I am intending to trim 1/2" from the bottom of a solid oak panel door using
a skil saw. Do I have to take any precautions to avoid tear-out of the ends
of the stiles? Thanks.

On Tue, 30 Jan 2007 22:17:53 GMT, "Jay Kellaway" wrote:

I am intending to trim 1/2" from the bottom of a solid oak panel door using
a skil saw. Do I have to take any precautions to avoid tear-out of the ends
of the stiles? Thanks.

Score the door with a sharp knife just a hair north of your cut and you should be
good to go even with a poor blade.

On Tue, 30 Jan 2007 22:17:53 GMT, "Jay Kellaway"
wrote:

I am intending to trim 1/2" from the bottom of a solid oak panel door using
a skil saw. Do I have to take any precautions to avoid tear-out of the ends
of the stiles? Thanks.

Jimmy has the answer, score the door first. Also make sure you don't
have any burrs on the bottom of you skill saw table or use cardboard
or tape under it to be safe. You don't want to scratch your door with
the skill saw.

Mike O.

"Jay Kellaway" wrote in message
link.net...
I am intending to trim 1/2" from the bottom of a solid oak panel door using
a skil saw. Do I have to take any precautions to avoid tear-out of the
ends of the stiles? Thanks.

Scoring with a knife would help.

I'd also try to figure out if there is enough wood there to take a 1/2" off
without destroying the door. I recall trimming a wood paneled storm door as
a kid only to find that the bottom of the tennons then showed. Apparently
the door had been trimmed before or the tennons were quite wide. ;~)

John

John Grossbohlin wrote:
"Jay Kellaway" wrote in message
link.net...
I am intending to trim 1/2" from the bottom of a solid oak panel door using
a skil saw. Do I have to take any precautions to avoid tear-out of the
ends of the stiles? Thanks.

Scoring with a knife would help.

I'd also try to figure out if there is enough wood there to take a 1/2" off
without destroying the door. I recall trimming a wood paneled storm door as
a kid only to find that the bottom of the tennons then showed. Apparently
the door had been trimmed before or the tennons were quite wide. ;~)

John


How would the bottom of the door show? You'd have
to be about 1/8" tall to see anything.

This month's (January 2007) Fine Home Bouilding magazine has a short
how-to on trimming doors. I glanced at it. There was a picture of
making measurments while the door is still hung, there was tape
involved in the cutting and I think I saw a scoring knife......


On Jan 30, 3:17 pm, "Jay Kellaway" wrote:
I am intending to trim 1/2" from the bottom of a solid oak panel door using
a skil saw. Do I have to take any precautions to avoid tear-out of the ends
of the stiles? Thanks.

On 30 Jan 2007 18:14:41 -0800, "Never Enough Money" wrote:

This month's (January 2007) Fine Home Bouilding magazine has a short
how-to on trimming doors. I glanced at it. There was a picture of
making measurments while the door is still hung, there was tape
involved in the cutting and I think I saw a scoring knife......

I could have used that how-to when I cut a door down to accommodate carpet and ended
up taking 3/4 inch off the TOP... g


On Jan 30, 3:17 pm, "Jay Kellaway" wrote:
I am intending to trim 1/2" from the bottom of a solid oak panel door using
a skil saw. Do I have to take any precautions to avoid tear-out of the ends
of the stiles? Thanks.

"George E. Cawthon" wrote in message
...
John Grossbohlin wrote:
"Jay Kellaway" wrote in message
link.net...
I am intending to trim 1/2" from the bottom of a solid oak panel door
using a skil saw. Do I have to take any precautions to avoid tear-out
of the ends of the stiles? Thanks.

Scoring with a knife would help.

I'd also try to figure out if there is enough wood there to take a 1/2"
off without destroying the door. I recall trimming a wood paneled storm
door as a kid only to find that the bottom of the tennons then showed.
Apparently the door had been trimmed before or the tennons were quite
wide. ;~)

John


How would the bottom of the door show? You'd have to be about 1/8" tall
to see anything.

They would show after cutting but that wasn't the problem. The problem is
that if you cut the bottom side off the mortise there isn't anything to
support and hold the bottom rail and panels in place... though the mortise
and tennon is nailed (not glued) everything eventually falls due to gravity.

John