reclaimed douglas fir doors bespoke doors

thetyreman · 5 Jan 2021

I made this at the end of last year, for anyone interested it was made from a 1930s douglas fir door, which I thought originally was pitch pine, this was broken down and planed up to the new smaller sizes need for these doors.

The doors break up the garage from an under floor area, I haven't decided on handles yet, the panels are solid redwood pine which are pillowed to create a soft edge, there were originally no gaps but once I put the frame in place the wall twisted the frame a little bit, which created a gap bigger than I'd like on the bottom right door.

I used my record no44 to plough the grooves and it's haunched mortise and tenon joinery, also used the method from wearing the essential woodworker for the hinging and think I overcut it a bit, which has been solved by using veneer packers, a lot of lessons learnt on this one project, and for the joinery and methods I used the book 'doormaking and window making' from lost art press, which I would highly recommend.

Having dead on quartersawn stock was a real treat and it was also very dry and stable so no need to season it.

What would you do for the handles? wood or brass?

Sandyn · 5 Jan 2021

It's beautiful wood. I have used a few similar bits of reclaimed timber and it's just so much better than anything I have found today. The joints are beautifully well made. Do you have a lathe to turn a couple of knobs? The thing I find most comforting is that behind those beautiful doors, you have a storage area just like mine

Jameshow · 5 Jan 2021

They look too nice for a workshop!
Make a cabinet to hang them in!!

Cheers James

thetyreman · 5 Jan 2021

the frame is dovetailed as well, I thought to myself, why not? it was an excuse to practise.

thetyreman · 5 Jan 2021

Jameshow said:
They look too nice for a workshop!
Make a cabinet to hang them in!!

Cheers James

I was hoping it'd look like a tool cabinet but built into the wall, it's too late now

thetyreman · 5 Jan 2021

Sandyn said:
It's beautiful wood. I have used a few similar bits of reclaimed timber and it's just so much better than anything I have found today. The joints are beautifully well made. Do you have a lathe to turn a couple of knobs? The thing I find most comforting is that behind those beautiful doors, you have a storage area just like mine

totally agree about the old wood, I have some left over and it's just beautiful to work with hand tools. I don't have a lathe so was thinking of carving something if it ends up being wood.