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Re: [Shop-talk] Making a door thinner

To: Shop Talk <shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Making a door thinner
From: Jim Stone via Shop-talk <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2019 12:58:58 -0500
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: shop-talk@autox.team.net
References: <FFC7826C-369E-4202-9D3F-885E13A17CED@gmail.com>
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Thanks, guys!  While I was hoping the planer was a viable option, I =
didn=E2=80=99t really expect it to work, so I appreciate being talked =
out of it before I screwed anything up.  Some additional comments on the =
recommendations:

I like the Grizzly open belt sander!  However, it would cost about as =
much as just buying custom doors, so I will probably pass on that, =
unless I get lucky and find a used one.  I=E2=80=99ll look around, just =
to be safe.
Same thing for the router jig.  I had considered using a router, but =
didn=E2=80=99t know how I=E2=80=99d get the cut even.  One of those jigs =
would certainly do the trick, but probably be cost prohibitive.  Still, =
I=E2=80=99ll research it a bit more.
Unfortunately, modifying the wall isn=E2=80=99t an option.  The door in =
the pocket is one of a pair and the total wall is about 24 ft long (and =
18=E2=80=99 high), so we=E2=80=99d be remodeling the entire house again =
at that point!
Modifying the cabinets isn=E2=80=99t an option either, although moving =
them a bit is possible.  Still, this is a wall of cabinets and there is =
an oven hood in the mix that would also need to move, so the total =
effort would be more work than anything I could run into with the doors.
On idea I considered after sending my note this morning was something =
based on floor sanding equipment.  e.g. Screw steel stock to the sides =
of the door with a 1/8=E2=80=9D reveal, rig something around the center =
to give myself a stop on the other side, and then use a large rotary =
sander.  I think it might work, but like some of the other ideas, =
probably be more trouble than the project is worth.  Still, I am =
throwing it out in case it gives anyone another idea.

So, that brings me back to the most frequent suggestion: find a cabinet =
maker.  I casually know a couple, but didn=E2=80=99t think they=E2=80=99d =
have something wide enough.  I assumed they did all of their milling to =
the base stock, before assembly and wouldn=E2=80=99t have the need to =
thin something this wide.  Knowing the tools exist and are frequently =
used gives me hope for that option, which I will pursue, if necessary.  =
First, I am going to try to get lucky and make them work without =
modification.  It is theoretically possible to mill down the =
=E2=80=99stands=E2=80=99 for the track and make it all work.  I have an =
extra set of stands, thanks to a previous mistake custom fitting the =
barn door track, so I have nothing to lose.  If I get lucky (I=E2=80=99m =
putting my odds at no better than 1:10), it will all fit perfectly and =
I=E2=80=99ll be done.  If not, I=E2=80=99ll reach out to the cabinet =
makers and see if they can help me.  Worst case is that the doors go =
back to ReStore and I try something different.

Thanks again.  I=E2=80=99ll report back when there is a final resolution =
to the issue. =20

Jim

> On Dec 22, 2019, at 9:26 AM, Jim Stone <1789alpine@gmail.com> wrote:
>=20
> I am installing a barn door in my recently remodeled house and have =
come up with a problem I would like the group=E2=80=99s help with.  I =
need to put up a pair of 8=E2=80=99 x 30" barn doors, one of which will =
slide in next to a tall kitchen cabinet.  So, not exactly a pocket door, =
but it needs to fit into a pocket.  When we designed/installed the =
kitchen cabinets we planned the cabinets for a 1 3/8=E2=80=9D - 1 1/2=E2=80=
=9D door, which I planned to make out of tongue and groove boards or =
possibly shiplap.  However, my wife has lately decided that she =
doesn=E2=80=99t like the look of the board door and wants to try =
something different.  I wanted to install something temporary while she =
shops and decides and we went to Habitat for Humanity=E2=80=99s ReStore =
yesterday to see if they had anything that would cheaply do the trick, =
at least for the holidays.  To our surprise, they had a pair of new, =
really nice, 8x30 shaker style doors for $50 each that would look really =
good in the house.  They are solid wood, I think poplar, and the only =
problem is that they are 1 3/4=E2=80=9D thick.  I bought them anyway, =
figuring I could always donate them back if there wasn=E2=80=99t a good =
way to make them work.=20
>=20
> There is a possibility that I might be able to make the doors work by =
tweaking the barn door hardware, as the opening is about 1 5/8=E2=80=9D. =
 I will try that, but doubt the wall tolerances are that precise.  It it =
doesn=E2=80=99t work, my only option - besides re-donating the doors - =
is to try to narrow the doors a bit.  This should be possible, since the =
stiles and rails are 4=E2=80=9D and 8=E2=80=9D, respectively, so I am =
not talking about narrowing the entire width of the door. =20
> (For what it is worth, I should add here that while the doors are =
currently 8x30, I need to tweak that a bit to make the match the =
cabinets and door opening and will be cutting them down to about 84=E2=80=9D=
 x 29=E2=80=9D. =20
>=20
> I currently have a good bench top planer that I can=E2=80=99t see =
anyway to use, and a cheap HF hand planer that might work.  But, of =
course, I would be happy to buy a new one or another tool that would do =
the job.  We are probably looking at more than $1000 for a pair of 8=E2=80=
=99 doors that make my wife happy, so there is lots of room in the =
budget for a new tool.  So, what does the group think?  Can I safely =
take about 1/8=E2=80=9D off each face of these doors.  Is an electric =
hand planer my best option, or is there another way?  They will be =
painted in the end, so I can fill in any random gouges, but they do have =
to be smooth and even.
>=20
> As always, thanks for any advice and Happy Holidays to all!
>=20
> Jim


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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" =
class=3D"">Thanks, guys! &nbsp;While I was hoping the planer was a =
viable option, I didn=E2=80=99t really expect it to work, so I =
appreciate being talked out of it before I screwed anything up. =
&nbsp;Some additional comments on the recommendations:<div class=3D""><br =
class=3D""></div><div class=3D""><ul class=3D"MailOutline"><li =
class=3D"">I like the Grizzly open belt sander! &nbsp;However, it would =
cost about as much as just buying custom doors, so I will probably pass =
on that, unless I get lucky and find a used one. &nbsp;I=E2=80=99ll look =
around, just to be safe.</li><li class=3D"">Same thing for the router =
jig. &nbsp;I had considered using a router, but didn=E2=80=99t know how =
I=E2=80=99d get the cut even. &nbsp;One of those jigs would certainly do =
the trick, but probably be cost prohibitive. &nbsp;Still, I=E2=80=99ll =
research it a bit more.</li><li class=3D"">Unfortunately, modifying the =
wall isn=E2=80=99t an option. &nbsp;The door in the pocket is one of a =
pair and the total wall is about 24 ft long (and 18=E2=80=99 high), so =
we=E2=80=99d be remodeling the entire house again at that point!</li><li =
class=3D"">Modifying the cabinets isn=E2=80=99t an option either, =
although moving them a bit is possible. &nbsp;Still, this is a wall of =
cabinets and there is an oven hood in the mix that would also need to =
move, so the total effort would be more work than anything I could run =
into with the doors.</li><li class=3D"">On idea I considered after =
sending my note this morning was something based on floor sanding =
equipment. &nbsp;e.g. Screw steel stock to the sides of the door with a =
1/8=E2=80=9D reveal, rig something around the center to give myself a =
stop on the other side, and then use a large rotary sander. &nbsp;I =
think it might work, but like some of the other ideas, probably be more =
trouble than the project is worth. &nbsp;Still, I am throwing it out in =
case it gives anyone another idea.</li></ul><div class=3D""><br =
class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">So, that brings me back to the most =
frequent suggestion: find a cabinet maker. &nbsp;I casually know a =
couple, but didn=E2=80=99t think they=E2=80=99d have something wide =
enough. &nbsp;I assumed they did all of their milling to the base stock, =
before assembly and wouldn=E2=80=99t have the need to thin something =
this wide. &nbsp;Knowing the tools exist and are frequently used gives =
me hope for that option, which I will pursue, if necessary. &nbsp;First, =
I am going to try to get lucky and make them work without modification. =
&nbsp;It is theoretically possible to mill down the =E2=80=99stands=E2=80=99=
 for the track and make it all work. &nbsp;I have an extra set of =
stands, thanks to a previous mistake custom fitting the barn door track, =
so I have nothing to lose. &nbsp;If I get lucky (I=E2=80=99m putting my =
odds at no better than 1:10), it will all fit perfectly and I=E2=80=99ll =
be done. &nbsp;If not, I=E2=80=99ll reach out to the cabinet makers and =
see if they can help me. &nbsp;Worst case is that the doors go back to =
ReStore and I try something different.</div><div class=3D""><br =
class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">Thanks again. &nbsp;I=E2=80=99ll report =
back when there is a final resolution to the issue. &nbsp;</div><div =
class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">Jim</div><div><br =
class=3D""><blockquote type=3D"cite" class=3D""><div class=3D"">On Dec =
22, 2019, at 9:26 AM, Jim Stone &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:1789alpine@gmail.com"; =
class=3D"">1789alpine@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=3D""><meta =
http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8" =
class=3D""><div style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: =
space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=3D""><div class=3D"">I am =
installing a barn door in my recently remodeled house and have come up =
with a problem I would like the group=E2=80=99s help with. &nbsp;I need =
to put up a pair of 8=E2=80=99 x 30" barn doors, one of which will slide =
in next to a tall kitchen cabinet. &nbsp;So, not exactly a pocket door, =
but it needs to fit into a pocket. &nbsp;When we designed/installed the =
kitchen cabinets we planned the cabinets for a 1 3/8=E2=80=9D - 1 1/2=E2=80=
=9D door, which I planned to make out of tongue and groove boards or =
possibly shiplap. &nbsp;However, my wife has lately decided that she =
doesn=E2=80=99t like the look of the board door and wants to try =
something different. &nbsp;I wanted to install something temporary while =
she shops and decides and we went to Habitat for Humanity=E2=80=99s =
ReStore yesterday to see if they had anything that would cheaply do the =
trick, at least for the holidays. &nbsp;To our surprise, they had a pair =
of new, really nice, 8x30 shaker style doors for $50 each that would =
look really good in the house. &nbsp;They are solid wood, I think =
poplar, and the only problem is that they are 1 3/4=E2=80=9D thick. =
&nbsp;I bought them anyway, figuring I could always donate them back if =
there wasn=E2=80=99t a good way to make them work.&nbsp;</div><div =
class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">There is a possibility =
that I might be able to make the doors work by tweaking the barn door =
hardware, as the opening is about 1 5/8=E2=80=9D. &nbsp;I will try that, =
but doubt the wall tolerances are that precise. &nbsp;It it doesn=E2=80=99=
t work, my only option - besides re-donating the doors - is to try to =
narrow the doors a bit. &nbsp;This <i class=3D"">should</i> be possible, =
since the stiles and rails are 4=E2=80=9D and 8=E2=80=9D, respectively, =
so I am not talking about narrowing the entire width of the door. =
&nbsp;</div><div class=3D"">(For what it is worth, I should add here =
that while the doors are currently 8x30, I need to tweak that a bit to =
make the match the cabinets and door opening and will be cutting them =
down to about 84=E2=80=9D x 29=E2=80=9D. &nbsp;</div><div class=3D""><br =
class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">I currently have a good bench top =
planer that I can=E2=80=99t see anyway to use, and a cheap HF hand =
planer that might work. &nbsp;But, of course, I would be happy to buy a =
new one or another tool that would do the job. &nbsp;We are probably =
looking at more than $1000 for a pair of 8=E2=80=99 doors that make my =
wife happy, so there is lots of room in the budget for a new tool. =
&nbsp;So, what does the group think? &nbsp;Can I safely take about =
1/8=E2=80=9D off each face of these doors. &nbsp;Is an electric hand =
planer my best option, or is there another way? &nbsp;They will be =
painted in the end, so I can fill in any random gouges, but they do have =
to be smooth and even.</div><div class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div =
class=3D"">As always, thanks for any advice and Happy Holidays to =
all!</div><div class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div =
class=3D"">Jim</div></div></div></blockquote></div><br =
class=3D""></div></body></html>=

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