Replies

1. 
   Gene_Davis | May 28, 2006 01:38am | #1

   Four houses ago, I started doing shop-made screened porch doors.  I use a simple method, and having started a couple more yesterday, I thought I would share a few pics here.

   I make the door frames with clear western red cedar 2x material, using all 2x4 stock for the stiles, top rail, and lock rail.  I edgeglue jointed rips of 2x4 to make the bottom rails at 7-1/2" width.

   The first step is to take the stock and plane it all to 1-3/8" thickness.  I then blank out everything, mark out the stiles for the mortises, and the rails for the tenon cuts.

   Using a little Delta mortiser, I power the cuts 1-5/8" deep for the 1-1/2"-long tenons.  Here is a cut for the bottom rail tenon.  If you look at the pic you can see two lines left of the mortise, one depicts where the mortise chisel is sighted for the end of the cut, the other is where the rail cheek will end.  I leave a 1" horn on my doors, and cut them off later.

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   I skipped a lot, but two doors are made and have been primed with alkyd.  You can see the saw I use to chop the horns.  I could have used power, but by the time I get the tool, run the cords, etc., I can have them sawn with a handsaw.

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   My method is to make the doors as frames of 2x stiles and rails, then chamfer-rout the openings with a tiny cut, and nail in perimeter screen stops of 3/4 square material.  The 3/4 lineals have had a small 1/8 x 1/8 rebate sawn in one edge to give a reveal.  I like reveals; they cover a lot of misalignment sins.

   I could not find, in my mess of a shop, my old hinge mortise jig, so I am making another one, for the nice Ives 3x3 oilrubbed bronze hinges I'll use.  I just ripped some baltic birch ply to reglue into what you see here.  I'll screw a sidestop on later.

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   Edited 5/27/2006 6:39 pm ET by Gene_Davis

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   Edited 5/27/2006 6:39 pm ET by Gene_Davis

   
   

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   Edited 5/27/2006 6:40 pm ET by Gene_Davis

   
1. 
   Gene_Davis | May 28, 2006 09:13pm | #2

   After a measurement check, I found I had to thin down one of the doors by a sixteenth.

   I fixed the door with the front vise to the bench, and used my little jointer plane.

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   Now it is time to reprime the cut and then paint the doors.  I will machine for hardware after painting.  The doors will get a light second coat of finish paint when hung.

   Edited 5/28/2006 2:14 pm ET by Gene_Davis

1. 
   Gene_Davis | May 28, 2006 10:09pm | #3

   The primer I use is by Zinnser, and it dries real fast.

   I laid out the hinge mortise locations before I painted, and used a sharp knife to mark locations.  I can readily see the notches through the paint.

   Here are the doors with one coat of green on their face sides.  This Glidden paint will cure well in the afternoon sun, and I can coat the other sides late today.

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   Now it is time to clean out the shed I keep my bikes and yard gear in.  May was the coldest and wettest ever, here in Lake Placid, and spring cleanup was greatly delayed.  For those of you that have already had spring, we don't get the trees fully leafed out until close to June 5 or so, each year.

   Edited 5/28/2006 3:10 pm ET by Gene_Davis

1. 
   Crash | May 29, 2006 03:14pm | #4

   Gene,

   Those are very nice doors.  We have some old store-bought screen door that are pretty beat after exeriencing two puppies growing up in the house.  So I'll save the pictures for future reference.  Thanks! 

   "Would someone please give Bush a BJ so we can impeach him?"  bumper sticker

2. 
   joeh | May 29, 2006 04:55pm | #5

    

   Gene, same project here a couple weeks ago. No cedar though, just fir 2x6s.

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   The black screen on the lower portion is bullet & dog proof stuff. Works great, Walmart & HD have it.

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   Joe H

   Edited 5/29/2006 9:57 am by JoeH

3. 
   TomT226 | May 29, 2006 07:23pm | #6

   Exellent work and pics.  FHB & FWW should pick this up as a feature. 

1. 
   Gene_Davis | May 29, 2006 08:02pm | #7

   I don't think so.  This is small potatoes.

   What they oughta do, is edit down Mike Smith's "Adverse Conditions" post, and run it as a serial, focusing in on all the finer points of quality construction.

   His is a lesson to all us who build, and an invaluable workbook for those clients having work done by a builder.

1. 
   Gunner | May 29, 2006 08:54pm | #8

     You got that right. They've got enough quality material there to last a long time.

    

    

    GIVE ME AN............. F!

1. 
   zak | May 29, 2006 10:28pm | #9

   Yeah, why doesn't FHB start putting some pictures from the photo gallery in the Breaktime section of the magazine?  that would add to it. zak

   "so it goes"

2. 
   Gunner | May 29, 2006 10:31pm | #10

     Not a bad idea really.

    

    

    GIVE ME AN............. F!