Replies

1. 
   jackplane | Jul 12, 2004 04:53pm | #1

   8/4 stock should be fine.The thickness of stock has more to do with preventing warp than carrying weight. Although this door will be heavy, the quality of joinery will indicate it's lifespan.

1. 
   Steinmetz | Jul 12, 2004 05:03pm | #2

   Jackplane, Three hinges (maybe four)  ball bearing template butts

   Reinforce jamb legs with blocking behind hinges and lock strikes 

   Steinmetz

2. 
   KeithNewton | Jul 12, 2004 05:27pm | #3

   Is this an exterior door, and what are the panels?

   If they are solid wood, there needs to be extra room in their side slots for expansion, but the top and bottoms could give you some support. I would like to see the bottom rail be wider, and have two tenons over and under.

   I would not make the tenons 6" long either. The trade -off is that when the the styles move whenever they are that wide is that it will usually cause a seperation between style and rail.

   I don't think that I would increase the thickness either. what you are gaining in strength is lost to the additional weight, and will require much larger hinges.

   Finally, I you need to keep the rails small. I knew a guy that made two thin doors that were glued back to back to make one thicker one. With this method, you could cut a mortise for a steel angle brace in the top and bottom rails and hinge side style.