Door Joinery

[Red Sawman]

I am trying to build a 48"Hx39"W door for a display cabinet ... I am using cherry and it will have 3/4"X 3" stiles and 4" rails, enclose a single pane of glass and be hung from one (1) side with multiple hinges.

I need suggestions/reasons for the best joinery method. I have considered miters, saddle, M&T, half lap, mitered half lap, pocket screws, butt w/dowels or screws ... even sliding dovetails ... all of which I have done before but ... I have yet to build a frame of this size ... with glass ...

I am leaning toward pinned M&T but all suggestions will be appreciated ...

Red

[Jasen]

You'er over thinking it, although I would stay away from the 1/2 laps on a door this size, I'd go with M&T or even a pinned through M&T.

[ez-duzit]

Mortise & tenon or saddle.

[Joel H.]

I am trying to build a 48"Hx39"W door for a display cabinet ... 

I agree with the others on the M&T or Saddle, but I'd highly recommend making 2 doors of half the width.  39" width is a lot of door.  

Just my 2 cents,

Joel

[Red Sawman]

Joel H.
[quote pid='7528527' dateline='1506412956']

I agree with the others on the M&T or Saddle, but I'd highly recommend making 2 doors of half the width.  39" width is a lot of door.  

Just my 2 cents,

Joel
[/quote]

I already have a cabinet with a single pane door this size ... nearly the same dimensions. It appears to be a hotel TV cabinet from before flat panels. The joint construction looks like it was done with a set of rail & stile router bits ... those typically don't have a very long tenon ... so ... I assume the rigidity of the glass will keep it from racking the same as a wood panel ...

Thanks for the responses ... sounds like pinned M&T is the way to go ...

Red

[Admiral]

M&T, but consider a thru tenon, just to get that extra bit of glue surface and tenon length.

[Edwin Hackleman]

I am trying to build a 48"Hx39"W door for a display cabinet ... I am using cherry and it will have 3/4"X 3" stiles and 4" rails, enclose a single pane of glass and be hung from one (1) side with multiple hinges.

I need suggestions/reasons for the best joinery method. I have considered miters, saddle, M&T, half lap, mitered half lap, pocket screws, butt w/dowels or screws ... even sliding dovetails ... all of which I have done before but ... I have yet to build a frame of this size ... with glass ...

I am leaning toward pinned M&T but all suggestions will be appreciated ...

Red

When made well, half lap joints are the strongest, but I usually save them for face frames. Seems like you could uses smaller widths and use two doors instead of only one. I advise a par of 19.5" wide doors and four hinges. Swinging out a 39" wide door on a display cabinet will likely be criticized as poor design. The hinges will be taking enormous stress, even if you use three of them.

[Red Sawman]

Mortise & tenon or saddle.

When made well, half lap joints are the strongest, but I usually save them for face frames. Seems like you could uses smaller widths and use two doors instead of only one. I advise a par of 19.5" wide doors and four hinges. Swinging out a 39" wide door on a display cabinet will likely be criticized as poor design. The hinges will be taking enormous stress, even if you use three of them.

Two (2) doors is not an option ... I will deal with any criticism ...

I'm not worried about the hinges ... it is the sag that concerns me ... I'll never get the glass to fit tight enough to cancel that out completely. The door may only be opened once a year ... if that ... once it's set up ...

Red

[JGrout]

Two (2) doors is not an option ... I will deal with any criticism ...

I'm not worried about the hinges ... it is the sag that concerns me ... I'll never get the glass to fit tight enough to cancel that out completely. The door may only be opened once a year ... if that ... once it's set up ...

Red

First off you do not want the glass to be tight at any rate so forget about the glass holding the door the glazing the glass unit can assist in the support but it is not a complete solution

Second decent and accurately constructed joinery no matter the choice is going to work just fine the key is to do it correctly: do not introduce any unnecessary twisting will yield a perfectly functional door 

Joe