Replies

1. 
   woodguy99 | Apr 18, 2007 01:39am | #1

   Andy, the sidebar for that article was by you--any advice?

    

    

1. 
   andy_engel | Apr 19, 2007 02:06am | #2

   I used plastic resin glue - WeldWood. It has a decent pot life, is waterproof, doesn't creep, is stronger than the wood, and is cheap.Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein (or maybe Mark Twain)

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

   "Everything not forbidden is compulsory." T.H. White, The Book of Merlin

1. 
   junkhound | Apr 19, 2007 04:01am | #4

   Have also used weldwood for oak doors on the house with good results.

   Built a couple of 4x8 barn doors (3/4 ply nailed onto both sides of 2x4s) in 1977 with plain old elmers yellow glue, no problems with that yet either.

    

2. 
   oldhand | Apr 19, 2007 02:58am | #3

   I built dozens of doors this way last year up to 6' X 10' in size.  I'm greatful to FHB for the info. Anyway titebond II and III were used with no clear winner. Assembly was.... clamp and narrow crown staple the first two layers then release clamps and  quickly clamp layer 3. Lots and lots of clamps were employed with an occaisional screw where clamps wouldn't reach. Make sure the assembly is flat before the glue dries as all that clamp weight can cause distortion. I forget how I discovered that last part, but it seems like it was important. 

   Retired until my next job.
1. 
   2Merry | Apr 19, 2007 10:29am | #7

   We are planning to build several soon. Can you show us any pictures of the process or finished doors?
   Thanks

1. 
   oldhand | Apr 19, 2007 05:51pm | #9

   I didn't take any pictures of the process and haven't taken any of the doors installed  to date. Customer took some pics of the clamping in progress but I never saw them. Sorry!Retired until my next job.

2. 
   DougU | Apr 20, 2007 06:00am | #10

   2Merry

   I have some pictures of a door that I built out in my drive way, sorta crude but it was for an outside doorway to a back yard so........

   This was done on the quick but you should be able to get the gist of it.

    

   First and second pic is one of the layers pocket screwed together.

   Third pic shows what I did to compensate for a warped board!

   Pic 5 shows two layers glued and stacked.

   Pic 6 shows the epoxy slathered on the middle layer.

   7 & 8 are just redundant pics of the three layers all stacked up.

   Pic 9 shows the clamp up. You dont need all these clamps if you use your imagination but since I have them I use em!

   More pics in the next post.

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   Edited 4/19/2007 11:12 pm ET by DougU

1. 
   TomW | Apr 20, 2007 06:14am | #11

   Now that's a job where a big vacuum bag would have come in handy.

1. 
   DougU | Apr 20, 2007 06:17am | #13

   Yea, no shid!

   Have one in the shop but I wasnt at the shop so............

   Doug

3. 
   DougU | Apr 20, 2007 06:15am | #12

   More pics of the process.

    

   First and second pic is the swinging of the arc

   Pic no. 3 is showing the panels/slats in the bottom and the making of the stop for the upper panel.

   Pic no. 4 shows the door all sanded up and ready for the slats to be added.

   Pic no. 5 is the door complete and hung. Ignore the hinges, thats what was there and the HO didnt want to change them!

   I'm sure I'm leaving out some details.

   This door is cypress and glued together with eppoxy. Several coats of stain have been applied to it.

    

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   Edited 4/19/2007 11:26 pm ET by DougU

1. 
   2Merry | Apr 20, 2007 08:51am | #14

   Thank you so much for the great pics. The gate is beautiful. It is very helpful to see the steps. I can see that I didn't buy enough clamps during my last shopping trip..... I'll have to send Stan to Harbor Freight for more! We are restoring a 1916 Julia Morgan home. The PO sawed through the french doors and plugged in casement windows. So I am recreating the doors.Thanks again,
   Merry

1. 
   DougU | Apr 20, 2007 01:09pm | #17

   I can see that I didn't buy enough clamps

   If your not going to use the clamps for much else you can do this without all the clamps. If your going to only be using them on rare occasion and you just absolutely have to have them consider Harbor Freight. Man I hate saying that last part!

   I have glued a set of doors together with out the use of any clamps before.

   I glued the layers together and stacked them on a flat table made of melamine. I took pieces of hardwood about 8"- 14" long, depending on where there needed, drilled pilot holes at either end and straddled the styles and rails and screwed the door layers down. Worked like a charm! Key is having a flat table, no sense building a twist into it.

   Doug

2. 
   Ragnar17 | Apr 20, 2007 10:20am | #15

   Hi Doug,

   Nice looking gate!

   I couldn't quite tell from the pictures, but it doesn't look like you sized any of the "layers" to form a rabbet to accept the panel.  Instead, I'm assuming you just nailed in stops on each face in order to hold the panel in place.  Is that right?

   What did you think of building a door this way?

   I can see the benefit of building the arched rail in layers, but as for the rest of it, it seems it would have been just as easy to implement a tradtional mortise and tenon approach (and use solid stock).

   Are the multiple layers supposed to provide more dimensional stability?  What about delamination?

   Anyway, I'm interested to hear your thoughts.

   Regards,

   Ragnar

   Edited 4/20/2007 3:21 am ET by Ragnar17

1. 
   DougU | Apr 20, 2007 12:56pm | #16

   Ragnar

   I did rabbit out for the panels, just didn't attach a pic. Here you go...

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   I didn't size to exact because I knew that I could rip down to size when I was done. Same for the inside of the styles and rails. Just set a router and strait edge, I use the EZ, and trim away. Makes it easier to glue up when you don't have to worry about being "right on".

   What did you think of building a door this way?

   I've built several this way and I like the method. I've also did stave core and like that as well. Guess it all depends on the circumstances. This method (layers) is quick and easy, nothing to precise about it. You can whip a door out in a few hours. This one only took me a small part of an afternoon to make and I'm sure its strong enough to last.

   Here is a pic of a pair of walnut doors that are made the same - 5 layers instead of 3.

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   I personally haven't had any problem with delam but just as anything I'm sure its possible. I'm never to conservative with the adhesive, making sure every sq. inch is covered.

   Doug

   Edited 4/20/2007 6:01 am ET by DougU

   Edited 4/20/2007 6:10 am ET by DougU

3. 
   gb93433 | Apr 19, 2007 05:54am | #5

   I have used plastic resin glue for around 30 years now. A number of the doors I made 30 years ago are still in use without any failures.

4. 
   DougU | Apr 19, 2007 06:06am | #6

   I've built quit a few doors that way and I used Titebond II and/or III with no problems. I've also used resin glue and had good results with it.

   Doug

1. 
   moosepoint | Apr 19, 2007 03:27pm | #8

   Thanks for you help!