Making exact matching doors query

[g1_lo]

I have been asked to replicate these doorways, see attached image if it works.

Now I have done some heritage work in the past but nothing with these kind of detail. I was just wondering how others would go about matching existing profiles and details on doors, and or how you would take the exact profile off?

I put it to the FOG community.

Thanks in advance

[attachthumb=1]

 

[greg mann]

I have no idea how to help you but I would be very interested in how you wind up accomplishing the task. This would be a great project to follow if you feel inclined to share. I am sure you will get suggestions from those more skilled than me.

 

[teocaf]

interesting project.  i would use a mix of old school and new school techniques.  old school:  tape measure, vellum tracing paper for flat rubbings and profile duplicator gauge for moldings.  new school:  CAD program, scanner and photo editing software.

you can build a CAD file in layers starting first with overall dimensions, then structural members and then ornamental details.
looks like the motifs repeat several times so you would try to just trace/rub one as accurately as you can, scan it, then refine it with the photo editor, put it into the CAD layer and print the assembly back out to check it against the original  and fine tune it as you go along.  same process with the profile duplicator gauge for the in and out dimensions.

you would do all this for one half and then mirror image the assembly to get the full thing.  and then do the build using the final cad drawings.  if you then had access to CNC that would be bonus.

you didn't mention if you had access to CAD but if you don't, you can hire someone locally as a side job to do the digital part for you based on the dimensions and shapes you bring them using the old school tools.  it looks like a good sized job but i don't think the complexity is overwhelming if you break it down as suggested above.

hardest thing might be if you're trying to duplicate that color and patina to match the original.

 

[tiralie]

After the budget is approved...
On site, I would measure the width, height at the highest point of the door and jamb, the width and thickness of the rails and stiles. Then I would use a profile gauge to get an accurate profile and transfer those to a sheet of paper and note where on the door they were located.
I would then take a high resolution picture with a digital camera of the full doorway and then some detail shots of where the curves met etc. in case the full resolution photo lacked some detail.
Back at my desk I would then import a Jpeg of the full door into Sketchup as an image and draw the door to full size in Sketchup, tracing over the imported photograph using the measurements and profiles from the profile gauge tool to get an accurate 3D representation of at least one door and half the casing and jamb.

From this I would make full sized patterns of all curved pieces so I could mill them.

Based on budget I would then find router bit patterns that fit the existing profile or have some shaper bits made to create an accurate copy.

I would then export this to Cutlist, for a materials list go to the lumber yard, buy the stock, whine to the staff about the sorry stock, ask for a discount, reluctantly pay and take the stock home and get cracking. The wood looks like cedar, spruce or pine so milling it wouldn't be as difficult as a hardwood such as oak or maple.

It looks like a fun, but not overly difficult project. Good luck with it.
Tim

 

[canadamike]

How many doors were you asked to do? Just asking as the process may lend itself to some efficiency if its more than than a couple doors.

 

[scotternst]

Are the doors cope & stick or do the rails and stiles have square edges? Are you set up with a good shaper?

I do a fair bit of work like that and I use corrugated back shaper heads with custom cutters to run those kinds of things. I get my cutters from Connecticut Saw. I would take off the doors and trace them onto a sheet of plywood and use that to make full size templates. Then I would make up the frames (rails & stiles). The swoopy things on the doors would be made up as rectangles and coped before cutting them to their shape and then profiled. Same for the shapes on the jamb.

Send me a message if you want to have a chat about it.

 

[jjowen]

Hi g1 (or is it Mr Lo?),

You need to get into contact with Bryan Steenhuis. He is a Festillian and he seems to be doing very similar work.

His site: http://tutorwood.files.wordpress.com

If you have problems contacting him, let me know.

Regards,
Jeremy

 

[nickao]

That picture is way to small for me to personally comment on how to proceed.

Large close up pictures at all angles are the first thing needed no matter how the job is approached.

 

[g1_lo]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I had a similar idea of tracing and transferring the design onto plywood templates. I like the idea of the high res images and then drawing in sketkup or similar cad package.

There are two matching pairs of doors and frames to do so some efficiency could be had in the second pair.

I'll take a look at Bryan page and see what he's playing with.

These doors are 2 screens of 6. Although the other 6 are a little more straightforward thankfully.
Quotes going in this week so we'll see what the sisters come back to me with.

Thanks again for the responses.  ;D