What is a good way to dissasemble a door?

[alex adkison]

I'm am looking to recycle the wood from an old wood entry door. It is still pretty solid. 6 panels the top two had glass which I have removed. Are there normally any metal parts hidden inside? Where should I start? Thanks in advance.

[Chip Lindley]

Inspect the door edges for long screws, or signs of holes filled with dowel plugs, which could indicate threaded rods were used through the door. If no such are found, it is pretty safe to say that the door is constructed with wood dowels or mortise/tenon joints.

To be on the safe side, use a cheapie plywood cutting blade in a "Skil Saw" to saw through the joints just inside the rails, leaving the two long stiles intact their whole length. The plywood blade will take less of a bite should you hit metal and less likely to cause harm to anything but itself. Good Luck!

[Matt Meiser]

Or pick up a small metal detector. I got one of the "Little Wizard" detectors at Harbor Freight a few years back and it has paid for itself over and over in saved blades/knives. I think they run about $15.

[Peter Quinn]

I'd say chip nailed it. Just what I would do. Maybe use a good demo blade on the skill saw that will cut right through light ferrous material? Matt's metal detector is a good idea for any recycled material of unknown origin.