A while ago I posted in Knots asking for some help in choosing an adhesive that would work gluing aluminum strips to wood. Sapwood, who responded to my post said, “By the way, I like the design very much. I, for one, would like to see a finished photo.” The door is finished sapwood, and here are some pictures of it installed. The installers screwed up and cut the hole for the pre-hung unit to big and had to fill in around the outside of the unit with rough sawn cedar to match the siding. As soon as the cedar gets painted I guess it will look okay.
Paul
Replies
Paul,
EXCELLENT DOOR, dude. Great design. "Out of the bun" thinking.
Who knows, you could be the next Krenov.
Thanks for posting the photos.
Don't stop now.
I expect you to go into business, and start selling those doors through home depot in the next few months.
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
9619, although I would love to take credit for designing the door I can't do it. A doctor, from a referral from someone else I had built a door for brought me a printed out picture of the the door and a web address for a company in the UK that builds and sells these doors. I went to the web site below and from the just the pictures they have posted figured out a way to put the unit together. I used a 1-3/4" solid wood core door and applied quarter sawn black walnut veneer. Then I cut the dadoes for the aluminum strips and glued them in place. The jamb and the brick mouldings and the interior casing mouldings are all solid black walnut. I conditioned the walnut then stained it and finished it with four coats of ZAR water base exterior finish. The Dr. I built the door for is VERY happy with it and two of her Dr. friends have already called and asked to meet with me about building new front doors for them. In case anybody might be interested I charged $8,000.00 for the pre-hung unit. She had others install it.
http://www.urbanfront.co.uk/external_doors.php?id=10
Of course it's a nice door. That UK company has probably spent a good deal of time refining it... tweaking dimensions, spacing of elements, producing it, and documentation. They should be proud. While I know that the UK company doesn't have a design right to the idea of inlaying strips of metal into a field of wood (I've done so myself numerous times), nevertheless you used their registered photo to produce a copy of their work.... for profit. I believe you acted unethically. Had I known what you were up to, I would not have given advise regarding the glue.
Get a life.
When you are commissioned to do a piece from a photo, brochure or website, you are being asked to dupicate someone else's design. There is absolutely nothing unethical about that! In fact, that is pretty much the heart and soul of fine woodworking--copying/emulating the designs and techniques of others. Indeed, that is the very basis of this forum.
If, on the other hand, you had blatantly copied someone else's work and marketed it as your own original design, THAT is unethical.
I was commissioned to build this door by a lady that found a picture of it on the internet and came to me and asked me if I could build a door similar to it for her. I did it, took the money and am proud of it. I did not and will never market this door or claim it as my design. In fact if you read my answer to someone trying to give me credit for such a great design you will see that I instantly replied and explained that I had in fact copied the design from somebody else. I even gave the door designers web address for anybody that was interested to go have a look at their beautiful doors. Thank you heartwood, I did not feel I was doing anything unethical either.
Continue doing the good job that you are doing, Brother!
If your using another company's desigh as a basis to build a door for your customer was unethical, we could not have Shaker furniture, Green & Green furniture, or any other "original" style of furniture. ALL designs are based to some extant on a previous design. We just modify and adapt these older/other designs to suit our wants, needs and thoughts.
You did not steal their design, you used it as a base to create your own version of it. You gave credit where credit was due, and you created a beautiful door that satisfied your customer. Good job!!
Bruce"A man's got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry Calahan
Bruce, thank you for the support and the compliment. Reading your post made my day.
Paul
That door is beautiful. The only thing I would suggest, is looking at a different door knob. To my eye, the knob looks really small compared to the large "horizontal band" on which it is located. I hope that makes sense, I can't think of a better way to word it.
Brent
The lock set on the door I built (pictures posted) is a temporary knob that has to do until the Baldwin set the lady ordered arrives. Actually, I haven't even seen what style hardware is finally going to end up on the door. I only know that it is going to be a brushed nickle finish. Her door installers are in charge putting on the hardware. Although I did hang the door in the jamb.
Paul, I like the look!
I like the price even better!
My first thought is 1/4" walnut is still boards applied to a substrate.Being a veneer guy I have serious reservations about the thickness. I suspect a considerable amount of movement and stress.Veneer that is sawed would ideally be a finished thickness of 1/16". What did you use for adhesive? Did you press them in a vacuum bag?Ron
Truly a very nice door.
It turned out well.
Chaim
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