Plantation shutter madness

[DynaGlide]

With each project I take on I look to grow my skill set and occasionally use it as an excuse for new tools. This one was motivated by my desire for a CMS router table. After getting new windows in our home the boss and I realized our old interior shutters didn't quite look right anymore. Full of confidence and lacking in wisdom I told the boss I can make new ones. After plenty of mistakes I have a pair of mating shutters mocked up and am going through the monotony of making the remaining pieces to build the rest. I have lots of respect for anyone that does this sort of work often as I'm starting to question my sanity.

Pictures in no particular order

 

[Klemm]

[member=65062]DynaGlide[/member]  - you are a brave soul to tackle a project like this. Seeing what's involved makes it easy to leave it to a production shop for our place when it comes place to retire the plastic ones on our Condo.

thanks for sharing what's involved and what is possible!

Hans

 

[ear3]

That's fantastic -- looks like you really figured out the process.  How long do you think it took to bust those out?

 

[DynaGlide]

[member=59331]TSO Products[/member] Thank you Hans. It's been a learning experience but I think I've got it all down.

[member=37411]ear3[/member] I don't even want to speculate  :-X Most of it was figuring out machine setup. All the little details just take time. Like drilling out each louver right in the middle for the control arm fasteners, and again on each end for the louver pins. I haven't even gotten to sanding yet. I can see why custom shutters would cost a lot of money.

 

[ear3]

[member=65062]DynaGlide[/member] What's the mechanism you're using to open and close them?

[member=59331]TSO Products[/member] Thank you Hans. It's been a learning experience but I think I've got it all down.

[member=37411]ear3[/member] I don't even want to speculate  :-X Most of it was figuring out machine setup. All the little details just take time. Like drilling out each louver right in the middle for the control arm fasteners, and again on each end for the louver pins. I haven't even gotten to sanding yet. I can see why custom shutters would cost a lot of money.

 

[DynaGlide]

They will have a control arm going down the middle like standard shutters. If you're interested in more these are based on Rockler's Shutter Design Wizard: https://www.rockler.com/shutter

My mocked up set isn't complete those were for taking width and length measurements. I hadn't routed the mouse holes on the top rails or attached the control arms in that picture.

 

[BarneyD]

Your timing is perfect, [member=65062]DynaGlide[/member]. I'm pretty sure that some of these will shortly be on my radar. Daughter in law has made some  comments. So I've been doing some research and I'm questioning whether I want to tackle something like these. Seems like a whole lot of tedious work. Did you buy the slats from Rockler? They look to be the 3" versions, correct? Were you happy with their jigs, etc.? Thanks for posting.

 

[DynaGlide]

Your timing is perfect, [member=65062]DynaGlide[/member]. I'm pretty sure that some of these will shortly be on my radar. Daughter in law has made some  comments. So I've been doing some research and I'm questioning whether I want to tackle something like these. Seems like a whole lot of tedious work. Did you buy the slats from Rockler? They look to be the 3" versions, correct? Were you happy with their jigs, etc.? Thanks for posting.

[member=61023]BarneyD[/member] Tedious doesn't quite do it justice. While I'm glad to be doing this myself I don't think I'll be doing it again. Although I did agree to do a pair for the upstairs bathroom when I'm done. . .  [doh]

The main movable/fixed jig is all but a necessity as is the louver and control arm jig that comes in the same package. The mouse hole jig is worthless and doesn't work. The jigs work and do their job but if you aren't careful you'll be scrapping one of your stiles (or 2 or 3. .) because you didn't orient the face of the boards properly to the jig. This was an issue for me mainly because my setup requires mating shutter panels but the two middle stiles that come together are different widths to create the illusion that they're the same when the rabbets come together. If you tackle this yourself just make certain to think about all the things that can go wrong and idiot proof the process as much as possible so you don't have to think about what goes where.

If your daughter in laws windows only require one shutter per window then the whole job is much, much easier. Mine require two shutters per window which took the complexity up several notches. 3 1/2" louvers are being used, purchased from Rockler. The cost adds up fast on those. Something to consider if you are capable of making them yourself.

Here are some videos I watched several times while doing my research that I think will help you:

 

[nclemmons]

Matt -

Those look great!  Nice work. Thanks for all the photos.

 

[DynaGlide]

[member=167]neilc[/member] Thank you!

I made some more progress. Drilling the 96 louvers and keeping all of the stiles oriented the right way was really not fun but i got through it with plenty of breaks along the way. Felt a bit like I was addressing Christmas cards. Still need to do Domino joinery then dry fit, sanding, glue up and paint. But that all can wait as I'm headed to the Cape for a week.  [big grin]

 

[six-point socket II]

One word, amazing! Looking forward seeing them finished.

Thanks for sharing!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Green Mojo]

Those look great. I did shutters for my house also using that Rockler setup. The first few I did totally from scratch including routing the louvers. Not much fun there. Then I found out we had a moulding shop nearby that sold louver slats and also premilled style pieces. With those, it was a breeze to crank them out. Now hanging them was a definitely not a breeze. I’m sure you will enjoy them for many years to come.

 

[BarneyD]

Thanks for the links, [member=65062]DynaGlide[/member].  I'll certainly check them out. Please continue with updates. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product. Looks great so far. Cheers.

 

[Bob D.]

Speaking of finish, now that the easy part is done (building the shutters), it's time to paint.

Will you do that before you assemble of afterward?

I remember on the NYW Norm built some plantation shutters a few years back.

 

[DynaGlide]

Speaking of finish, now that the easy part is done (building the shutters), it's time to paint.

Will you do that before you assemble of afterward?

I remember on the NYW Norm built some plantation shutters a few years back.

Wow that was involved. Hats off to Norm. I think I'll follow his advice and prime the louvers and probably the rest before assembly and spray everything after glue up. Maybe tape off any glue areas before spraying.

 

[kevin clifford]

First off, your shutters look really good! There is an insane amount of work involved in them.
I can tell ya that you will get a much better result if you prime your parts ahead of time. Getting the ends of the louvers and the inside of the styles after they're assembled wont look nearly as good. The shop that I have been installing for (about 20 years now) primes all the parts before it gets assembled.
When it is time to paint them, put a hook in the top of the panel and hang it so you can spray both sides of the panel at the same time.

 

[DynaGlide]

First off, your shutters look really good! There is an insane amount of work involved in them.
I can tell ya that you will get a much better result if you prime your parts ahead of time. Getting the ends of the louvers and the inside of the styles after they're assembled wont look nearly as good. The shop that I have been installing for (about 20 years now) primes all the parts before it gets assembled.
When it is time to paint them, put a hook in the top of the panel and hang it so you can spray both sides of the panel at the same time.

Thank you for the kind words and the wisdom. I think I'll do just that. I'll setup a clothes hanger rod for drying and prime everything except glue surfaces before assembly. Lots of firsts for me but I have all the right equipment just need to do some practice runs.

 

[Klemm]

- do I hear any votes for Shellac as a sanding sealer before any painting and assembly?

Hans

 

[Sparktrician]

- do I hear any votes for Shellac as a sanding sealer before any painting and assembly?

Hans

Can't address the use of pure shellac, [member=59331]TSO Products[/member], but I have used Zinsser B-I-N primer which is shellac-based.  It lays down well when sprayed and sands out to a very smooth base for top coats.  [smile]

 

[DynaGlide]

Back at it a little. I waited to do any further Domino work until I got my TDS-10 in from [member=59331]TSO Products[/member] . I had previously done one set of stiles and found it awkward enough that I wanted to wait until these were available to do the rest. For narrow stock getting it to hang off the bench they're perfect. I think they'll find lots of uses around the shop.

For a project of this scope with so many parts when it comes to steps like this I like to take my time doing the first piece, then I keep it nearby for reference so I don't get turned around on which face goes up, at which end, etc. It's easy to catch mistakes before they happen when I work this way. The first stile I did I went off the wrong face and ended up having to repair the mortises by gluing a domino in and flush trimming it off.

Example, I'll grab one of the stiles with the rabbet on the outside to the right that I've already dry fitted and know to work and set it on the bench. Then I go and grab the other stiles with a rabbet on the outside to the right. I match it up with my already Domino'd stile, move it to position and clamp it down and do my mortises. Put it back where I got it and grab the next one. Even though I labeled all the tops, bottoms, fronts, backs it all but eliminates human error from the equation. Less thinking = more better.