A little job in the rain.

[Retired]

Hi,

This morning it was fine so I pulled the car out of the garage and got cracking on a nice little project. Our front door has two glass panels and I wanted to exchange the bottom one for plywood.

Yesterday in the rain I ventured out and bought a piece of WBP ply at 1/4" thick. First job this morning was to remove the glass panel then clean up the rebates and beading. The ply panel was offered up and marked with a pencil then trimmed to size on the bandsaw.

With all the sharp edges removed I then added an extra finishing touch by adding grooves. These grooves give the appearance of a panel made up of a number of boards joined together and the process is very easy.

I’ve never seen this done before but tried it as an experiment many years ago on a large garage door I was making. The width of the panel was measured then using a calculator I juggled the width of the “boards” to what looked most pleasing this being 3.5” each. The panel was carefully marked and pencil lines drawn in. A wide board was placed under the panel and a narrower wooden guide placed on top then both were clamped tightly with the guide up to the line sandwiching the panel. Using the tip of my tenon saw I ran the saw along the guide and cut to the depth of the outer veneer; the note of the saw changes as it breaks through and a black line appears which is the glue bond. Care is needed whilst cutting to ensure the saw follows the guide. With all the grooves cut I then spent a while using folded abrasive paper to soften the groove edges.

   
Cutting the grooves by hand.

When undercoated and glossed the panels look very attractive and much better than a sheet of plain ply. I’ve used this technique adding stained and varnished paneling to our kitchen and the result is most pleasing.

   
Home made panelling.

A router with a “V” cutter fitted could be used but I’ve never tried it as I feel the depth of cut could vary considerably especially if the panel is slightly twisted. I like using hand tools and this is one tip that doesn’t require power tools and costs nothing.

The picture shows the grooves being added and another picture shows our back door that I made when we moved here 25 years ago; the panel I’ve just done will look similar once finished.

   
Back door.

The reason for removing the glass panel is that we suffer the rare burst of sunshine which bleaches the hall carpet and we are having a new hall carpet fitted next week; another reason is our neighbours security lights directly across the street from us; they are like the Blackpool illuminations during the night.

I’ve just fitted the panel but am now rained off; I truly despair with our rotten climate and could cheerfully brick the telly every time I hear of global warming or a drought; this is why I sitting here on the computer when I should be painting the panel. The pictures are poor due to the black hole and it raining.

On a happier note though I’ve got a lovely project I’m looking forward to starting on shortly. The project is a new computer desk and already a rough design is in my head and yesterday I bought some materials. Oh for some warm; wind free dry weather. I hope this is of interest.

Kind regards, Col.

[Bushbaby]

Hi Col,
Looks good and up to you usual high standards. I note your comment regarding the back door that you made 25 years ago. If that was a commercially purchased door given the materials used you may well have been seeking your second or third new door by now!

Regards

Rob

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks for your kind comments Rob.

I was up before 8 this morning with the intention of undercoating the new door panel on both sides before the monsoon set in again. Drat it though as I looked out of the kitchen window it was already pouring with rain.

For once though I've beaten the weather; the front door is recessed into the bungalow front and as long as it isn't windy I can wrap up like an Eskimo and get on with the job. I've now under-coated both sides of the panel. The outer in charcoal and the inner in brilliant white; the door is painted black outside. So the weather can now go and pester someone else but I did get wet each time I visited the garage to clean the brush.

I've mentioned before that many years ago I bought the "Dandy" paint brush and roller cleaning equipment which simply fits into an electric drill. This morning using the Dandy I was able to very quickly change from charcoal to brilliant white then when the painting was finished to clean the brush and put it away. I never liked cleaning brushes but now it's no longer a chore and my brush has lasted over seven years so far even though it's had a lot of use.

I totally agree with you Rob regarding modern doors; they look wonderful when new but I don't think the problem to be the actual door quality; I think it is the poor maintenance a door receives once installed. I'm of course referring to wooden doors as I would never resort to either plastic doors or window frames. Our window frames are the original softwood ones installed when the bungalow was new in 1964 and the frames are still like new although the double glazing sealed units are now failing.

The back door was the first thing I made when we moved in; the original wooden door had been sticking and the owner hadn't a clue what to do with it so on the day they moved out they wrenched the door open with such force that they broke it. I bought unsorted joinery quality softwood from our local timber yard in long lengths. It was then run through the planer/thicknesser and the rebates cut on the circular saw. The through mortice and tenon joints were cut entirely using hand tools and the door was assembled with glue and wooden wedges glued and driven in.

Standard glass beading was bought and used to secure the glass and plywood panel. Now for the bit that makes a wooden exterior door last. The new door was primed then given two undercoats covering all the exposed timber taking extra care to add a good thickness to the top and bottom edges in order to fully seal them. Two top coats of gloss completed the job.

Here are the pictures of the full door Rob. It still looks good even though it is wet.

       
Home made back door.

About every four years I spend at least six weeks and paint all the exterior woodwork; I go over the top with preparation then take my time to apply a really good finish taking as much care as I would in finishing a radio cabinet. I also remove the gutters in order to paint the fascia boards. I don't regard this work as a punishment other than having to work in the poor climate but once I get started and the equipment is to hand I settle down and enjoy myself. When I was working I used to do a lot of this work in my holidays; Bron and I have not had an holiday away from home for 35 years; at first because we were broke but in later years because we don't feel the need as we are happy to be at home and have days out.

Our neighbour had brand new plastic windows and doors fitted a few years ago; they are unable to open the windows because the windows drop closed as soon as released; I also noticed their back door is about 1/2" too short for the frame as I could put my fingers through the gap at the top. So much for modern energy efficient windows and doors that are covered by so many rules; regulations and planning restrictions; give me timber any-time. I admit I'm totally biased and would never consider plastic or even aluminium.

I'm quite a bit different to the average guy these days who lives for sport and booze. I prefer working on jobs around home or some interesting project. Each to their own but the number of guys I know who struggle to knock a nail in makes me think I'm missing nothing.

It's time I started to get serious about my new project which I'll be adding shortly. It can snow if it wants to because I'm full of enthusiasm and determination so the weather can get stuffed.

Kind regards, Col.

[Aerodyne]

Its quite a job, making doors. I built a replacement front door and inset panel and stable-type back door for the house I had at the time up in Nafferton, a village near Driffield. The house was three years old when we moved in but the original doors were clapped-out! I built the replacements much as you did, Col. I'd like to think I did as well as you but I doubt it. Another superb example of your craftsmanship and eye for quality.
-Tony

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks for your kind words but I know you to be a top class craftsman Tony never accepting second best.

I'm surprised to hear your doors were no good after only three years Tony; this must be some kind of record. Its a big job painting the top and bottom edges of doors as the door really needs removing to do a good job; unfortunately given our poor climate the two edges are seldom painted/sealed hence they absorb water readily.

It was high summer here yesterday with 17 degrees so I quickly glossed the new panel inside and out making it more presentable. This morning it's back to around 7 degrees and wet. I've already visited the garage four times and got wet eight times; on one of the visits I took along a wood screw that I needed to match up; whilst comparing I dropped the screw and gave it up as a bad job as the screw will never be seen again; it disappeared into the black hole under the bench. I brought a selection of boxes of screws up into the bungalow with me. These will be needed tomorrow when a new hall carpet is fitted.

Its amazing how much work and time is needed just to complete a small job such as fitting a door panel; I'm pleased I don't have to get someone in.

The next door job will be re-painting the garage doors. I made these side hung doors a few years ago and at the time bought a 2.5ltr tin of Johnstone's charcoal undercoat. When I tried to apply this undercoat by brush it immediately dried preventing it being brushed out making a right mess of the job. I put the paint away and burned the door off applying another brand of paint bought locally in order to complete the job. Assuming I can get a day without wind; hail; frost or rain again this year I have a plan of action. I'll mask the garage doors and thin this wayward paint and blow it on with the compressor and spray gun; it can then dry as quickly as it wants to hopefully allowing me to apply the gloss in the same way.

I constantly moan about the weather but deep down I enjoy doing all these jobs/projects regarding them as a pleasure and not a chore.

Kind regards, Col.