Replies

1. 
   dgreen | Feb 03, 2009 12:49am | #1

   Why not glue on the new piece and then plane it to match the door?

    

    

   ................................................

   Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.
   ~ Denis Diderot

2. 
   mufti | Feb 03, 2009 12:56am | #2

   You will never make it look young again. It will always look repaired and will always be open to comment.

   Why not make a new door as a copy of the unmarked original, using the old panels if they will clean up and are good. That should be quite quick.

   Just a tip. It is often much  easier to repair most things by taking them to pieces, cleaning up the joints, and putting them back together than trying to patch in. More satisfying too. 

1. 
   sinsin | Feb 03, 2009 01:27am | #3

   ty for the comments, mufti. I have repaired one door that had a different problem - that being an inner stile that holds the panel required replacement. The panel on this door can be cleaned up easily however to make new stiles and rails I would want the original wood - - which I think is western (Canada) cedar. I have yet to find any cedar in eastern Canada that compares to this knot free wood. I agree with you on your "tip" however a stile and possibly the bottom rail would have to be replaced or have a veneer glued over them. It's getting late in your part of the world!!!!!!

3. 
   doorboy | Feb 03, 2009 01:37am | #4

   I would suggest a mortising router bit, a template guide, and a reliable straightedge. Set the router to your 1/4" depth of cut, then start at the outer edge, rout from top to bottom of the stile, then move the straightedge in a little and just work your way from the outside-in.
   Good luck.
4. 
   Dave45 | Feb 03, 2009 03:04am | #5

   Doorboy's suggestion is probably the best - mill out the entire stile, glue in a patch, sand, stain, and finish to match.

   The downside to that plan is that it's probably gonna be difficult (if not impossible) to make the patch "disappear". Even if you can match the wood species, it's a real art to make new finish look like it's over 60 years old.

   Another idea would be to use dutchmen to repair the damage and add accents to make it look like it's supposed to be that way. The 30's had a lot of art deco architecture and it may be possible to repair the damaged areas and give the door an art deco look.

1. 
   sinsin | Feb 03, 2009 04:04am | #6

   I'll try doorboys suggestion - - The patch I will use is "original" western cedar wood and after it's stained should match the other 5 doors we are working on. Thanks for you comments guys - much much appreciated.