How crazy is this project?

[Randy Redding]

I think I have promised my wife two sets of louvered cherry doors. :eek:
It turns out that 28" wide louvered doors are pretty rare, at least non-custom ones. The initial plan was for off-the-shelf painted but none could be found. I checked prices on custom and they were pretty pricey. We're re-doing the whole master bathroom which is where our walk-in closets are. We have a new cherry vanity which we purchased. So, in a weak moment, I said "Oh, I can make those, easy and we can use cherry to match.". Brilliant.

So, it turns out there's 272 slats, 592 mortises. :eek::eek: I think I should buy some carbide bits and finish my router table. I was at Rockler a few weeks ago and they happened to have some 6/4 cherry on clearance. Most was pretty good quality and it was <$6/bf. Perfect for my project. So, I drove home, went back with the pickup and bought some Cherry. My wife has signed up to help with the sanding.

I think I have to do this now because I got to buy a Leigh FMT due to the money we would be saving. By the way, I played with the FMT some already. It is sweet! (Gloat).

Any comments on the attached design or guidance of any sort would be greatly appreciated!

[Pete Bradley]

My first reaction is that I'd finish the pieces before assembly.

Got the hardware yet? Good support and adjusters are critical to long life and avoiding aggravation in use.

I get the feeling you'll treasure those doors after the pain of making them has subsided in a year or so.

Please post some pictures as you go!
Pete

[Randy Redding]

Great idea on finishing the slats first. I bought "Stanley" bifold door hardware. I think it is the usual HmDepo quality. Is there better that you know of?

[Michael Schwartz]

As much as I try to avoide saying this, You might wan't to turn to Norm for advice on this one, In one of the episodes, I belive on jig making, he made a router jig to cut the matching slots on either side. I would track down a copy of this episode, and the plans for the jig and go that route.

As far as finishing, you are going to wan't to leave room for a little bit of play in the slats so you should finish them before you assmeble the doors, otherwise you will see the non finished sections as they move seasonaly, like a door panel.

You will also need to leave roon if you are using a filming finish so they will fit when you go to install them.

For this I would use a finish like danish oil or something. You could just dip the slats into a tray of the stuff, let it soak in for a few minuites, and wipe it off, and it won't build on the surface. This stuff also looks great on cherry.

Sanding the slats shouldn't be too hard. I would just make a profiled block, and get in a rythem of figureing out how many pass you need, and then just going to the next.

As long as you get a good system going this project won't be that bad. Just plan everyhing out, make the jigs you need, and go for it :cool:

I am looking forward to some pice when you are done ;)

[Pete Bradley]

You might take a look at http://www.johnsonhardware.com/

I've used their pocket door kit which is definitely high quality and arguably the benchmark for pocket doors.

Pete

[Mark Singer]

I have made louvers before. Make a template paste a drawing on....I used a cad program. Drill and saw the template slots. Attach it to the piece and use a router to make the mortises...then cut the blades

[Randy Redding]

A template sounds like a plan. I've been toying with using FrontPanelExpress dot com for making router templates. I've used them for quick prototypes for aluminum front panels for work. Their work is good and accurate. There's a free, easy to use CAD interface and you order via internet. One piece price smarts a little but for a jig that is re-used, not too bad. You get to price the thing prior to ordering.

I'm considering giving it a try for this project. Either way, I'll post how it all went.

[Chris Holder]

I'm with Michael. Norm came up with a really decent jig that is simple to make for doing custom louvered doors. He only had two jigs episodes that I know of and the plans would cost you $10.

[Henry Cavanaugh]

david Marks also made a jig and made the doors on one of his shows

[Fred Voorhees]

As much as I try to avoide saying this, You might wan't to turn to Norm for advice on this one, In one of the episodes, I belive on jig making, he made a router jig to cut the matching slots on either side. I would track down a copy of this episode, and the plans for the jig and go that route.

As far as finishing, you are going to wan't to leave room for a little bit of play in the slats so you should finish them before you assmeble the doors, otherwise you will see the non finished sections as they move seasonaly, like a door panel.

You will also need to leave roon if you are using a filming finish so they will fit when you go to install them.

For this I would use a finish like danish oil or something. You could just dip the slats into a tray of the stuff, let it soak in for a few minuites, and wipe it off, and it won't build on the surface. This stuff also looks great on cherry.

Sanding the slats shouldn't be too hard. I would just make a profiled block, and get in a rythem of figureing out how many pass you need, and then just going to the next.

As long as you get a good system going this project won't be that bad. Just plan everyhing out, make the jigs you need, and go for it :cool:

I am looking forward to some pice when you are done ;)


I built this jig that Norm highlighted on his show and made a set of window shutters for our bedroom at home. The jig is a project within itself, but not hard. Once you have it made, it is pretty straightforward in making shutters and you can make any width you want. I will go find a picture of the shutters and post them shortly.

[Fred Voorhees]

Here are the oak shutters that I made for our bedroom. Yes, they are not the size of a door, but you can do any size frame and it wouldn't matter with Norms jig.

[Jamie Buxton]

There's a slick method for making louvered doors with fixed louvers. It is much faster than the technique with a router and a jig. It requires a mortising machine -- y'know, one of those drill presses that drill square holes.

Consider the stiles which will hold the end of the louvers. Use the mortising machine to drill a square hole for the end of each louver. However, twist the mortise chisel so that it makes holes whose sides are at 45 degrees to the stile (or any other angle you like). On the table saw, cut the tips of your louvers so that they fit in the holes. That's it. Pic follows...

With the mortising machine, you can march your way down the stile very quickly. On the table saw, you can quickly cut those tenons. Of course, you can round over the long edges of the louvers if you like. The joinery stays the same.

[Ben Grunow]

THe bigger you make the slats the fewer there are. Door slats are around 1 1/2" wide AFAIK.