Something new from The Schwarz that I'm quite excited about

[Chris Griggs]

I was just doing my Saturday morning internet perusing of the wacky world of woodworking, and decided to venture over the Lost Art Press blog to see what CS is up to these days. I ran across this recent post for a book reproduction on door making and window making that LAP is beginning work on.

http://blog.lostartpress.com/2013/10/31/new-book-in-the-works-from-lost-art-press/ (http://blog.lostartpress.com/2013/10/31/new-book-in-the-works-from-lost-art-press/)

I recently bought my first home, and have fantasies about some day making a beautiful solid wood front door for it, so this really peaked my interest. Good stuff, looking forward to seeing the project come to fruition.

[Brian Holcombe]

Awesome, I actually have a solid wood entry door in the plans for this coming year for my home.

[mike holden]

David Marks did a show about making a solid wood front door. Believe his shows are available on DVD if you look a bit.
Mike

[Chris Griggs]

FWIW, there are a couple old FWW articles on making entry doors, but generally, I haven't seen much on it. I remember a few years ago Tom Fidgen did a blog series on making a "Heritage door" that had to comply with some type of historical appearance type codes. It was way cool...solid white oak, lots of nice trim, scrollwork, and molding...always wanted to do something similar, and I could see this book being very helpful.

[Brian Holcombe]

Even though I build in the modern style, I find historical door builds to be very insightful. I will be using stave cores, because the door I'm building is going to get direct sunlight for most of the day, but it will be white oak.

[Chris Griggs]

I will be using stave cores, because the door I'm building is going to get direct sunlight for most of the day

I don't know what this means/why it matters. Can you explain further?

[Brian Holcombe]

Chris,

It's a wood lamination rather than using one continuous piece of solid wood. It's made entirely of wood, but the centers are finger jointed soft wood (generally pine) with hardwood edges and faces.

274199

I'm also planning to use a commercial grade 14ga steel door frame, triple pane glass, and a high security full mortise lock.

[Judson Green]

Even though I build in the modern style, I find historical door builds to be very insightful. I will be using stave cores, because the door I'm building is going to get direct sunlight for most of the day, but it will be white oak.

Will you also be core locking the staves?

IIRC wood entry door needed near annual refinishing. Any way you will combat this or just live with it? Guess it would also depend on if one liked the weathered look.

[Chris Griggs]

Chris,

It's a wood lamination rather than using one continuous piece of solid wood. It's made entirely of wood, but the centers are finger jointed soft wood (generally pine) with hardwood edges and faces.

274199

I'm also planning to use a commercial grade 14ga steel door frame, triple pane glass, and a high security full mortise lock.

Cool thanks. I'll need to do some more research into this if I ever make one. If I do it will be a front door in West Philly so it NEEDS to be secure.

[Brian Holcombe]

Judson, I plan to buy the staves from a manufacturer, they will have lock stiles on both edges and the core will be finger jointed.

The outside is required to be painted in the area where I live, so I will use a white exterior paint. The inside will be finished in waterlox. I prefer the weathered look, but that does not fly here.

[Brian Holcombe]

Anytime.

Not sure if this is helpful, but the lock I'm planning on using is the Sargent 8200 series which surpasses grade 1 and I'm kicking around the idea of getting the 9200 series if I can find a good deal on one, but at $1300 retail that's a big 'if' for not much added benefit. Where I live the biggest concern is teenagers that get a wild hair and want to break into someones house. Most of which are not likely to possess the lock picking skill required to defeat a modern full mortise lock with deadbolt and are not likely capable of kicking in a laminated stile door with a 14ga steel frame.

I might even edge the door in steel as well. I want the look of something normal, but the strength of something commercial.

[Judson Green]

Judson, I plan to buy the staves from a manufacturer, they will have lock stiles on both edges and the core will be finger jointed.

The outside is required to be painted in the area where I live, so I will use a white exterior paint. The inside will be finished in waterlox. I prefer the weathered look, but that does not fly here.

I think core locking is when some thick veneer (say almost ⅛") is run perpendicular to the staves before the face veneer. Probably more applicable for panels.

[lowell holmes]

I built about 20 houses 30 years back. I had solid wood panel entrance doors that split panels because of the afternoon sun bearing on it. A properly laminated panel will not normally split.
If you take stave cores and wrap them with solid veneers, it minimizes splitting. I think I would favor 1/4" thick veneer.

[Brian Holcombe]

Oh I see, yes they do that on these.

[Jim Koepke]

Chris,

Thanks for alerting us to this. This might actually be my first pre-order when the time comes.

jtk

[Winton Applegate]

Chris,

That's not a fantasy. I am sure you can do a great job making your door. May you enjoy doing it as well .
by the way the Norm Abrams New Yankee episode where he makes an entry door is a good episode. Worth a watch.

Oh and thanks for the link.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Funny - I saw that entry myself and was also excited. I'd like to tackle both some doors and windows someday soon-ish. I'm not exactly sure how I'd approach a door build with 5 foot bench though . . .

[lowell holmes]

Two 8' studs clamped to the top of your bench will support the door when assembling it. I built a new front door and door frame for our house. My bench is 72" long.

[Winton Applegate]

Lowell,

That's the spirit !
if you can find time to post a photo or several I am sure we would enjoy seeing your work.
Thanks,
Winton

[Chris Griggs]

Thanks Winton...yes, I think I could figure out how to do and do it well...though it would a learning curve. I appreciate the vote of confidence. The fantasy is more of whether or not I'll ever get around to doing it:). I'll see if I can find that NYW episode.



Funny - I saw that entry myself and was also excited. I'd like to tackle both some doors and windows someday soon-ish. I'm not exactly sure how I'd approach a door build with 5 foot bench though . . .

Same issue..I'd also like to build a bed which doesn't seem very fun to do on a 5ft bench....solution will be to build another much bigger bench. That's the next big project on the list. Grrrrrrr, that is if life will ever stop getting in the way of my hobby.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Good call, Lowell. I was figuring something along those lines - of course my bench isn't nearly wide enough for a large door, either, but something like that is workable. Of more concern than assembly is working the rough stock, of course. But given the size of the pieces, it may just be worth it to pay the extra for pre-surfaced material or call in some favors and get access to 'lectric jointer and planar options.

I'm in the same spot as Chris, of course - the question is less can and and will I ever get around to it.