With the enforcement of fire regulations, vision panels often need to be cut into existing doors. Machining a vision-panel aperture in a fire rated flush door can be done easily with a router and a simple template.

Using a jig can save time when used for repeated work and produce accurate results.

The aperture should be routed with the door detached from the frame, placed horizontally positioned on trestles or suspended between work surfaces.

Therefore a finished aperture size of 160mm x 450mm would need a template opening size of 178mm x 468mm. (9mm offset).

This method allows the cutter to reach the full depth in a number of passes, avoiding the need to cut out the waste piece by other means.

The template can be made of a sheet material such as MDF or plywood, minimum 6mm thick.

Clamp the template to the door. Use clamps with protective pads to save from marking the door.

Ensure the 30mm guide bush is centrally placed in the router.
Some non-Trend routers may need a sub-base to allow our guide bushes to be used.

Insert the cutter in the router to the K mark on the shank.

On the final pass a small amount could be left to prevent the waste piece dropping out, and carefully removed by hand.

Square up the corners of the apertures with a chisel, so that the beading can be snugly fitted.

Cut beadings to fit. A chop saw is ideal for this.

The completed Vision Panel Routing Project.

Written by Derek Greig
Technical Advisor at Trend Machinery Ltd.