Custom Entry Door

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BIGGER Project, even more pics than the last one!This one's for all those who were wanting to see something different than a welding cart or a table!    Have been wanting to post this for a while, but was waiting until it was "finished".  ROFL  Well, it's at about half done, but at least it's usable.Was inspired by one of these we installed about 15 years ago:  http://www.canteradoors.com/Started Feb 14, 2011 ...   can't believe it's been that long.  Glass pic was Nov 22, 2012.  Wow - time flies when you have too many projects!Pic#1  This one started with lots of sketches, then an Acad "background" for correct dimensions, with a 2012 sketch over it.  Don't like it ... keep trying!Pic#2  Jobs all seem to start like this, material arrives at the "yard" . Wash all the tubes first, 50% Simple Green, on trailer or sawhorses, rinse, repeat! Pic#3  Then they visit the "chopper".Pic#4  Cut parts sized, stacked and rusting!  The 2x2's on the far side are the sidelites, the 2x4 dark (btw, why is it dark?) tube is the door, the rest is the frame. Pic#5  Door hinges need cutouts.  Locate hinges on the frame and door, precisely score layout lines, clamp on a metal guide, chop with the slitter wheel - reduce speed for control - clean out corners with hack saw blade.  Next ...Last edited by Fabn4Fun; 09-15-2013 at 10:46 AM.
Reply:Pic#1  Finally a weld pic!   Hinges are screwed into tapped holes in a 1/4"x1.5"x9" backer strap.  It was a real struggle to de-burr the inside of the holes.    The washers are temporary to clamp the backer to the tube, otherwise the hinge and backer just "floats" in the hole.  The hinge is .130" thick and the tube is .083".Pic#2  Jamb strike plate needed its own cutout and jig.Plug welds - at least they grind out nice.Pic#3  And even that had to be "adjusted" afterward - trimmed out an extra 1/8" along the back.  Pic#4  Tacking up the frame.  Commercially they use 2x6x12ga.  But I wanted a "slimline" frame 1.5" thick to maximize the sidelite windows.  Also, the stops add 1/2" to each side, and I didn't want it too chunky. Of course, 1.5"x6"x14ga wasn't available, and if it was, the 6" faces would bow out a little - how would I flatten it out?  Sure would have made it easier though. Anyway, hinge pockets show the inside frame (face down) built first.  Door alignment is critical in all three directions.  Built outside frame on top of it."Forest of clamps" again for tacking.  Since all the inside faces get 1.5" wide stops, it made sense to use a 1.5"x2.5" tube as the door jamb, and a 1.5"x3" "jamb extensions" outside, 1/2" gap for "thermal break".Typical weld shows outside corner vertical down.  Face is butt weld. Probably V=2 at speed 30.Pic#5  Oh crap!    The inside corner fillets - at the door jambs to head - warped the top of the frame about 1/8", so the sidelites "parallelogrammed".  Couldn't clamp/jack/torch this one.    So lay a couple beads on the top face about the same heat and speed as the inside fillet weld, V=4, speed 50.Next ...
Reply:Pic#1  Then lay down another bead because two doesn't do it. Two beads vertical up, one vertical down for comparison. After they straightened the head tubes, I ground them off.  Pic#2  Oh fun!  Since it weighs almost 200 lbs, even more than me , I have to drag it up on to the saw horses to paint it! Pic#3  Sidelites.  Tacked, then welded outside corners to square it up.  Clamped in 2x2x16ga at the top two of em at the bottom.  Pic#4  Typical weld, probably V=2 speed 30. Gap was too tight, should have v-grooved it, would have saved lots of grinding.  Welded right over galvax primer, no apparent problems.Pic#5  Didn't know exactly how to plan ahead  for warpage, the material is 14ga tube.  So the door and both sidelites vertical stiles warped IN when welding the corners, about 3/16" at mid-height.  Jacked them until they bent 1/8" out, then heated just the outside of the corners to red hot with the rosebud tip on the O/A torch.  Sprayed them with water until cool.  They straightened right out.Next ...
Reply:Pic#1  "French" doors have a bottom rail higher than the stiles and top rail. Added 2x2x14ga tube at bottom.  Shown tacked, but later welded solid, V=2, speed 30 to keep the heat down.  Bondo probably would have sufficed ... but there's no "seat time" in that!  Pic#2  Sidelite sanded to 50 or 60 grit after welding the tube in solid. Bit of a mistake using 16ga - it "oilcans" a little compared to 14ga with long welds.Pic#3  Finish sanded to 80 grit with stikit disk.  Love that thing!  Nice edge radius matching, even at the corner!  With galvax and primer lightly sanded, and two topcoats paint, probably could stop at 60grit, but I like the look at 80!Pic#4  The heights we go to finish the inside corners!    4" stile at the top and 6" at the bottom to match the door.Pic#5  Sidelights galvax coat, door primed.  Fill low spots with a couple coats of that lacquer based spot filler, feather edges, sand out.Next ...
Reply:Pic#1  ToolTime - make the tools to build the project!    This countersinks the stops for their flat head screws.  Cut a piece of 1/2" HR bar about 1+3/8" square, tacked thru hole in 1/2" plate.  Round the corners to match the stop, which is cut from 1.5" galv suspended (plaster) ceiling channel.  Drill and countersink, trial and error fit.  The male die is a worn out air chisel bit ground to same angle as countersink.  Whack a couple times with the BFH - fits perfect!Pic#2  Primed.  Lay doors in frame on 2x4's, make sure bottom is flush, and doors have 1/10" to 1/8" clearance.  Check!Pic#3  Shim up stop with 1/8" strap, mark holes, punch, pilot and tap.Pic#4  Stops installed left and top for fit.  Right shows jamb before stop.  Drill chuck damaged the primer, spot fill it.Pic#5  Door, two sidelights, frame and stops topcoat painted.  I like gray!  Don't worry, dirt floor was thoroughly soaked - a mudhole - before / during / after each coat! Next ...Last edited by Fabn4Fun; 09-15-2013 at 12:00 PM.
Reply:Pic#1  Paint still soft.  Frame weighs 200 lbs.  How do I move it?  Alone , but with wheels, of course.   Was even worse at the unloading end - tight spaces and hard edges everywhere!  Thank heaven for towels ...Pic#2  Frame has to go indoors, and lean back up against ext stucco.Pic#3  3/8x5" lag bolt into framing, three per side.  Goes thru the 1/2" tube used to space the frame. Pic#4  The stop trims cover the gap and bolts.  1/8x3/8 self adhesive EPDM foam tape at stops.  Pic#5  Sidelite installed in frame with (4) 1/4" flat head screws per side.  A strip of foam tape in the gap about 1/4" back seals and spaces it.  Hinge knuckle on left, right jamb tapped for latch.  Door hinge at right.Next ...Last edited by Fabn4Fun; 09-15-2013 at 12:01 PM.
Reply:Pic#1  Oh NO! How do I install the glass?  The commercial versions of doors like this have operable glass - casement windows in the door frame.  How can I do that?   For one?  All three?  Should all have screens?  Well, if I want them to look the same ... Here's the design sketches.  Eliminated 8 ideas, settled on the one with the asterisk.  Material list sizes at lower right.  Pic#2  3/4"x1/8" angle frame for the glass.  Weld has to be ground inside and out.Pic#3  That screws to a 3/16"x1+1/4" flat frame.Pic#4  Cool hinges called "Oval" hinges. This one welded to strap that screws to the angle.  Hangs on Pic#1, next post. It's times like this I wish I had the control of a TIG welder! Pic#5  Three flat frames and three angle frames, Rusto Rusty Metal Primer.Next ...  almost done ...Last edited by Fabn4Fun; 09-15-2013 at 12:06 PM.
Reply:Pic#1  The hinge knuckle sure looks good painted!  Since the welds were inconsistent, I had to grind/sand them uniform. There's a brass bearing washer that fits it, not shown.Pic#2  Glass fits in the angle frames with 3/16" neoprene spacer blocks all sides.  Glass shown resting on the 1/16"x3/8" foam glazing tape.  Note that the screw holes are close in to the angle so the glass does NOT rest on the screws!Peeling the backer strip lets glass stick to foam strip.  It's 1/4" laminated safety glass so the windshield repair guys can fix the bullet holes!Pic#3   lost a couple dozen pics of the completion and installation of the operable windows and the door itself!    Will have to re-take them when I get back, and maybe bump the thread if anyone's interested!Door is lurking deep in the shadows, operational, complete except for ornamental iron grillework and stained glass.  The gate was the last thread, the arch is the next.  Hope you enjoyed it!  I do NOT recommend it for northern climes, where frost and condensation work their own "magic" on it!  In SoCal or the Southwest, and in the shade , is best!Special shout out to the Webmasters - THANK YOU !!! for making pics insertable between text.  You don't know how much I appreciate that and the automatic picture size reducer!  Last edited by Fabn4Fun; 09-15-2013 at 12:07 PM.
Reply:Very nice. I for one would like to she more pics of the final install.
Reply:AWESOME !   You out did yourself. Trees are sure handy too.  Used many to straighten out bumpers, trailers, farm implements too. Wife should be proud !  They never appreciate all of our ingenuity  or hard work. The rest of us do .
Reply:Nice work from a fellow Aridzonian. I do a lot of doors, and your work is very well thought out, and well done. After having used those hinges for years, I have gone away from using them. I now use either a ball bearing hinge (the industrial looking BB pintle hinge) that I will round the ends off in the lathe, or a 8" barrel hinge. Both of those, I have found, give a longer service life, and easier swinging.
Reply:Cool project I never thought about making my own door for the house - nicely done.I like that you mentioned how you straightened warped areas as well.Dave J.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:I really appreciate the time you to took to document this build and share it with us.  Thank you!!
Reply:What more can be said.It is well designed, well executed and well documented. Thanks for sharing your project.PlasmaCam CNC cutterLathe and Band SawClamps
Reply:Outstanding, it fits right in with the rest of your iron works in the final picture. I hope you have some accent lighting to bring life to your works at night time. Great Job, thanks for sharing and taking us step by step.
Reply:Sorry for the delay, but even my vacation is getting eaten by projects!  Like this one - repair a completely rotted out cross mullion above the awning unit in an Anderson style window... in place and without any shop equipment!  In a faux finished wall.  Without removing the window.    YAY Bondo!!! Originally Posted by 7A749Yu rocked this out man!Awesome!