New - CMT Divided Light Bit Set - "Making a Special Mirror"

	One year ago, I set out to make this Mission Style Mirror for my son and daughter-in-law. It was a fun project that made use of the CMT Window Sash Set.    One regret I had was in  using so many pocket-screws to hold all the tiny pieces together. They worked fine, and they were hidden — but still, a lot of metal in a wood craft's project.
This year, my sister moved to a new house and wanted a mirror — "...just like John's but a bit smaller."    I was determined not to use the pocket screws, but to mortise and tenon the small pieces, if I could figure out how.    That is when a new set of bits were announced by CMT — the CMT/Lonnie Bird's Divided Light Door Set.    I just received a set and decided my sister's project would be a great way to learn how to use this new set.
	For those of you who have the traditional window sash kit, I will try to explain the difference.    The end result is much the same — just a slight different profile. The big difference is in these two bits: the profile cutter on the left is from the window sash kit. The one on the right is from the new CMT/Lonnie Bird Divided Light Door Set. A separate rabbeting cutter is part of the 3-bit set.    So what's the big deal about this? Well, it allows you to cut your traditional mortise and tenon joints and then cope and profile to match.
The new set comes with 4 pages of instructions. They are pretty good, but not perfect, at least not to my level of understanding.    But after a practice joint or two (or three, or...) I got it right, and I think I can make repeatably good joints now.    So with that behind me, I will help Beth learn how to use this new set, and together, we will make the mirror for my sister.
	As per the instructions, I started by sanding the stock down to exactly 7/8" thickness. You can probably use stock as thin as  3/4",  but 7/8" is what the cutters were designed for.    For information, the CMT Window Sash set was designed for real windows of thicknessses from 1 1/4" to 1 3/8". The new set will be ideal  for kitchen cabinets and furniture that require glass/mirror doors and use the tradition 4/4 stock. So, it is not one set replacing the other, but augmenting the other, depending on the application. Much better to have this than to have to make one work for a thickness of stock for which it wasn't intended.
Next, I had to rip the board into final dimensions. I decided the outside rail and stiles would be 1 1/2". I have set up the Grip-Tite Fence System. I really like it for these kinds of ripping operations — actually, I like it for all ripping operations. [Go here for the story on this system.]
	I switch blades to a brand new CMT Cabinetmakers Blade. Frankly, the CMT General has been cutting so well, I didn't think that a cabinetmaker's blade could do any better — I was dead wrong. The finished cuts were like glass with zero splintering. It will certainly make for great corners for this project.
I use my faithful Incra Miter Gauge to cut all the rails and stiles to the exact length.
	I double check my measurements. I have allowed for 1" mortises on the two stiles.