the two stiles. Insert the panel into the dado on the rail.

Clamp the mitered cabinet door with four clamps: two to hold the stiles and two to hold the rails. Let the glue dry for 24 hours before removing the door from the clamps.