Replies

1. 
   rob.kelly | Feb 07, 2001 11:50pm | #1

   *
   No one has the joinery knowlege to keep it from warping.

1. 
   Don_King | Feb 08, 2001 01:12am | #2

   *rob.kelly, very constructive, what a genius, nothing better to do today?

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Feb 08, 2001 02:43am | #3

   *Don, Can't speak for rob's schedule, but perhaps his brusqeness may have something to do with this archived slab walnut door thread. Sliante.

1. 
   Don_King | Feb 08, 2001 03:16am | #4

   *Sorry Folks, I think the term Slab has gotten me in trouble. I don't mean one chunk of wood, rather something that has a carvable face with interior joinery that would prohibit movement. I have seen such a door but have no idea how it was consructed.Thanks

1. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Feb 08, 2001 06:02am | #5

   *Don,It does appear that some are a little cranky today. Door construction is not very difficult. The same principle as building raised panel cabinet doors. The best way to minimize wood movement is to use quarter sawn 8/4 stock for the rails and stiles, using mortise and tenon joinery. Accuracy, of course, is paramount. Entry doors are usually between 1 5/8" to 2" in thickness. The width of the rails and stiles for the frame shouldn't be less than 4". Router bits for door rails and stiles are made by Whiteside, CMT, and others I'm sure. While you don't indicate if it is single or multiple panels the principle is the same. You can use 4/4 to 3/4 stock. The panel(s) should float, I use cork "bearings" in the top and bottom grooves to allow for wood movement with out the panels slipping down.You will need a large flat surface for assembly, good sash clamps, and would recommend, at the very least, an "L" shaped jig tacked to the assembly surface to facilitate squaring up.If you decide to go with cedar I would recommend Port Orford. Mahogany, of course, is a good choice. I would not advise you to mix the two. I am assuming that you are not going to desecrate the wood by painting it, so I would highly recommend that you use a marine quality varnish such as Interlux or Epifanes. These products are, IMHO, the finest marine finishes available. Apply with a high quality china bristle brush. The so called "spar" varnish available at your local hardware and paint store just doesn't cut it. Hope this helps.Dano

2. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Feb 08, 2001 06:55am | #6

   *Sgian,Holly Molly!!!Just read the entire thread, now I understand.Dano

3. 
   Douglas_Vincent | Feb 08, 2001 07:59am | #7

   *Western Red Cedar is very often carved and I have often seen it used in doors. Don't ask me for proof though as I did not bookmark my memory for this question. There is a famous carver here in the Northwest that uses it a lot. It will take some searching but you will be able to find in the Northwest some 20 to 40 ring per inch slab material. Of course use quartersawn stuff. I personally would trust a slabbed front door out of this material as long as it was not in the direct weather ie under a porch.. Crosscut Hardwoods in Portland had a slab about 48"x 14' x 2 or 3" the other day.

4. 
   Stanley_Niemiec | Feb 08, 2001 09:13am | #8

   *Is this some sort of recurring nightmare that will require therapy and extensive medications to eliminate? UGH!! I already had to increase my dosage amounts after the last one.Now I understand why Sgian drinks!!!PS Sgian -- did you see the post on Haggis at Cook's Corner?

5. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Feb 08, 2001 09:50am | #9

   *I think Don may be envisaging something along the lines of a ledge, brace and frame door where most of the framework is inside the house, and panels cover the front face. Normally these 'panels' are narrowish tongued and grooved planks. In the UK this general type is used a lot for working buildings, e.g., farm buildings, garden sheds, that kind of thing, but they also appear as house entrance doors in quartersawn oak and the like with big protruding head nails, decorative strap hinges, etc.. I think in the US the horizontally split Dutch(?) door might be of the same pattern. I think of that style as a stable door, probably the same thing. Perhaps he's looking to use wide boards instead of narrow planks. Don, let us know.Stanley, who says I drink? It's a lie,.....well, never beyond excess anyway. No, I haven't seen the haggis thread. Haggis is magic stuff though. Sliante.

6. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Feb 08, 2001 10:52am | #10

   *Stanley,Frankly, I am surprised to see your post here after reading the thread the that Sgian linked in a previous post here.Sgian, did I miss something or did you not see Chris's post stating that he misused the term "slab". I understood his restated question to be a frame and panel door.Chris, Douglas's suggestion of Western Red Cedar is a good one, certainly would be easier to carve than Port Orford. Any who, it appears that further clarification as to door type is required.Dano

7. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Feb 08, 2001 04:27pm | #11

   *Dano, Don said, i "something that has a carvable face with interior joinery," here and this is what made me consider the possibility that he was thinking of a ledge brace and frame type door. Sliante.

8. 
   Dave_Arbuckle | Feb 08, 2001 06:34pm | #12

   *Don, how deep a carving are you contemplating? If you want a low relief, perhaps a (making up a name here) skinned torsion box door could do ya? Maybe a 1/2" face over a factory door, even.My choice would be American Mahogany, but I've never carved Cedar. Mahogany takes a bit of attention to reversing grain, but is soooooo good looking.Dave

9. 
   Don_King | Feb 08, 2001 07:54pm | #13

   *Thanks for all the input!! Dan, you speak as if you have done work on wood boats. I am in B.C. and have used yellow and red cedar for carving but I am worried about the softness on an entry door. I like the idea of Mohagany although it maybe more difficult to carve. Forgive my lack of vocabulary. I have considered the framed door with a floating panel but have envisioned something heavier. The door I recall had inside and outside faces of edge glued 1x8, apparently. The joinery in the middle is what mistifies me. It seems like there was some criscross or perpendicular pattern somewhat like plywood construction on a bigger scale. The crossing pieces to prevent warping?? The whole thing was glued together into one solid massive door. Does this make sense?? Thanks

10. 
    Danford_C._Jennings | Feb 09, 2001 04:45am | #14

    *Don,I'm still a little confused about "joinery in the middle". Do you mean between the faces. Frankly, the only thought that keeps popping up in my mind is "torsion box". I can't discern if you are talking about the pattern on the door faces or the core of the door. A torsion box core wouldn't require diagonals. "Criscross or perpendicular pattern" really threw me off. Maybe it has been too long a day, but no, I can't make sense out of it. I have built what I call "semi-hollow" core doors by framing the rails and stiles with an "X" brace half lapped at the center and skinned with 1/2 or 1/4 ply but not for an entrance door to a home. How thick is this door anyway? Tryin' to help ya bud...e-mail me at my personal address or repost with a rough sketch, or try to be more specific.Dano