Replies

1. 
   Fred_Matthews | May 27, 2000 06:11am | #1

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   if the job is time and materials, i guarantee your clients will wish they had opted for pre-hungs...no, there is no "easy" way i know of....tell your clients it is not worth your time....let them beat their heads against the wall finding the "handyperson" who will do the job for what
   i they
   think it ought to cost.....maybe they'll come to reality and stop wasting your time

2. 
   Guest_ | May 27, 2000 06:56pm | #2

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   amen , amen , fred..

   gary.. you're gonna wind up agreein on a price , then it's gonna take you twice as long as you thot...

   or, yur gonna get it done and they won't like the results..either way you lose...

1. 
   Guest_ | May 28, 2000 02:26am | #3

   *gary,

   Hind site is 20-20. Fred and Mike make good points, if you can get out. . . go. If not, the best way to "fit" these doors is to check the old doors and first see if the operate "OK" in the openings, if so, use the old doors as templates to cut the new doors.

   If not, sharpen the plane and get out the belt sander because its fit and scribe from here on out. Good luck.

   View Image © 1999-2000"More than any time in history mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction. Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly." Woody Allen

1. 
   Guest_ | May 28, 2000 03:25am | #4

   *Even if you could cut a door from a template, it's not going to have an even reveal all the way around.Start over with something new.

1. 
   Guest_ | May 28, 2000 04:57pm | #5

   *Why do some people think they are saving money by re-using old out-of-square and plumb existing door jambs? It cost twice as much to fight the new doors into place where they look half way correct than it does to replace the whole thing. If it doesn't close just right, tell them to put thier shoulder into it. That's the price of saving a few bucks.Ed. Williams

1. 
   Guest_ | May 29, 2000 12:28am | #6

   *I used to agree with all of these guys. Then Gary Katz told me how he does this task. In a nutshell, Gary removes the existing door, then holds the new, untrimmed door to the outside of the jamb. Gary's made two sheet metal hooks that he holds together with rubber strapping. One hook goes over the top of the door, the other inside the jamb. Once the door is aligned as well as it can be, he sets a compass for the door-to-jamb clearance, and scribes both sides and the top of the door. While it's still in place, he marks the door for hinges and lock. Then, Gary puts the door on a bench, cuts it, bevels the edge, routs the hinge gains and bores for the lock. The door should fit the opening now as if it were greased. I tried this myself, on a 200 lb. oak front door, and it worked. I hung that door to an existing frame in less than two hours. Believe it or not, I don't get paid to plug FHB products here, but here's a shameless endorsement of one of my employer's books. Gary describes the above, and lots of other great techniques, in The Doorhanger's Handbook. I worked as a trim carpenter for years, as well as spending some time in a pre-hung door shop, and this book was an education for me.Andy

2. 
   Guest_ | May 29, 2000 06:49am | #7

   *Hey Andy,Sounds interesting. I'm always up for learning something new. I'll probably order it over at amazon......no offence.......I have an account there.Thanks,Ed. Williams

3. 
   Guest_ | May 30, 2000 06:41pm | #8

   *Ed, no offence taken. I've been known to bargain hunt myself. And my wife, well, I'm so proud I could just burst. She brought home $50 worth of groceries last week for $7. Cheaply,Andy

4. 
   Guest_ | Jun 01, 2000 06:23am | #10

   *Nice to see that someone is willing to give it a try. When I have to do it and a template is not handy I measure down equidistant from the top of the jamb on the left and right sides mark those points and pull diagonal measuremments from the top corners of the jamb to these points. I do all my lay out from the top corner on the hinge side of the door, cutting off the top of the door first if necessary. It's not easy but it's not that hard either and on a job where disturbing the jamb or trim is not practical it's worth it. Skip

3. 
   gary_clifton | Jun 01, 2000 06:23am | #9

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   I have a job where I must install two new door panels into existing door frames. Not too difficult... However the frames are 1/2" or more out of square top to sides and the jambs are not plumb. I had convinced them that it would be easier to start over with new pre-hung doors but the cost did not settle well. I wonder if there is any "easy" way to fit the new panels to these parallelogram openings? Maybe make a fullsize template?