I need to take 1/4" off the bottom of an interior door. What's the best
tool for the job? I recall using a plane in my school woodworking days,
and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Obviously I'd like to get a
consistent result along the width of the door and I don't trust my
ability with a plane. Is there any alternative?

hicks wrote:
I need to take 1/4" off the bottom of an interior door. What's the best
tool for the job? I recall using a plane in my school woodworking days,
and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Obviously I'd like to get a
consistent result along the width of the door and I don't trust my
ability with a plane. Is there any alternative?

A sharp plane with a bit of weight to it is OK. An ordinary panel saw
will do the job quite easily, and you'd only need to chamfer the edges
afterwards to get a neat finish. A power planer will be recommended by
someone, *but* if you use one, be *very* careful with your fingers
(and other parts). If you've got a circular saw, that'll do the job
and you will only need to lightly rub down the edges of the cut. Ditto
the care aspect!

wrote:
I need to take 1/4" off the bottom of an interior door. What's the
best tool for the job? I recall using a plane in my school
woodworking days, and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Obviously I'd
like to get a consistent result along the width of the door and I
don't trust my ability with a plane. Is there any alternative?

Circular saw and one of these; http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm

You will get a dead accurate clean cut.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

wrote:
I need to take 1/4" off the bottom of an interior door. What's the best
tool for the job? I recall using a plane in my school woodworking days,
and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Obviously I'd like to get a
consistent result along the width of the door and I don't trust my
ability with a plane. Is there any alternative?

Sharp new cross cut saw.

And sandpaper to finish.

If I can take a similar amount of a 20mm sold oak door in 20 minutes*,
you shouldn't be in trouble on a normal cardboard and softwood door..

*including unmounting, and redrilling for 'higher' hinges...

The message
from "The Medway Handyman" contains
these words:

Circular saw and one of these; http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm

You will get a dead accurate clean cut.

Seriously useful, however the one I made had a minor mod. I had another
strip of ply screwed/glued on edge to the double-thickness bit under the
saw. Low enough to clear the back of the motor (or far enough back,
depending which saw I'm using). Made it more rigid, which is an
advantage if you're not working on a nice flat bench. For cutting really
thin ply or hardboard it made quite a difference.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

The Medway Handyman wrote:
wrote:
I need to take 1/4" off the bottom of an interior door. What's the
best tool for the job? I recall using a plane in my school
woodworking days, and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Obviously I'd
like to get a consistent result along the width of the door and I
don't trust my ability with a plane. Is there any alternative?

Circular saw and one of these; http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm

You will get a dead accurate clean cut.



That's a great idea. I don't have a circular saw, but I do have a
jigsaw. I suppose the sawboard would work with that too.

hicks wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
hicks wrote:
I need to take 1/4" off the bottom of an interior door. What's the
best tool for the job? I recall using a plane in my school
woodworking days, and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Obviously I'd
like to get a consistent result along the width of the door and I
don't trust my ability with a plane. Is there any alternative?
Circular saw and one of these; http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm

You will get a dead accurate clean cut.

That's a great idea. I don't have a circular saw, but I do have a
jigsaw. I suppose the sawboard would work with that too.


That's not a very good idea at all. The blade will tend to wander. You
can minimise this by cutting an inch or two along from alternate sides,
but this is a PITA. A panel saw would be far better, and doesn't take
long either!

wrote:

Circular saw and one of these;
http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm

You will get a dead accurate clean cut.



That's a great idea. I don't have a circular saw, but I do have a
jigsaw. I suppose the sawboard would work with that too.

Jigsaw won't cut a straight line whatever you do, not what the tool was
designed for. If you did get a straight line it wouldn't be square. You
can pick up circular saws for £20 these days
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...%2Bjigsaws.htm
for example.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257



--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

Chris Bacon wrote:
hicks wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
hicks wrote:
I need to take 1/4" off the bottom of an interior door. What's the
best tool for the job? I recall using a plane in my school
woodworking days, and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Obviously I'd
like to get a consistent result along the width of the door and I
don't trust my ability with a plane. Is there any alternative?
Circular saw and one of these; http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm

You will get a dead accurate clean cut.

That's a great idea. I don't have a circular saw, but I do have a
jigsaw. I suppose the sawboard would work with that too.


That's not a very good idea at all. The blade will tend to wander. You
can minimise this by cutting an inch or two along from alternate sides,
but this is a PITA. A panel saw would be far better, and doesn't take
long either!

But my jigsaw has a base plate. That would be up against the guide
ripper on the sawboard, so enabling a straight line cut. ?
I'll do a few test cuts to see if it works.

wrote:
Chris Bacon wrote:
hicks wrote:
That's a great idea. I don't have a circular saw, but I do have a
jigsaw. I suppose the sawboard would work with that too.

That's not a very good idea at all. The blade will tend to wander. You
can minimise this by cutting an inch or two along from alternate sides,
but this is a PITA. A panel saw would be far better, and doesn't take
long either!

But my jigsaw has a base plate. That would be up against the guide
ripper on the sawboard, so enabling a straight line cut. ?
I'll do a few test cuts to see if it works.

The blade itself bends (especially) when cutting along the
grain. The cut on the "top" may well be pretty straight,
the other side could wobble all over the place, maybe
+/- 3/8" (9mm) for the thickness of a door.

Chris Bacon wrote:
hicks wrote:
[ trimming a door with a jigsaw ]

The blade itself bends (especially) when cutting along the
grain. The cut on the "top" may well be pretty straight,
the other side could wobble all over the place, maybe
+/- 3/8" (9mm) for the thickness of a door.

Instead of: You'll get:


| | | |
| | | |
| door | | door |
| | | |
| | | _,,-. - this edge will wobble
|___________| |_,,..-'' up and down like waves.

==============f=l=o=o=r===============

Try it, as you say, on some scrap. Knots especially will
throw the blade off course.

The message . com
from contains these words:

But my jigsaw has a base plate. That would be up against the guide
ripper on the sawboard, so enabling a straight line cut. ?

In theory - but it doesn't really work like that. The blade will often
flex at the root, so you appear to be following the line until you get
to the end and find that the top may be a straight line but the bottom's
wandered all over the place.

If you ain't got a circular saw, just use an ordinary hand saw, it'll do
the job in less than a minute and be much much straighter and neater.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Chris Bacon wrote:
Chris Bacon wrote:
hicks wrote:
[ trimming a door with a jigsaw ]

The blade itself bends (especially) when cutting along the
grain. The cut on the "top" may well be pretty straight,
the other side could wobble all over the place, maybe
+/- 3/8" (9mm) for the thickness of a door.

Instead of: You'll get:


| | | |
| | | |
| door | | door |
| | | |
| | | _,,-. - this edge will wobble
|___________| |_,,..-'' up and down like waves.

==============f=l=o=o=r===============

Try it, as you say, on some scrap. Knots especially will
throw the blade off course.

ok. But I'm wondering, as it's such a small amount I need to remove, if
a plane is the right tool to use after all.

hicks wrote:
I'm wondering, as it's such a small amount I need to remove, if
a plane is the right tool to use after all.

You could, but if you don't want a "schooldays experience",
make sure it's sharp! You can chamfer each side, and then
remove the central portion, which takes less effort than
going full width all the way:


| | | | |_________|
\_______| \_______/

1 2 3

Don't forget to plane "inwards" from each "edge" to avoid
the timber "breaking out"

You should be able to cut off 1/4" with a hand saw, though,
make sure it's sharp, and don't force it through, just let
it rub through with little pressure on it.

Apologies if you are already experienced...

The message . com
from contains these words:

ok. But I'm wondering, as it's such a small amount I need to remove, if
a plane is the right tool to use after all.

Possibly, but either fit a bit of scrap to the end to support it, or
always plane in towards the middle otherwise you'll snap a big splinter
off the far side.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

The message
from Chris Bacon contains these words:

Don't forget to plane "inwards" from each "edge" to avoid
the timber "breaking out"

Sodding baconrays again.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Guy King wrote:
The message . com
from contains these words:

ok. But I'm wondering, as it's such a small amount I need to remove, if
a plane is the right tool to use after all.

Possibly, but either fit a bit of scrap to the end to support it, or
always plane in towards the middle otherwise you'll snap a big splinter
off the far side.


Oh the memories come flooding back! Why didn't I listen to my old
woodwork teacher? Thanks for the advice folks. I'll invest in a decent
plane.