# Just coping!



## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Along with another commission I started work on some internal French doors in softwood this week. Having made a good start I soon found it was one of those jobs! You know the ones where you wish you had never started. Anyway putting on a brave face I got stuck in making the doors. The frame was easy and I had this ready in a couple of hours but the doors gave me a bit of head scratching. After making the stiles and rails it was time to make the glazing bars as it would be a ten panel glass door. I did think of just mitring each one into place but decided against this as the door may move over time and open the joints. So it was a case of having to cope each one and tennon them into place.....Gulp! After making the glazing bars on the router table I made a jig up out of some scrap mdf.

I made a couple of them as I expected them to wear with the amount I had to cut. It took me most of this afternoon to cut them all but finally got them done. it wasn't too bad once I got into the swing of it.

With a little bit of fettling the joints were not too bad considering the amount of hand work.

By the end of the day I had one of the doors in a dry fit.

There will be two side lights each side of the doors but these only have the horizontal glazing bars...luckily. I think I shall invest in some tooling for these in the future.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

well done...


----------



## Check twice! (Feb 11, 2008)

Hi Alan, welcome to the forums.

You definitely have project that I would look at and say how did I get myself into this. I have done many of those type of projects... 

But when I finish it I always found a need for a new tool. Oh yea!

Looks great, what is your plans for finishing it.


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

A fine job Alan as usual.


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Nice work Alan. Your coping work is excellent as usual. Just curious what you use for brand of saw and what type. I've tried coping a few times but my results aren't up to your standards.


----------



## twallace (Jan 15, 2012)

Hi Alan,

Could you explain how to make the jig and how it works ? I am very interested in doing the same and have been trying to get help. I know that Kreg and MLCS have bits to get a mitre but can't get them just now.

thanks tom


----------



## Ladelmann (Aug 9, 2014)

Awesome work! It's beautiful! Laura


----------



## andysden (Aug 9, 2011)

nice job much patience needed andy


----------



## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Well Charles, my coping saw is just a cheap hand held one, a Stanley make I think. I do use fresh blades in it for each job. I was taught to have the saw cut on the pull stroke and to keep it vertical through the cut. As for the jig Tom it was just a piece of 6mm MDF that I cut to shape with the coping saw. This is then laid on top of the wood and just followed with the blade. HTH.


----------



## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I got the doors glued up today and made a start on the side lights. I only got the main frames done on the sidelights as I was also working on another job too. 

This other job is a small computer desk in oak veneered MDF.
 
I should get the sidelights finished tomorrow.


----------



## kevflet (Aug 11, 2014)

WOW, looks great!!!


----------



## Check twice! (Feb 11, 2008)

WOW! Really coming together,, great job.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Chuck...
is there some way to KUDOS the craftsman other than with a post????


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Good one Alan.


----------



## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

Good work. Consider entering it in the current contest!


----------



## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Thanks guys. Well I got the sidelights done today and now have a lot of sanding to do and make some trims. Then it will be hinges and catches ready for fitting it.


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Very nice Alan.


----------



## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

I got these doors fitted today. Job went well and they almost slid into place. :dance3: Just had to trim a little off the door bottoms due to a bow in the floor. Happy to say another satisfied customer. :dance3: 


Also a promise of more work from them too. :dance3:


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

They look great Alan.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

yowzer!!!


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Stick, the newer versions of vBulletin have a 'like' button. This version does not.


----------

