# External Door making sets



## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

Hi

I've been looking for a set for panelled external doors. All the ones I've seen advertised seem to be for a maximum 1 3/4" which is obviously somewhat flimsy for an external door, particularly when you consider that the tongues are only 1/2".
Has anyone seen any suitable for thicker doors ?

Cheers

Peter


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## RStaron (Sep 25, 2009)

Peter are your door subject to violent storms, hurricanes and such? Here in the USA 1-3/4" is the norm for external doors, 1-3/8" for interior doors. Wooden panel doors are very strong when made properly.Any larger would be custom and very expensive.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Peter

No big deal you can use the standard set on 2 1/2" thick stock and have a 1" wide tongue just by adding center cutter(s)/bearing(s), a longer arbor is required but that's not a big deal, I have one that's 4 1/2" long for the cutter stack up type assembly ..

2 pc 1/2" SH Entry Door Matched R&S Router Bit Set - eBay (item 130410034733 end time Jul-20-10 15:41:05 PDT)


I will say if you don't want use/make the longer arbors you can just use the standard one and just use part of the cutters at one time, that's to say do one edge and than flip it over and then the other edge and use the slot cutters last on the frame.. many way to cook that goose.. 

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istracpsboss said:


> Hi
> 
> I've been looking for a set for panelled external doors. All the ones I've seen advertised seem to be for a maximum 1 3/4" which is obviously somewhat flimsy for an external door, particularly when you consider that the tongues are only 1/2".
> Has anyone seen any suitable for thicker doors ?
> ...


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

Thanks Bob.

The longer arbour and the bottom cutter often seemingly integral with the shank were the problem areas when I'd looked at it previously. My longest blank arbour isn't long enough and whilst I'd happily make up an arbour for metal milling, where the speeds are relatively low, I was less confident of making one for something spinning at at least 8,000rpm, particularly as I think the usual ones are hardened then cylindrically ground to size.
I'd noticed George's ones. I think his has that bottom cutter integral with the shank, so I'd need to cannibalise a second set for its top cutter, apart from finding a long enough shank.

I take your point about doing it one side at a time.

Cheers

Peter


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

Hi Ron

1 3/4" for doors might be likely for a cheap housing development, but external doors here are normally much thicker. Modern ones are 3", but some older doors are 4".

Cheers


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## ccmnova (Nov 4, 2009)

That's really thick but sure would be a great door ! I made some interior doors at 1-3/8 inch thick and used two 3/4 inch boards laminated and then planed down. I could not find good 8/4 stock here anywhere. I was going to try a 1-3/4 inch exterior door and also laminate it. I did talk to a door manufacturer in Somerset Pa to see if I could buy some thick stock and they said that they always use laminated construction for exterior doors to prevent warping.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Peter


Do you close the door b/4 you pull the bridge up or after ? LOL

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istracpsboss said:


> Hi Ron
> 
> 1 3/4" for doors might be likely for a cheap housing development, but external doors here are normally much thicker. Modern ones are 3", but some older doors are 4".
> 
> Cheers


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

Funnily enough, half the time they are left unlocked. It's just a quality thing 

Cheers

Peter


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