On Dec 31, 3:30*pm, wrote:
On Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:38:12 -0800 (PST), Warbler
wrote:

My house (vintage 1836) has a beat up exterior wood door that is so
drafty that during last week's cold weather, ice was forming on the
interior side. *Well my wife demanded that a new door has to rise to
the top of the long list of woodworking projects that never get done.
Hey I've been working on her buffet piece for nine months and still
not half way there. *But to my question. *Are there any good sources
(books?) that go into all the details on how to build a a top quality
wood door. *I remember seeing posters of all the classic doors from
Dublin & NYC and thougth someone has written on this subject with a
woodworker in mind.

Thanks for any guidance

If for some reason you decide to go against the good advice of Leon,
Robert and all that replied, and do indeed tackle this project, let me
offer a few tips.

Purchase your stock (in the rough) *from a reputable mill to insure
it's properly dried (check it's moisture content if possible). Pick
the two straightest pieces for your stiles. Assuming you have a good
longbed jointer and planer, joint one face until absolutely flat. Now
plane to within 1/8" of your final thickness. Let it set for a few
days to see how it stabilizes. Better to reject pieces now than the
whole door later. Usually pieces will not be perfectly straight. Pick
the straightest stile for the strike side ( the hinges will help to
straighten the hinge side stile). Also keep in mind which face is
Inside/outside so any slight curve in the stile will hit the jamb
first at the top and bottom. Clear as mud ?

And now that you've read that go buy a door. * =0 )

Lenny

Lots of suggestions to go buy a door versus build. In all my limited
years (about 10) of woodworking I've rarely built anything that
couldn't be found cheaper purchased at one of those furniture import
shops (West Elm, Pier One, iKea). I tolerate that stuff in my house
only when my wife nags me to either finish the project or she is going
to buy it on our credit card. Good news is that she appreciates my
craftmanship, the credit card is maxed out and she loves to shop for
quality wood.