ledged doors

[Schoolmarm]

Oh ok.

 

[Penners]

The grooves are for "under-relief"

I've lost count of the number of times that I've needed "under-relief".


(I'd be happy to do without the grooves, though)

 

[biffvernon]

It would take me most of two days to make a half decent oak ledged door. The cost? Think of your daily rate of pay and double it.

 

[Jon Maine]

It would take me most of two days to make a half decent oak ledged door. The cost? Think of your daily rate of pay and double it.

Maybe on a one off basis, we made a couple of dozen but it took around 20 days, but then we made all the planks, then all of the ledges and then assembled them.

 

[MdB]

More pics,

I think I got nails that where a little too short but the next size up would have been too long I think. The nails where thin and soft enough to bend the end over with pliers. This enabled me to bury the end into the wood as I bent the nail over with the hammer.

I found that drilling a hole the size of the nail as it exited the wood was too small and would split the plank and had to go a couple of sizes larger. It was very much worth experimenting with the some test pieces first to get this right and the technique for clinching.

The finished door:

(sorry about all the unfinished blockwork around it...)

I would welcome any comments on what I've done wrong in the above as I've at least another door to do and I might as well get it right on the next attempt. Having said that I'm happy enough with the first one. It looks great.

Thanks for all the helpful comments from everyone.

 

[biffvernon]

Maybe on a one off basis, we made a couple of dozen but it took around 20 days, but then we made all the planks, then all of the ledges and then assembled them.[/quote]

That sounds about right. My time starts when the lorry arrives with a through and through sawn tree. Sure, if you've a stack of planed planks, dried and waiting in the workshop, with a fair number to go at, half the work is done.

Door looks great MdB. What sort of latches will you use?

 

[MdB]

Door looks great MdB. What sort of latches will you use?

Errm... These ones:

We found out that we had ordered the same type once they turned up. Not trying to copy you Andrew, honest!

 

[JoceAndChris]

Absolutely lovely.

 

[Jon Maine]

That sounds about right. My time starts when the lorry arrives with a through and through sawn tree. Sure, if you've a stack of planed planks, dried and waiting in the workshop, with a fair number to go at, half the work is done.

Well we had quite a lot of timber collected over the years for this project Biff, we did put a tin roof over the garden to store it.

However we only managed to season on site some steps, floors for the mezzanines and a few other odds and ends.

So yes these were ordered for doors planed ready to go, although that still required edges truing and certain machine marks removing.

But I agree it has been so satisfying incorporating bark covered wood into building, it is a reality check I enjoyed hugely.

And of course there is an economy of scales, I am sure if you were making 2 dozen doors from quarter sawn or through and through you would not be that far behind us at all.

Funny thing though, where I used a large chunk of Burr oak for a landing many fine woodworkers have almost cried, although I can say it was bought ex-sawmill un seasoned freshly slabbed.

 

[Jon Maine]

Door looks great MdB. What sort of latches will you use?

Errm... These ones:

We found out that we had ordered the same type once they turned up. Not trying to copy you Andrew, honest!

Can I be nosy and ask what they cost please?

 

[MdB]

Ours were £8.99 on ebay I think (search for Suffolk latch and you will find them). There are similar parts which may or may not be better quality which look very similar for £30ish. I certainly wouldn't call ours high quality but they don't look like they will fall to bits in 5 minutes so will hopefully do the job. We plan to get some more for the other door having now seen them.

 

[Jon Maine]

I Imported these directly from India for about a third of this plus transport, so all in all at 8.99 that was a good deal. I dont think they should fall apart and I have seen them for up to £30 too and they probably are the same.

 

[biffvernon]

Is there anything better that the malleable whiteheart iron from Kirkpatrick's?

http://www.arciron.com/hinges2.html
http://www.arciron.com/blackiron02.html

 

[Jon Maine]

Is there anything better that the malleable whiteheart iron from Kirkpatrick's?

http://www.arciron.com/hinges2.html
http://www.arciron.com/blackiron02.html

Depends what you are looking for I guess. I can see that they may suit some places but I don't personally like the cast stuff.

Traditional was mostly hand forged on the anvil which is what the MdB latch is. The Indian handmade stuff is quite authentic in construction, The main problem is we used to have regional or different blacksmiths variants on design see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fixtures-Fittings-1300-1900-Englands-History/dp/1853067423 . Whilst they look authentic they have turned into a blanket design for the whole country.

I did get my latches made to the original style used in the building and the hinges which were traditionally fire-welded. Not everyone can be in a position to commission there own to I understand.

 

[borischarlton]

I have now finished my doors and I am very pleased with the results, I have given them a thin coat of wax and they look like they have been there for years. Exactly as I wanted. I used fittings from this guy

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/merchant/cotswoldironworks_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

He was very efficient and to get hand forged pieces for that price is very good.

Rob

 

[borischarlton]

I must say that those black powder coated fittings are really nasty!!

 

[Jon Maine]

Here is a couple of pictures of the original hinge from the building and the replicaView attachment 1
You can see it is all fire welded together as the original was

 

[Jon Maine]

And for the latch sets

We started with thisView attachment 1

We ended up with this, the shadow did not give the profile for the handle so I made an educated guess, However not that I can find it now I recently found a side view of the door before the vandals stole the latch which confirms the shape is actually very accurate.


You will note that the latching bar has the same cross on it as MdB's, very busy town Moradabad in India which is where most of it comes from

 

[MdB]

Thanks for that Jon, very interesting. Did you go to India to get this all sorted out?

Do you know what the significance of cross is?

 

[biffvernon]

I did a door with one of these, hand forged in stainless steel. Cost about as much as the door, but the customer is always right (ish).