IE WTF backwards

If you ever need to do this, try and not use a straight edge because you know by now it never comes out square. Take a square piece of plywood or MDF (over size) and cut out the exact opening on the table saw using the fence to ensure accuracy. Take it over the the piece you need cut and place it on there, draw your square and rough cut it to 1/8" over with a jig saw and use a flush trim bit on a router to finish the job. Square and accurate each and and every time. I usually take a big 3 hp router and just tim away without the jig saw step. Making the jig should take about 3-5 minutes.

Correct; I'm agreeing with you & dyount. Am just explaining why using a claming straight edge (per previous post sc_rufctr) not likely to be sufficiently precise . . . .

Sufficiently Precise? :confused: How "Precise" do you think your proposed Jig should be and do you have any suggestions for the OP on how to get it that precise?

Believe me there is nothing you could teach me about precision. (Yes I'm offended)

Here is my sewing machine table almost finished. The cuts and position of the machine have to be spot on otherwise the machine will eat drive belts.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410304439.jpg

Here's another view. "Precise" enough for you?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410304508.jpg

Note the plate. That's for the foot pedal assembly which I made from scratch.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410304723.jpg

Sorry if I was a total fool earlier in regards to my comments or offensive in any way to my pelican bros.

However, if I was to make 3 rectangles of the exact same dimension I would and agree with those that advise to make a rectangular jig cut out of the size needed. If I was making a 5x13 ( not remembering the original post size). I would use a 12" by 48" pc with the rectangle cut in the middle of the 48" dimension. That way after cutting the template size you'd have 3 1/2" of flat area to ride the router on for stability. As well with having a 48" pc you've got room to move it side to side on the door to do your cut.
Cutting with a jigsaw prior will aid in not working the router bit too hard,avoid chatter and as well you could do it with a smaller hp router.
Using a single fence to ride a router on in this case would have you do 12 square/straight/alighnments to complete the project. With a rectangle jig you'd do 3 set ups. Measure and cut,measure and cut sort of work only opens up one to their own stupidity of missing something and ruining a project. I'd measure and cut the jig and then operate on autopilot for the rest.
You "may" use any old moulding for fitting against the glass or find a custom cabinet/millwork shop that may just help you out with a few pieces of custom cut they might have laying around. "back in the day" we'd set up and run with extra just in case. The extra went into the moulding museum as we called it that could go to a random project , customer , or an employees project :)

Woodlore Builders Studio: Residence Holland

Link to the co I used to work for .... still has my work on their page 10 yrs later.

No offense meant, sc_rufctr. My bad; I could've been more specific. Clearly your work is top-notch; I merely meant that using a single clamp-on straight edge (compared to, say, an MDF router template) would typically be much more difficult -- and require much greater skill -- to create sufficiently precise windows so the OP's door wouldn't end up looking like cr*p.

I'm assuming Scuba Steve is not as skilled a woodworker as you; am also assuming -- based on years of personal experience -- that the used door he's working on is not perfectly square and flat, unlike the (Baltic birch?) ply you used for your sewing table. Setting a single straight edge 10-12 times to cut 3 windows accurately is significantly harder to get right, IMO, than using a single router template. Not impossible -- as your work shows -- but requires much greater skill.

Not looking to teach you anything about precision. I was referring to the straight edge in the picture you posted, not to the precision of your work.

Sorry for the disappearing act - big issues with the house the construction accident happened this week.

I'm semi-skilled in that I've been modifying, building and refinishing for a while, but compared to others here I'm a novice. I've never worked on the scale of something this big.

The actual door though is a new one. I'm replacing the second front door the house had with something that actually fits the style of the place. If I'm lucky I'll be able to have a go at the thing this weekend. Pics to come, hopefully of a door with holes in the right place.

PM Sent.

I'm finally going to give this a try later this afternoon/evening. The plan is to go buy some fine toothed jig saw blades at the nearest friendly big box on my way home, locate and mark the windows, and clamp a straight edge to help guide the jig saw. Before actually trying one of the windows I'll practice cutting a few times in an area that will be in the middle of a window.

Either it'll work great or I'll need to go get another door blank and come up with plan B.