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Bevel before glue-up on custom door?

pype | Posted in General Discussion on July 1, 2002 08:53am

It’s me again.   I am approaching the time to glue-up my new entry door and here are today’s questions.  Since I am putting in a new jamb also and will build it in the shop to fit the new door I was thinking it would be easier to both bevel the lock side stile of the door and mortise for hinges on the hinge side stile before I glue-up.  I don’t have a hand held power planer so beveling the door after glue-up will be a hand operation.  I do have a jointer in the shop.  Is this a bad idea due to the drilling I will do later for lock hardware?  Any tips or warnings about pitfalls ahead on these two processes (mortising and beveling) will be greatly appreciated.

Keith

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Replies

  1. DavidxDoud | Jul 01, 2002 09:15pm | #1

    glue up and then do your beveling/mortising - your apprehensions are right on point - the only reason the operations would be more difficult after glue up is if you have no way to hold the door - a couple of pieces of 2X4 laid on the floor with blocks attached and a wedge will hold the door on edge while you perform the operations -

  2. clampman2 | Jul 08, 2002 07:35am | #2

    Hi Keith,

    The only problem I can forsee with your suggestion is that glue up may be a little more difficult with beveled edges. ie getting even pressure throughout the joint, keeping the beveled edges from getting mashed, getting the whole thing together flat before the glue starts tacking up etc. I find it easier for me to make all my doors oversized at glueup then trim and bevel later. I've done hundreds with a hand plane before I could afford a power plane and it really doesn't take that long.

                                                                                                          clampman

    1. Piffin | Jul 12, 2002 03:59am | #3

      Right - if the plane blade is sharp. And the bevel would get destroyed by the clamping process.

      Excellence is its own reward!

  3. geoffmurray | Jul 12, 2002 07:50am | #4

    Although it seems easier to joint the bevel before glue up, the other postings are correct in their warnings this. To joint the bevel and mortice the hinge gains, set your assembled door on edge (use a workmate or clamp it to a bench or make a set of door bucks), mark a line and take careful, full length of the door passes with the longest plane you have. After the first two passes the plane will sit nice and flat, the shavings get wider until you reach the line and have a nice flat closing bevel. Make the lock stile the one with the truest grain, the grain going in the same direction. It is a drag to have to plane in both directions for this one.

    For the hinge morticies, again set the door on edge, mark out the hinge gains with a sharp marking or utility knife, mark it deep. Rout with a laminate trimmer or small router close to the lines and clean up with a chisel. It's tempting to rout right up to the lines, but unless you are really steady, it is easier to chisel.

    Sharpness is key.

    1. Joe1225d | Jul 12, 2002 08:14am | #5

      I would bevel the edges on my table saw after glue up. If I didn't have the table saw, i'd use a skil saw with straight edge guide. Saw marks could be sanded out or scraped.

      I strongly recommend a slight (2 degree) back bevel on the hinge side as well. This is a tip i picked up here a year or two ago. It reduces hinge binding and is one of the very best tips i picked up here in the last couple of years.

      joe d

      1. pype | Jul 12, 2002 06:13pm | #6

        Guys

        Sorry I haven't been replying, but I didn't know this was still an active thread!  The door has been sucessfully glued up, beveled and had handle and deadbolt installed.  Tonite I plan to mortise for the hinges.  Let me get your feedback on what I plan to do for this.  I've already posted this same question in the KNOTS  section.

        I am making a new jamb and sill out of white oak and since I am doing all of this in my shop behind my house(which is where the door will be installed) I planned to tackle it this way:  Build the jamb/sill assembly in my shop, mortise the door for the 4" ball bearing hinges and install them, lay the door exterior side down and shim for any winding, lay the white oak frame around the door and shim in to the appropriate clearances, mark the mortise location on the hinge-side jamb and then cut those mortises.  After that, take the door out of the frame,  take the frame to the house and install as square and plumb as I can, and then put the door back in and have a perfect fit.  (The last part is tongue in cheek)

        I am taking this approach for 2 reasons: 1) I've never built a door and jamb before and it seemed like this would work!  and 2) the door weighs 125 lbs and is a bear to move!!

        Let me know if you see any pitfalls or have better ideas.

        Thanks, Keith

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