Let’s talk about Doors ....

[KCStudly]

I chose lift off hinges for TPCE. These mount to the inner face of the jamb and door frame leaving the screws captured in between for better security (no way to unscrew the hinge while the door is closed).

No need to recess them as they are thinner than the door gap. I may actually have to make some small aluminum shims to go under the leaves to set the door gap even all around.

I like the sleeker look without anything but the barrels protruding. Haven't finished assembling it yet, but you can see them here. They are reversible, too.

[GPW]

KC, you didn’t inset your hinges ???

[KCStudly]

KC, you didn’t inset your hinges???

Nope.

BTW, is that sarcasm?

My door gap is 1/4 inch plus a sliver here and there. The leaves of the hinges are barely 1/8 inch thk and fold back on themselves one over top of the other, single thickness (MC PN 12575A72), so I have to make up about 1/8+ inch. This way when I wrap the canvas around the door opening and frame I won't have to worry about following little itty bitty contours. After canvas, dry fit the hinges; fill screw holes with TB2 or CA then chase with the screws; allow to dry; paint & final finish; if the door gaps are still greater than 1/8 inch, make shims; install hinges (shim as req'd) over the painted canvas in a bed of some sort of gooey stuff (probably 3M 4200). That's my plan, anyway.



This leads to the question, again: does anyone have a real, actual, true, real life scientifically observed thickness of actual canvas and glue/paint? (I realize that there are different weights of canvas and some will want to fill the grain, etc., but I'm going on the assumption that it will be around 1/16 inch thk... so hinge shims may not even be needed if my door gap shrinks to 1/8 inch after canvas.

I may even have to shave some wood first if I end up doubling up on the canvas around edges. Maybe the first reinforcing layer will be flannel bed sheet instead of canvas. Guess I’ll have to do a test of my technique before committing to the covering. Sure would suck hard to have the door and wall all covered up and have to mortise the hinges in afterwards… or worse, have the door not fit in the opening!



At 1/4 inch I don't need any additional lead (chamfer) in the doors, but as that gap gets smaller I may have to lay an edge back (bevel the latch edge) to allow for the swing… the arc of the trailing edge of the latch side of the door.

You know, the thicker the door, the narrower the door opening between jambs, the narrower the door gap, and the more the hinge pin centerline sits out from the face of the door, the more likely that the trailing edge of the door will bind on the door opening when it swings. My doors are fairly wide, so that mitigates the opening width vs. door thickness ratio.

Hmm ...mind that gap!

[GPW]

Sarcasm ??? Moi ??? I knew you had everything all worked out , just curious ...

I was going to ask Vinnie about CNC cutting out a door , but figured, first things first , don’t want to burden the poor fellow all at once ...

[KCStudly]

Er, All worked out? I see almost as many questions as answers. But then I guess detailed design work is like peanuts and trails of bread crumbs. One thing leads to another if you follow the trail.

[ghcoe]

Here is a idea I had to install hinges without any wood support. Take a long strap hinge and then bend it as shown. Take a knife and slot the foam as wide and deep as the hinge. Glue the hinge/door in place.

[KCStudly]

Pinning through the assembly with dowels or even chop sticks would add a lot of security to that method. However, I would be concerned that it would be very difficult to get the hinges to align well to each other, and to get the door to fit the opening evenly, while trying to assemble that.

If these issues can be worked out, what are the advantages to that method?

[ghcoe]

Easy and no wood to rot out.

[GPW]

Wood , real wood , once treated with “the Mix” , covered, encapsulated , should last fine ... can’t say the same for plywood , unless it’s kept Inside, out of the weather .... And certain woods seem to be more Rot resistant ...the better choice for a trailer ... A simple lesson most RV manufacturers have never learned, or refuse to acknowledge because of their “price points” ... Doors and hatches seem especially prone to Rot , because that’s where most of the water gets in eh ...

[ghcoe]

[quote="GPW"] A simple lesson most RV manufacturers have never learned[quote]

I found it interesting when I found this board about foam because I owned a motor home a few years back that was made with a metal, foam, wood panel side walls. I could only guess if the roof was the same way. Only way I knew this was because I needed to take a inside window trim off and thought cool no wood. It looked to me like they just glued the outer metal and inner panel to the foam and just cut holes out where they needed the doors and windows. At that time I thought hey I could make a tear like this....easy. I can say the motor home was a 1977 model and it had absolutely no indication of water damage anywhere.