I was doing some work at my MIL's house yesterday and I finally pulled
the old divided light doors I had been eyeing up out from behind a
mountain of other stuff.

After I got them home and took a better look here is what I have.

Door1
36" wide.
Veneered (~3/16") in either oak or chestnut with a little lifting and
a few small splits that could be fixed with a little glue and some
filler.
All the molding is in place but a few pieces are very dry and warped
slightly but nothing an extra brad or two couldn't fix.
All 15 panes of glass are good.
Mortised latch with one knob missing.

Door2
30" wide.
Stained dark so I'm not sure but is probably solid fir because it is
very straight and the grain looks like pine.
Three panes of glass and some molding missing.
(I could cut a few panes from door 1 to the size needed for this door)
One of the horizontal divders is damaged and would need to be
replaced.
Mortised latch with one knob missing.

Either door will work for what I have in mind, a door off the foyer
that leads to a hallway. The door will be open 96% percent of the time
and will be visible as you enter the front door. The foyer has oak
floors that are that golden poly color.

I've never made or worked on a divided light door so a few questions.

If I go with door 1 should I remove all the glass before stripping,
sanding and finishing? The door may end up just getting poly like the
floor. The side with the few splits would be on the hallway side so
the repair isn't an issue. What would be an issue is the glass, If I
break a pane I'd have to replace them all because I doubt I could find
a piece of wavy glass to match.

If I go with door 2 do I need to dissasemble the enitre door to
replace the broken piece?
(I also took and old piece of flooring that might work for the
replacement parts.
are router bits available to make the parts for a 1.5" divided light
door?
(I don't have a 45 or 55 stanley so I would need router bits)

Go with door 3 and just buy a new door that will have gnarly grain and
will warp about a week after I hange it?

I vote you go with the wider door.

If I go with door 1 should I remove all the glass before stripping,
sanding and finishing? *

Yes, remove the glass. After removing the moldings, use a thin razor
knife to cut through any (soft?) caulking. If there is putty, take
care to remove it, so as not to break the glass.... shouldn't be too
much of a problem, just take your time. If there is putty, there is,
also, likely to be some triangle metal cleats holding the glass in
place.

If I go with door 2 do I need to dissasemble the enitre door to
replace the broken piece?

No. Make 2 pieces extra long, then connect them, using a lap joint,
when assembling onto the door. There won't be enough stress of this
repaired piece, warranting worry about the stability of the lap
joint. Make sure the 2 pieces are aligned straight, when
assembling... if possible or if need be, insert the repair pieces in
place, install (dry fit) a pane of glass and use the glass edge for
alignment.

Rather than invest in router bits, for a one time use (?), maybe ask a
cabinet maker to rout an appropriate profile on the repair pieces.

Sonny

In article 5cd91825-8df5-4e70-a26e-0a92b3c84bc6
@f6g2000prf.googlegroups.com, says...

I vote you go with the wider door.

If I go with door 1 should I remove all the glass before stripping,
sanding and finishing? *

Yes, remove the glass. After removing the moldings, use a thin razor
knife to cut through any (soft?) caulking. If there is putty, take
care to remove it, so as not to break the glass.... shouldn't be too
much of a problem, just take your time. If there is putty, there is,
also, likely to be some triangle metal cleats holding the glass in
place.

If I go with door 2 do I need to dissasemble the enitre door to
replace the broken piece?

No. Make 2 pieces extra long, then connect them, using a lap joint,
when assembling onto the door. There won't be enough stress of this
repaired piece, warranting worry about the stability of the lap
joint. Make sure the 2 pieces are aligned straight, when
assembling... if possible or if need be, insert the repair pieces in
place, install (dry fit) a pane of glass and use the glass edge for
alignment.

Rather than invest in router bits, for a one time use (?), maybe ask a
cabinet maker to rout an appropriate profile on the repair pieces.

Or see if the local hardwood yard can do it on their shaper.

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
in.local...
In article 5cd91825-8df5-4e70-a26e-0a92b3c84bc6
@f6g2000prf.googlegroups.com, says...

I vote you go with the wider door.

If I go with door 1 should I remove all the glass
before stripping,
sanding and finishing?

Yes, remove the glass. After removing the moldings, use
a thin razor
knife to cut through any (soft?) caulking. If there is
putty, take
care to remove it, so as not to break the glass....
shouldn't be too
much of a problem, just take your time. If there is
putty, there is,
also, likely to be some triangle metal cleats holding the
glass in
place.

If I go with door 2 do I need to dissasemble the enitre
door to
replace the broken piece?

No. Make 2 pieces extra long, then connect them, using a
lap joint,
when assembling onto the door. There won't be enough
stress of this
repaired piece, warranting worry about the stability of
the lap
joint. Make sure the 2 pieces are aligned straight, when
assembling... if possible or if need be, insert the
repair pieces in
place, install (dry fit) a pane of glass and use the
glass edge for
alignment.

Rather than invest in router bits, for a one time use
(?), maybe ask a
cabinet maker to rout an appropriate profile on the
repair pieces.

Or see if the local hardwood yard can do it on their
shaper.



I'd do was has worked well in more than one location on
the mutins or custom molding: call a number of window
outfits and ask them who can make you a custom
door/window with glass panes to match what you
have. Someone will know and when the same
names reappear they'd be contacted. As such
people also do some of the repairs/restoration you're
considering, the luck of finding an affable proprietor
would aslo give you another base for answers to
your questions.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey