Replies

1. 
   doorboy | Nov 19, 2009 12:44am | #1

   Yeah, the weight of the glass is not a problem. I would suggest that look into bracing the glass in some way. Maybe call in a pro.
   That's a big piece, and the door movement will eventually break loose those solder joints.
   I'm curious as to how you determined 1 1/2" thickness. In the States, the common thicknesses are 1 3/4" and 1 3/8"
1. 
   OwlHasMySoul | Nov 19, 2009 01:26am | #2

   The door will be used to help fill in the 6 foot wide opening between the master bedroom and the ensuite.  It will be fixed in position, though will have hinges so it can be opened if necessary.  My folks would only open it if one of them needed a wheel chair to move around...  Given this fact, would bracing the panels still be required?

   As for the 1.5" thickness it was completely arbitrary.  The interior doors are 1.25" so I thought 1.5" would add a bit more strength to the joints.  Would 1.75" be better?

    

1. 
   DonStephan | Nov 19, 2009 03:25am | #3

   If at all possible, I would try to make the door 36" wide rather than 34', even before you mentioned wheelchair.

2. 
   James_Buxton | Nov 19, 2009 07:17pm | #4

   Look into lock sets before you set the thickness of the door.   In the US, most interior locksets are intended to fit a door thickness of 1 3/8", and exterior sets are 1 5/8".   Some sets have only limited adjustability.

1. 
   Ron01960 | Nov 21, 2009 04:33am | #5

   Where to start?
   First, the leaded glass panel needs to be re-soldered where broken, then the both sides need to be re-glazed, this will fill in between the glass faces and the lead cames. This will add considerably to the stiffness of the panel. The clean up is with a stiff non metal brush and saw dust or whiting. If your design lends itself to horizontal support bars they would need soldered on before the glazing. There are two types. a tinned flat 1/4-3/8" tinned steel bar that would be soldered. Or you could take a 4 inch piece of copper wire, soldered flat and bent up over a usually round steel bar and twisted around it with a pair of flat pliers.There are synthetic leaded glass materials available, I don't know what sizes are available available. Or you can make what the original glazing slop was made of, whiting, lamp black, BLO and turpentine, I can't find the ratios I used. They may be available on line? Stained glass is clear or colored glass that is painted and fired (church windows) or leaded glass the same construction but not painted or fired. A common misnomer.Installation into a wooden frame is done with tacks 3/8-1/2" long and installed at the intersection where the lead cames solder to the lead surround, also made of lead came. The panel should be set in a bed of natural glazing putty.I hope this helps.Ron in Peabody

3. 
   DougGF | Nov 21, 2009 07:24pm | #6

   Ron gave you some very useful information.  I consulted with my wife who does leaded glass windows and she advises that your panels should be horizontally braced about every 18" - 24" in a manner as Ron described. 

   You mentioned that the 3 panels interlock and unless they interlock in such a way to make the them structurally as one unit, you need to install the horizontal bracing across all three panels and tie them together.  The reason for this is that unless they are joined the center panel will flex more then the other panels that are held in place on one side by the rabbet stiles.  Movement of the door is only one factor of stress on the leaded glass and you would be surprised how much movement in the glass is caused by shifts in internal air pressure from HVAC, closing and opening of doors and simple movement of air as people pass by the glass.

    

     

4. 
   KeithNewton | Nov 22, 2009 04:20am | #7

   Before you get too far along. You need to find a door handle set that will work with that narrow 3" wide style, if it needs one. Otherwise, you may need to enlarge the rough opening so you can use standard width styles.

   I would use 1 3/4" thickness, and only one tenon. I think you are going overboard by doubling it for a light duty door.

   You can find some H anodized aluminum to use between panels, and as others have stated, the cross stiffeners should be about 18 ~ 20" apart. I have helped my sister on many project like this. I cut a long taper on the ends, then flatten what is left with a hammer where it solders to the edge zink. Hers are usually about 1/10" x 3/8"

1. 
   OwlHasMySoul | Nov 24, 2009 07:27pm | #8

   Thanks everyone for your advice... I guess this will be a bit more complicated than I thought it was going to be.  I will look into the cross bracing supports as Ron and Doug suggest.  <!----><!----><!---->

   The door is not going to function as a door really.  It will be more like a 80" high picture frame for the glass that will be fixed in position to help turn a 70" wide opening into a 36" wide opening.  There won't be a door frame for it, and it will be hinged on a wooden column with some chunky iron hinges.  It would be opened only if they wanted a wider opening to get a wheelchair between the two spaces.  The idea is that they will enjoy a stained glass wall between the spaces.  There won’t even be a door handle…  <!----><!---->

   The horizontal seams where the three panels are joined have a tongue and groove connection and result in a tight fit.  So I think they would flex as one unit…  <!----><!---->

   Is my door design strong enough to prevent the frame from sagging and creating stress on the panels that way?  Keith mentioned that I should go 1 ¾ and only one tenon per joint (even on the 10” wide bottom rail?)   Each joint would be drawbored with 2/8” pegs.  I am now planning to go with 4” wide stiles for appearance sake…<!----><!---->

   I will also set the panels in a bed of natural glazing putty as Ron suggests…     <!----><!---->

   Thanks for all of your feedback…  Does any of the advice change with the additional information I have provided?  I realize I should have provided this info in the first place. 

   Regards, Jamie