Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi all, I am hoping for some advice on how you would handle the next step in door building. Both doors are cut out (kind of rough). I will be backing them up with an interior frame to close against with weather strip on that frame. The interior framework I think I have figured out. That's pretty simple. I just need some suggestions on how to smooth the rough cut accurately. Should I make two templates and follow them with a bottom bearing bit to finish with the size gap I need to make the doors work well and not be too loose in the frame? That seems like overkill to me, but, what do I know, it's my first build. Is there another method I am not thinking of? I understand the concept of cutting the straight sides, but, then what? Do I need to cut the curves too? All suggestions appreciated. Thanks in advance, Tim

I didn't make my own doors but seeing as you've jigsaw ed them already I'd carefully belt sand the curve on the wall then fit your trim when your ready and then sand the door and rip or plane off what's needed for it to fit with trim and clearance in the jam.
Alternatively you could make a pattern and flush trim with a router but since it's already cut I'd go with the first option.
Just like hanging a normal door realy except you've got a curve and trim to deal with

Tim,

I built my walls similar to yours (except that I had the wood facing inward). Before you make your final cuts on the door and door opening, you need to determine how you are going to finish the edges of both and what type of hinges you plan to use. If you plan on using a piano hinge, you'll need a clearance of about 1/8" on the hinge side (assuming each hinge leaf is 1/16") and 1/8" + on the top and bottom and 1/4" on the side opposite the hinge. For strap hinges, you'll probably want to make the clearance all around about 1/4". If you plan to trim the edges of the openings and/or doors with aluminum edge molding you'll need to add that thickness.

I like to use patterns/templates with my router. Plus, the way I can mess things up, I'd rather make mistakes on the template than the actual piece. I use 1/4" MDF for templates because it works well and is fairly inexpensive.

Take care,
Tom

Thanks Tom. I am using two heavy strap hinges per door and I hope to just epoxy seal and paint the door edges rather than sheathing with aluminum like many folks do. I don't have much in the budget and have just enough epoxy left from a dinghy build to seal both doors, frames and my Wiley windows. Ill just use rubber weatherstripping from MD. Hopefully their self adhesive type will last a while. I suspect that it will do for a few years before I replace the weatherstripping. I was thinking 1/8" clearance all around, but, I will use your advice and do 1/4". I'm half way there with the saw kerf. I think for a template I might be able to create one for the curve and then finish the rest with simple straight edges double face taped to the wall/door. I've used the 1/4" MDF as templates many times. Good suggestion. I should just pick up a 4x8 sheet to have on hand.

On my doors, very similar to yours, I cut them out of the wall with my jig saw. Using both a belt sander and hand sanding jigs to smooth out and align. I made my inside frame out of poplar. I'm also using metal strap hinges. I made my door fit very tight on the close, but allowed about 3/16" on the reveal.

My original idea was to put the weather strips on the facing side of the frame, but that caused the door to angle out too far. Instead I've removed that to make the door flush and then made an 1/8" thick aluminum trim piece, about 1" wide that overlaps the door and the wall. I then installed 1/4" epdm foam weatherstripping onto the aluminum to fit right into the reveal area. During our trip and since we have been back, we have been through some hellish storms. Not a single leak. I'll take some pics to detail tomorrow. I happen to have a bunch of aluminum sheeting a neighbor gave me, so I could cut it into these weird shapes.

Oh, and on both the frame side and door side, they are fully coated with 3 layers of epoxy but no cloth.

dave

All in all I have a benroy also and when u do your final fit all u have to cut is the straight sides hindge side and bottom to get your gap needed cutting the hinge side will trim the sides and cutting the bottom will will do same with top if that makes any sence to u no need to cut radius just clean it up with sander