Doug Fir Alaskan yellow cedar master build.

[Phil Mueller]

Beautiful choice of hardware, Patrick. And the door looks fantastic.

I know how you feel about french polish. Can’t think of anything else I’ve tried that gets to that kind of look. But, I know your frustration as well. I’ve been making boxes for my nieces. I rely on french polish for all interior parts (and outside on some as well). I pre-finish all iniside faces. Invariably, there is a bit of glue squeeze out, or a slight marring during assembly that becomes all but imposible to “touch up”. I won’t even mention, when practicing french polish, how many times the pad “stuck” and needed to be sanded out and started over.

It’s always a challenge;pre-finish and accept a possible flaw here or there, or don’t pre-finish and accept that you won’t be able to get into tight corners. I’ve still found the former to work best...just need to be ultra careful with the finished pieces.

[Patrick Walsh]

Well you know I’m not really high gloss kinda guy but after figuring out French polish I’m kinda head over heels for it.beigna perfectionist and imop with regard to French polish it being kinda a exemplafication of perfection I decided this is not the project for French polish. I’m gonna have to plan to build something appropriate to the finish to allow me to get al, ocd again and put the technique to it intended or rather appropriate purpose. Maybe a veneered table top or something like that.

For these doors I’m gonna eithe shoot them with shellac to get even coats or pre cat laquer.

I’m not excited about anything as much as I was the French polish but you know I can’t get excited about anything but a good painting if it has to be viewed from three feet away.

Well that’s unless the point is for it to be imperfect..

Beautiful choice of hardware, Patrick. And the door looks fantastic.

I know how you feel about french polish. Can’t think of anything else I’ve tried that gets to that kind of look. But, I know your frustration as well. I’ve been making boxes for my nieces. I rely on french polish for all interior parts (and outside on some as well). I pre-finish all iniside faces. Invariably, there is a bit of glue squeeze out, or a slight marring during assembly that becomes all but imposible to “touch up”. I won’t even mention, when practicing french polish, how many times the pad “stuck” and needed to be sanded out and started over.

It’s always a challenge;pre-finish and accept a possible flaw here or there, or don’t pre-finish and accept that you won’t be able to get into tight corners. I’ve still found the former to work best...just need to be ultra careful with the finished pieces.

[Patrick Walsh]

Well it only took a year to get back to this. But you know I’m always glad when I spare no expense and go completely overboard getting myself in way too deep. It’s when I make compromises and take something only part of the way to what I really want that I find myself loosing interest and not wanting to finish. Getting back to even after so long and I’m still fired and excited by the project on whole.

I finished marking the two jambs that’s were lagging behind and go two doors and jambs hinged and doors hung in them. Two more doors to hinge tomorrow then I can instal them and start milling stock for the base and case. With the doors hung it will really feel like the hard part of this project is fully behind me.

Started by fitting doors into jambs with shims as to make sure everything if perfect perfect. I could just use a story stick but for myself I’d rather take the extra time.all these doors except two are different so honestly that would be a bunch of story sticks and this is just as easy.

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A bit of mortising of the jambs and doors.

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[Patrick Walsh]

A bit later and some progress after a full year. I built these last year with my two weeks vacation at the holiday.

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I’ll also get all the hardware on the doors in the next week. I think I posted it here already but man all I can say is wow!

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Still a built in chest of drawers to be built adjacent to the double door in the bay window. Also a bench seat will go in the bay window with storage either a lift up top or drawers I have yet to decide.

All the windows will get proper shoji along with wooden hvac registers to match. Still a ways to go but getting the doors up and base and case run will be a major step in the right direction.

I have yet to decide on a wood species for the floors. More cvgdf would be nice but it’s to soft for flooring imop. Gotta figure something out that goes well with the clean lines and open brite natural feeling the room has due to its sour facing aspect and lots of windows.

[Jim Becker]

I really love the look of those doors, etc. Clean and beautiful. 'Glad you're getting back to it. Not only do you have a "showplace shop" in the making, but that lovely bungalow above it is going to be amazing when you're done, too.

[Patrick Walsh]

If I ever finish lol..

Exterior finished next fall including yard. Although I do need a new driveway and that won’t happen by next fall. Then inside all my ceilings are crap as they were at some point painted with calcimine paint. I have fixed them so many times I’m tired enough to just rock over them and hav them plastered. As a result I’ll need the whole interior of the house painted.

The. I need a kitchen, got that covered but building a kitchen on the side by ones self is a marathon task including instal. Then all the floors need to be refinished due to 12 years of two large dogs.

When I finally finish it will probably about time to run for the hills and I’ll have some serious separation anxiety to work out in therapy.

I really love the look of those doors, etc. Clean and beautiful. 'Glad you're getting back to it. Not only do you have a "showplace shop" in the making, but that lovely bungalow above it is going to be amazing when you're done, too.

[Jim Becker]

I did my own kitchen back in 2003, so I do understand that dilemma. But what made it approachable was being able to design and build all the cabinets first before heading into demolition...which in our case was pretty much a gut job so I could insulate property, install a window, add an opening through a wall into what would be considered the pantry, etc. I was able to keep total down time to a month and I worked two weeks of that in my job (no travel scheduled, however) including the week I subcontracted the sheet rock to the pros. (money well spent) Doing in in the summer months (August at the time) was also helpful because it eased the cooking aspects. The grill got a lot of action while the microwave and an induction hot plate on the mobile kitchen island relocated to our great room filled in the gaps. After demolition (which my spouse and I did in like two days), I stuck a really cheap plastic laundry sink in the sink spot of the kitchen to help with general cleanup while I did all the prep, etc. The drywall, gas line, custom duct components for the range hood and soapstone counter tops were the only things I hired out. It was a lot of work, but I got what would have been a very expensive kitchen actually designed for cooking for about $15K including appliances.

One step at a time...you'll get there!

[Patrick Walsh]

Jim

I’d go the same way as you, sub out everything but the can build instillation trim and paint work.

Any plumbing, electrical, counters and flooring I’m not doing. It’s building the cabs that concerns me most but honestly I’m not worried the slightest I just don’t want to do it. The two kitchen designed I want are both very labor intensive.

One is qswo craftsman style built more akin to furniture than cabinetry. The other is a custom laid up contemporary teak veneer project. When I get there I suppose I’ll be happy to do it. On the other hand I just want to build that bonnet top secretary..

Got one door hung today. All kinds of family stuff with the holiday. I’m very happy with the reveals consistency, the 1/8 required by the hinges and between the doors to get them to not rub not so much. All and all the instal looks very good imop.

I’m also shocked and very happy the doors hung easy peasy and that they are not the slightest bit warped even after a year of sitting against a wall. Just goes to show the stability of solid vertical grain wood vrs the crap MDF doors or stave core I have hung six thousand of in Uber fancy homes for the uber rich. So many of those dam things even 1.75” thick like these warp before we can hang them. It’s always a blast to hang a door to walls that are not plumb or complainer left to right side with both doors also warped then get the hardware to work without ball catches top and bottom.

Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get another couple hung. I’d like to get them all hung but being Christmas Eve I doubt it.

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I did my own kitchen back in 2003, so I do understand that dilemma. But what made it approachable was being able to design and build all the cabinets first before heading into demolition...which in our case was pretty much a gut job so I could insulate property, install a window, add an opening through a wall into what would be considered the pantry, etc. I was able to keep total down time to a month and I worked two weeks of that in my job (no travel scheduled, however) including the week I subcontracted the sheet rock to the pros. (money well spent) Doing in in the summer months (August at the time) was also helpful because it eased the cooking aspects. The grill got a lot of action while the microwave and an induction hot plate on the mobile kitchen island relocated to our great room filled in the gaps. After demolition (which my spouse and I did in like two days), I stuck a really cheap plastic laundry sink in the sink spot of the kitchen to help with general cleanup while I did all the prep, etc. The drywall, gas line, custom duct components for the range hood and soapstone counter tops were the only things I hired out. It was a lot of work, but I got what would have been a very expensive kitchen actually designed for cooking for about $15K including appliances.

One step at a time...you'll get there!

[Phil Mueller]

Those doors are beautiful, Patrick. Love the wood combination and simple, clean look.

[Patrick Walsh]

Thanks phil

Now I just have to figure out the trim. I have a few ideas but have yet to decide exactly. A few space constraints are driving my indecision.

It’s either gonna be fairly traditional 4” flat stock with the headers and plinth blocks thicker than the stiles and a 8-10” base. Or Uber skinny contemporary flat stock like 2.5” mitered at the corners with the base set back from the case like 1/8 and the base either that same exposed 2.5 or maybe the 8-10”

Either way all the windows will get shoji. The bay will be two screens that pivot on hinges, the two windows that flank the bed will have a jamb that mounts to the window casing and they will also pivot on a hinge. The triple bank will be either full height floor to ceiling or window stool to ceiling I have yet to decide. Either way they will be three panels that travel in the traditional wooden track. A bench seat in the bay window with two drawers underneath is decided and then a built in chest of drawers I’m still mulling over.

Should be fun work. Most important is to keep its so the material and craftsmanship shine through. I also want the space to be very calming. I want nothing to really jump out at you when it’s done. I just want it to be calm and apparent its stupid nice but for the average non builder to not know why.

[Patrick Walsh]

Well not much progress today. But you know I am supposed to be on vacation and I am a woodworker.

I started my day with 20 minutes of meditation. Then I got to reading the Krenov thread over in the hand tool forum. As I would think most do around here I really identified with the topic of taking ones time and time not being a factor but perfection being the real factor.

So with that in mind I mortised in the three hinges for the entry door to the bedroom. Pushed it into place giving it a first test fit and because I just could not wait any longer to see it standing upright after nearly a year since I made the door.

I framed the whole place including the second shed dormer and a re frame of every wall and the entire floor as I had to sister all the existing joist to carry the new load along with the addition of very specific Simpson ties at the ends of the floor joist where they meet the wall. The cheek walls are 2x6 construction with two layers of 3/4 CDX glued and screwed inside and out 6: on center.

Originally the room had one shed dormer off the south side a hip dormer off the front or west side of the house and nothing off the north or east side. When I did the frame I did it as I always do with a chop saw a level and the intention very very important stain grade work would be taking place and everything had best be plumb/square and with no bellies or valleys.

It’s paid off ten fold just hanging the doors. I left the RO’s 1” larger in the width and only .75” taller taking into consideration retails and hardwood flooring. So far I have literally been able to push each door into the jamb a shim at either hinge flush them up with the front and back wall and call it done. Honestly I have never ever had this experience installing doors before and I have installed 100’s. Just goes to show a solid foundation and taking ones time along the ways speeds up the whole process overall and you get a superior finished product to boot with no hodge podge or Mickey Mouse solutions. May I continue to have such luck.

Laying everything out prior to mortising.

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Then maybe 1-1.5 hours later and I can finally see my door standing upright and in place. I have to notch the back side of the jamb to accept the pitch of the roof. I opted to do this verses bring the door height down enough to make this go away. Had I brought it down enough to obscure the roof pitch my door would had been under a standard height. The previous doors where like this and it made the room feel pretend and contrived and not like a actually bedroom but a attic space.

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Merry Christmas to all!

Hope Santa is good to you

[Patrick Walsh]

Another one up. Took all of like 15 minutes including notching for the rake of the roof.

That’s good enough for Christmas Day. Now it’s time to be a fat kid.

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The notched portion. Did this with a hand saw and chisel. Don’t worry 9 won’t use such heavy gauge nails to hang the trim. Used these so they stay put and because I don’t want to add screws except under the hinges.

Speaking of the the hinges. Feeeeeeww very pretty, glad I splurged on these.

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Tow more to go just on the other side of this door heading down the stairs.

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Then the hardware. I got a full mortise keyed passage set for this door. The rest are dummy knobs and rare earth magnets.

[Patrick Walsh]

And my best friend because I just can’t help share.

Isn’t he just so cute!

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He hates pictures and is telling me to take a hike.

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Some people are so intimidated by him and the funny thing is he is a giant baby and a pile of mush. Kinda like his dad. But don’t screw with him Unless you want to hear what he thinks. He is a talking dog. His nick name is charley brown as he talks like Charles..

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My two favorite people. Yup I consider dogs equal to people.

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Nor doors tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll be milling stock for the trim by the weekend.

[Patrick Walsh]

Well there done!

Ok that’s a exaggeration they are hung. Still gotta go back and finish putting the screws in the hinges. I’m i have two per leaf at the moment.

Two of the jambs I built last year. I had the smart idea to dovetail them together. I also had the bright idea to build the doors to the ID of the jamb exactly as I would a cabinet door to a carcass.

So today began with taking .125 of each side of two doors. The doors won’t fit down the staircase and I sold my track saw as I dont use it enough to have it laying around and my employer had more than one.

The solution was old school and very very relaxing to be quite honest. And it took hardly anytime. Surely not as quick as a track saw but even with a new blade I get a crap cut with track saws. And unless my slider was up and running no,way I would had run these over the table saw without taping everything off and that would take time itself. Next time I just build them 3/16 smaller than the ID of the jamb. And honestly even then they would be tight.

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Keep everything square on the hinge sides. I put a slight back bevel in the strike side of the doors being they have no strike plate but instead imbedded rare earth magnets.

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That’s what 1” of shavings @ 5’ Looks like.

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Make sure it’s flat..

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[Patrick Walsh]

Ready to hang..

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And another

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All done, sure feels like a major accomplishment considering I started these last year this time. In all reality this represents what should be like 2 maybe 3 weeks work for me built, finished, installed. Nothing works like that when it’s your own house. I’m honestly amazed ever time I actually get something finished on my house as it would be so easy to never put it back together.

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Sure hope the rest of the room comes out as nice as the doors.

Next is a built in chest of drawers.

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Stairs will also be fully replaced. Again idea what im doing for flooring yet. Maybe rift ash, maybe rift hard maple, maybe rift white oak, maybe riser hickory. I’m not sure yet. I’d like them to stay bright bright brite and not take on the amber times floors do with oil base finishes. I refuse to use acrylic on flooring so I guess I’m just gonna have to find something I’ll like all ambered out as sooner or later that’s whats gonna happen.

I considered walnut but that does not go with the house at all so not a chance. Looks nice with the df and ayc..