[Tinstaafl]

Loneframer's thread just reminded me...

I've been meaning to ask, has anyone ever come up with a practical jig for transferring the exact shape of an opening to a new door slab? I know we talked about that here a while back, but my CRS isn't telling me if anyone had such a thing.

I'm going to be doing 11 doors in a house one of these days. At least they're not all on the third floor! :laughing:

 

[katoman]

I usually don't do that, I re & re the jambs back to plumb and square. But if I have to I just shim the door into the opening and mark it out.

Depends or course how bad the jambs are out. If it's just a little I'll fit the door, but if it's 3/8" then the jamb comes out.

It's just me.

 

[genecarp]

I have a system that works for me, its not a jig, its a system, but you got me thinking about jigs. One of the ways we template for out of sq countertops is to go at it with 1 1/2'' rips of luan and a glue gun, it might work for door openings. The first thing i check out when going on a slab job is the old doors, If the fit is good, i copy them, if adjustments need to be made, i mark up the old door, then tranfer to the slab, GMOD

 

[Tinstaafl]

Depends or course how bad the jambs are out. If it's just a little I'll fit the door, but if it's 3/8" then the jamb comes out.

I'll rework the jamb for less than that, depending on the client. OTOH, some folks don't want to pay for anything more than just getting the hole plugged. :shutup:

One of the ways we template for out of sq countertops is to go at it with 1 1/2'' rips of luan and a glue gun, it might work for door openings.

And you would use how many of your hands to do that while juggling the whole thing in mid-air? :laughing:

I have this fuzzy nebulous image of an assembly with multiple thumbscrews that you'd use to set corner indicators. Of course, if the jamb is bowed, that gets pretty complex real fast.

The first thing i check out when going on a slab job is the old doors, If the fit is good, i copy them, if adjustments need to be made, i mark up the old door, then tranfer to the slab, GMOD

Yep, that's the way I've always done it. But unless the old door is pretty square, I usually seem to wind up carrying the new slab in & out more than once.

 

[genecarp]

I'll rework the jamb for less than that, depending on the client. OTOH, some folks don't want to pay for anything more than just getting the hole plugged. :shutup:



And you would use how many of your hands to do that while juggling the whole thing in mid-air? :laughing:

Lets think about it, starting at the hinge side, cut one rip 3/8'' less than OH. Maybe tack it to the stop molding, Then take your head piece, place it across the top, hot glue the corner overlap, tack to upper stop, then move to the striker side, Hot glue a piece across the bottom, to hold form, remove finish nails from stops, transfer to slab, it might work well.



Yep, that's the way I've always done it. But unless the old door is pretty square, I usually seem to wind up carrying the new slab in & out more than once.

Yes, its hard to get away with any less than 2 trips, GMOD

 

[basswood]

Here is a FHB article overview:

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how...roof-method-for-fitted-doors.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp

You have to pay to see the whole article, this is just a tease... but you probably get the idea.

 

[CarpenterRN]

So, how many of you scribe your doors in the opening with a compass? Then use a PC door plane, which has adjustable depth, to plane the door to the mark, increasing or decreasing the cut depth as necessary? I have never used the old door as a template.

 

[Tinstaafl]

Lets think about it, starting at the hinge side, cut one rip 3/8'' less than OH. Maybe tack it to the stop molding, Then take your head piece, place it across the top, hot glue the corner overlap, tack to upper stop, then move to the striker side, Hot glue a piece across the bottom, to hold form, remove finish nails from stops, transfer to slab, it might work well.

Cut, nail, glue, cut, nail, glue, cut, glue, pull nails, juggle gingerly...

Yeah, it would work, but I'm not so sure it would be any faster than what we already do. <sigh>

If I had a pile of roundtuits here, I'd have the thing built by now.

 

[Tinstaafl]

Here is a FHB article overview:

Gee, thanks, Bass. Now GMOD is going to want to take the "M" out of his sig. :laughing:



:thumbsup:

 

[Tinstaafl]

So, how many of you scribe your doors in the opening with a compass?

I've always felt that to be a bit more hassle than copying the old door, as long as it's not too outlandishly off. But if that's what you've worked out as being good for you, cool!

There's usually more than one road into town. :thumbsup:

 

[genecarp]

Gee, thanks, Bass. Now GMOD is going to want to take the "M" out of his sig. :laughing:



:thumbsup:

:laughing:Yea looks like they copied my idea, GOD:laughing:

 

[neolitic]

Only time I had a whole house
I made an under size "door" of
3/8X2"rips -2 stiles, 3 rails, stapled
together, then scribed on that.
Had to make a couple to account
for all 4 door widths in that house.
Mostly I jusr template off the old.

 

[naptown CR]

One of these and a CNC machine
No muss no fuss and accurate as all get out

 

[neolitic]

Gus would send....

 

[Kent Whitten]

One of these and a CNC machine
No muss no fuss and accurate as all get out

oooo...faro arms! Now you're talkin'!

 

[stp57]

The original door makes a good template unless you forget to note corrections needed. I've cut a new door that fit just as crappy as the old door, because I didn't pay attention.:wallbash:
Steve

I've always felt that to be a bit more hassle than copying the old door, as long as it's not too outlandishly off. But if that's what you've worked out as being good for you, cool!

There's usually more than one road into town. :thumbsup:

 

[WarnerConstInc.]

To trim doors to fit and not make hundreds of trips in and out, there is one tool to buy.

Set up right where you are working and trim them till you are blue in the face.

 

[neolitic]

To trim doors to fit and not make hundreds of trips in and out, there is one tool to buy.

Set up right where you are working and trim them till you are blue in the face.

:clap::laughing::laughing:
You are the only guy here
who's more predictable than I am. :laughing:

 

[Tinstaafl]

Set up right where you are working and trim them till you are blue in the face.

Now, now. Blue and green just don't go well together. :laughing:

The idea is NOT to trim till you're blue in the face, no matter where you're doing the cutting. :thumbsup:

 

[WarnerConstInc.]

I was just trying to save you several hours of carrying doors in and out for no reason.

I cut doors down for a couple investors. They take them off the hinges and mark them. I come over with a vac and my Ts-55. I can trim a house full of hardwood doors in under 1/2 hour. No re-work on the door edges either.
I get 40 bucks per door, for one cut and re hang on hinges.