[Gus Dering]

Lone, I think Gus is trying to tell you something :whistling:laughing:

Where do you think I get all my good looks from?

Gus, if that's your mom, she's my kind of girl.:thumbsup:

You are exactly the kind of guy she warned my sisters about.:no:

Who taught you how to polish the knob?

Somethings a guy just has to figure things out for himself. You could say I'm a self taught man.:laughing:

 

[KMac]

Today, I was installing a door slab in an existing jamb for a customer who is acting as his own GC - I am doing all of the finish carpentry on the project. While mortising the hinges, the painters on site seemed overly impressed that I installed just the slab, instead of a whole new jamb, etc.

Now, this is the second time in less than a month that I have installed a slab door and had people remark on how impressive that is. The first time was the guy at the lumber yard that I ordered the slab door from - he kept quoting me a pre-hung unit, and when I finally convinced him I was not crazy, and only wanted a slab...after a few moments of silence he goes "wow...you must be really good."

Am I out of touch as far as this technique is concerned? How many of you still install slab doors (provided the jamb/opening is worth saving)?

I have to admit I am puzzled at the recent comments regarding how difficult this task is...

I'm in your area and I do slabs all the time. Just use the ol' PC jig, a story pole and pinch sticks - no problem. Once I get moving I can average one an hour. And I enjoy it.

 

[Tom M]

I measured the existing doors to get hinge locations as well as handlesets. This house had settled so badly that some of the doors had to be cut out of square at the top to match the jambs, which isn't really out of the ordinary, but 5/8" on one door in particular.

That right there is my technique and a lesson for all well learned. When you only measure from the hinge side.... you risk the possiblility of finding out that door was out of square or previously screwed with by someone. Its good practice to eyeball each door and use some tape to make notations on each door slab. Then you can template the door for exact copies or add an 1/8 on top right or shave a little somewhere else whatever your notes calls for.

 

[loneframer]

That right there is my technique and a lesson for all well learned. When you only measure from the hinge side.... you risk the possiblility of finding out that door was out of square or previously screwed with by someone. Its good practice to eyeball each door and use some tape to make notations on each door slab. Then you can template the door for exact copies or add an 1/8 on top right or shave a little somewhere else whatever your notes calls for.

That my friend, is valuable information. I pulled hinge measurements from the top of door, measured width of existing slab, then pulled a diagonal measurement from the top corner of the active side to top edge of bottom hinge leaf as a reference. Measurements and notes were put on door slab for +/- and slab was removed to work area.:thumbsup:

 

[willworkforbeer]

i do a few every now and then ,here are some bucks i built for when i do:thumbsup:

Those are some sexy bucks. Oh wait I didnt mean it like that, or did I...

 

[mmike032]

I use old door as a template adding/taking off where need be.
lay old door on slab and transfer hinge marks, mark what needs to be cut off or added on.

I dont bore for knobs untill slab is hung and working properly. Then mark where center of strikes are onto the slab and drill

 

[fez-head]

We used to have the door shop do them for us - but got tired of paying $125 for custom bore and hinge locations that looked as if they were done with a hammer and butt-plate. Also waiting 3-4 weeks AFTER the door slab finally arrived was not working out either.

Here is a good fabrication form that you can fill out during the consultation. (We only use the form and have not ordered slabs from HD.....yet)

I also just got this in recently but have not used it yet. This is on the way and hopefully will be here in the next week or so. They both had really good reviews so we shall see.

 

[Tinstaafl]

I use old door as a template adding/taking off where need be.
lay old door on slab and transfer hinge marks, mark what needs to be cut off or added on.

I dont bore for knobs untill slab is hung and working properly. Then mark where center of strikes are onto the slab and drill

That's my routine. One difference from what I see folks saying here is that I've never quite gotten around to picking up a router template for the hinge mortises. I just freehand them, after scoring the cut lines with a utility knife.

My [poor] rationale is that (A) I don't do 10-20 a week, and (B) often the old hinges are getting re-used--and some of those don't match a standard modern template. Too easy to have the autopilot on and cut a standard mortise for a non-standard hinge.

Probably fodder for a whole different thread, but I see one lone handyman chiming in here. I've had quite a few folks tell me that their usual handyman doesn't do doors & windows. I guess some are more handy than others. :blink:

 

[Leo G]

I do the same thing when there is only one or two doors. Mark the hinges, put them on the door, drill and screw them in. Score a heavy line with a utility knife, remove the hinge and free hand route it.

 

[Double-A]

Cut a stick to 12 inches. Mark each corner of the door up from the floor and down from the head jamb. Check fit and swing and mark your notes on door.

Lay new slab out and old slab on top, with both doors oriented the same ( stop sides up or down, but both the same). Match the higher corners and align the edges flush. Using an engineers square or speed square, transfer hinge and edge (head jamb and floor marks you made before with the 12 inch stick).

Using an engineers square, transfer the hinge set back to new slab. Mortice for hinges and using previous 12 stick, transfer your marks back to the proper locations, strike a line and set up and edge guide and trim. Turn door into bucks and plane edge to 5 degrees so door clears jamb as it swing be closed.

Install hinges, install slab and hang. Mark for lockset, bore and install.

Step back and enjoy.

 

[Celtic]

I'm in the process of changing the doors at my own home....what a PITA.


I did see a sign at Big Box one day recently... 15 doors hung/$199.00 :blink:

I think the offer involves some sort of butt-lube :shutup:

 

[OW! My thumb]

Ive got 2 to hang tomorrow , 2 2'0s to replace the single 4'0. Yep, a 6 panel 4'0.
There is a reason they arent that popular.

 

[Crock]

I use old door as a template adding/taking off where need be.
lay old door on slab and transfer hinge marks, mark what needs to be cut off or added on.

I dont bore for knobs untill slab is hung and working properly. Then mark where center of strikes are onto the slab and drill

Same here. I hand mortise and pass that on when new guys come through.

 

[Teetorbilt]

I work on a lot of older homes that were built before standards, I also build doors so much of this is Status Quo for me.

The most recent was 40-3/8" X 90-1/4", must have been a big guy that built the house. It had also settled some so being square was also out. The door was built oversized and customized on site to the original hinges and hardware. I love old homes!

 

[neolitic]

If it's not totally FUBAR,
I just use the old door
for my story pole.

That's my routine. One difference from what I see folks saying here is that I've never quite gotten around to picking up a router template for the hinge mortises. I just freehand them, after scoring the cut lines with a utility knife.

My [poor] rationale is that (A) I don't do 10-20 a week, and (B) often the old hinges are getting re-used--and some of those don't match a standard modern template. Too easy to have the autopilot on and cut a standard mortise for a non-standard hinge.

Probably fodder for a whole different thread, but I see one lone handyman chiming in here. I've had quite a few folks tell me that their usual handyman doesn't do doors & windows. I guess some are more handy than others. :blink:

The transparent base plate
with the 2" opening for the P-C
makes this soooo nice. :thumbsup:

 

[Tinstaafl]

The transparent base plate
with the 2" opening for the P-C
makes this soooo nice. :thumbsup:

I use a Bosch trim router that I think is handier for balancing on the edge of a slab than a full-sized machine. It doesn't have a transparent base plate, but I've never had a problem with seeing where the bit is on the material. :thumbsup:

 

[Tom M]

I'm in the process of changing the doors at my own home....what a PITA.

:shutup:

Celtic another word of advice. The box stores sell slabs about 10-15 bucks cheaper than the lumber yards but.........they dont come beveled making installation much more challenging to the occassional carpenter.

 

[neolitic]

Celtic another word of advice. The box stores sell slabs about 10-15 bucks cheaper than the lumber yards but.........they dont come beveled making installation much more challenging to the occassional carpenter.

And they have their own
"standards" for width.

 

[mmike032]

That's my routine. One difference from what I see folks saying here is that I've never quite gotten around to picking up a router template for the hinge mortises. I just freehand them, after scoring the cut lines with a utility knife.

My [poor] rationale is that (A) I don't do 10-20 a week, and (B) often the old hinges are getting re-used--and some of those don't match a standard modern template. Too easy to have the autopilot on and cut a standard mortise for a non-standard hinge.

Probably fodder for a whole different thread, but I see one lone handyman chiming in here. I've had quite a few folks tell me that their usual handyman doesn't do doors & windows. I guess some are more handy than others. :blink:

I freehand with the router also, havent been able to justify the cost of a template yet. Only done maybe 3 doors in the past 3 years but most of my work is new houses.

 

[Tom Struble]

the plastic porta cable ones work great and come with the router bit