Twisted door stile WIP

[Mike.S]

I'm in the process of building french doors and a dry fit has revealed a twisted stile, meaning that with three corners flush to the door stops the final one is c.10mm away :twisted:

A picture (sorry for quality, it's off my phone) may assist:

The door is laid flat on my only known flat surface - the kitchen island - with a straight edge (a file) across the twisted stile and adjoining rail. The (double) tenon is barely inserted into the mortices. So, as the tenons are inserted, the stile forces that corner out of flat. What's the best way to fix it?

As the timber is already at its final thickness (43mm) and fully moulded (ovolos plus rebates) I can't thickness it to remove the twist. All I can think to do is widen the mortice and/or thin the tenon (14mm) to make a loose joint and take up the resulting slack with the glue/wood shims. I'm using West System epoxy which has excellent bonding and filling properties, so I'm not too worried about strength. Also, doors are to be painted, so any bodges can be hidden :shock:

Is my proposed course OK or is there a better way?

 

[Mar_mite]

If you loosen the mortices then you will still have a wind in that stile. If it was me, I'd loosen the mortices a fraction and use cascamite. Then while it was gluing up I'd clamp it just slightly past flat the other way. Hopefully it will slightly sprig back to be flat. Other than that, bite the bullit and make another stile.

 

[Chrispy]

Just bite the bullet and make a new stile, you're only going to have trouble with that one.

 

[beech1948]

My first thought would be to make a replacement as you will probably always have issues with that one.

I have once or twice had the same issue and wondered if I should try to steam it and then bend it into the shape I need but I have never tried.

 

[Mike.S]

Hhmm, not what I wanted to hear but I accept all your comments as good advice. As well as having cut all the rebates, ovolo, beading etc...it's also the lock stile so I've already cut the rebated sash mortice in it (which took me yonks)

 

[Chrispy]

Hhmm, not what I wanted to hear but I accept all your comments as good advice. As well as having cut all the rebates, ovolo, beading etc...it's also the lock stile so I've already cut the rebated sash mortice in it (which took me yonks)

Well you have done the practice piece now just do the real one, in the long run it'll be easier than remaking the whole door!

 

[dzj]

Yes, a new stile. It's not worth risking.
It happened to me a few times when I was in a rush and didn't let the internal forces reach equilibrium
after ripping. Now I always leave them for at least 2 weeks before planing and such.
It's also good moisture-wise.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

+1 I ripped in half some nice mahogany that I got out of the sea - within a couple of days there was an inch of bow in one side. Six months later I could have used the other side as a straight edge.

 

[No skills]

Everybody is right saying make a new piece, would it be any less work to rip off the sides of the stile (with the moldings) and laminate to a new core piece? Just a thought.

 

[Mike.S]

No Skills - I like your thinking. I had been considering something similar; that is just cut/plane the top 10mm from each face on the bottom third of the stile (to remove the twist), laminate on new softwood and recut the mouldings. However, having examined the stile closely the twist is along the full length, just particularly bad at the end I pictured. Also, as others have hinted there's the possibility of further movement.

I had purchased the timber some months ago and it had sat acclimitising in my house. Whilst by sight it was straight I hadn't checked with winding sticks just before working on it, so lesson learned. I'm just about to set-off to buy a new piece - at least this one should be quicker to cut/mould, having had some practice (thank you Chrispy!).