Mother's Day Screen Door Nightmare!

That door is just beautiful!

-- Still clinging to my guns and religion.

Door looks great!

Mistake? What mistake?

There are obviously a lot of hours in this project. I’m sure Mom loves it!

On a side note, I think if you make these often, then constructing an ellipse jig for your router would be a great service to your craft. Freehanding a router for your designs is essential, however when routing things like your outer ellipses it might be helpful to get those perfect, which a jig can help with. The human eye notices imperfect geometric shapes, but not so much on things like your inner details. I think if you were to rout the ellipses with a jig, then freehand your designs, not only would you prevent more patch jobs, but you would also bring your work to a whole different level.

Good work!

JC

-- Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. -Carl Sagan

Thanks All!

JC~I definitely think I need a jig but as usual (for me) I have no clue how to make one! LOL. This was my first ellipitical shape and I hated every minute of it. However, it’s been on my parent’s house for roughly three hours and I’ve already gotten a call to make another just like it…So yeah, I gotta figure out how to make a jig.

-- Robbinscabin

The door will be loved by your Mother no matter what mistake and if there are any I can’t see them.I think you will enjoy the new router to make more great doors.keep up the nice work

Hey Robbin
Great save, woodworking is not just making things it’s being able to pull them out of disaster,as you did so well. As for the ellipse Jig ,woodcraft sells one for under $10 for drawing the circle and then you can make a pattern and use it to route your doors by using a pattern router bit to follow the pattern and cut you groove around the door.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Wow… That’s one beautiful screen door….You’re a fantastic woodworker…. You had some problems but you over came them…. Thanks for posting this…

Happy Mother’s Day,

Rob

-- Happy and safe woodworking, Flcopper169@aol.com

Check this out for cutting ellipses….You can make a jig simply on the tablesaw:

http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/A_Jig_for_Drawing_or_Cutting_Ellipses.html

-- Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. -Carl Sagan

I couldn’t make out all the details in your earlier pictures, but now that it’s painted and stained it really looks great. Nice new tools too. If you ever find yourself needing some hardware or tools after hours again, just send me a message. I believe I’m less than an hour away so if I have it, it’s yours (hardware, not the tools of course) or you can borrow any tool I have that I can lift into my truck.

-- Dale Manning, Carthage, NY

FX~Mom doesn’t see the mistakes and apparently neither do her neighbors so…we are our own worst critics.

Jim~Do you give classes? LOL. You’ve given me so many tips and tricks that I’d pay big money for a tutoring lesson! I will head to WoodCraft immediately. (See, I even do my homework~heehee)

Rob~Reading your post I laughed out loud at being called a fantastic woodworker. I’ve seen some really amazing projects on this site done by really outstanding woodworkers. Me, I just barely cut a straight line (that’s why I call all my projects rustic—LOL). Still, thanks for the compliments and for the laugh.

JC~Soon as I’m done with Professor Jim’s homework, I’ll make sure I start in your assignment. ; )

Dale~How neighborly of you! I’ve never dropped in on a neighbor for a cup of sugar…but deck screws, that just might happen.

-- Robbinscabin

Anybody can cut a square door but your great design and carving really is impressive!
Everytime anyone goes through the door you work will be appreciated and remembered. Any mistakes we make when building a project most likely would never be noticed by anyone else because they aren’t involved with each and every step of the process.
Great Door! Happy Mothers day to your Mom…

-- Each and Every step of any project should be considered your masterpiece if you want the finished product to reflect the quality of your work. Greg Little

nice door! I’ll stop out to your mom and dad’s and see it some time this week.If you need some tools or hardware call me or stop at the house.My shop is your shop:)( Roger)

-- Roger,N.Y.

Roger~Thanks for stopping by. Heard your old man was already razzing Mom & Dad about their broken railing. LOL. Mom insists that I defend their poor old porch so here goes….

This winter the snow came crashing off their metal roof and crashed onto their porch. This has happened a lot over the past few winters but this time the weight and speed of the snow cracked the porch railings in two. Now, that spring is finally here (although you wouldn’t know it by today’s temps) they will be replacing the railings and giving the deck a “freshening”. There’s even talk about changing the trim color to blend better with the new door. THERE MOM, I’ve defended your honor! LOL.

-- Robbinscabin

It’s wonderful !!! Great job : )

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

What a great idea for a screen door, it’s beautiful.

Good job!

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

that door looks great. did you start with a reg. door or cut out your own?

is great idea. would love to have one like that at my house.

-- pat,ohio...http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/patshwigar/

Pat~I use 3/4” plywood cut to 36×80 (typical door size) or to custom measurements and then draw my design out in chalk. Then me and my jigsaw get down to business. Usually I go through at least one if not two blades. Once I’m done jigsawing the design I dremel, dremel, dremel, router, stain (both sides of door), poly, and poly again. Then flip the door over and insert the screen into the routered channel and add a 1×4” frame around the entire piece for stability. That’s it. Give it a try. Given the talent that you have I’m sure you could make a door that would make me drool!

-- Robbinscabin

Wonderful story that only a true LJ could tell. But never fear, you never make mistakes but live a life time of becoming an expert. Nice job.

Hello, nice door, glad you got it done! Remember it gives you experience! If you haven’t got a jig or template for an oval, I have a suggestion: you know you can make a circle with a piece of string and a nail in the middle right? well, an oval takes 2 nails one above the other, and a circle of string and just put your pencil in the edge of the string circle and stretch it around making your line. Hope this helps, Tim

-- Dayton, Ohio If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.