This is a nice entry I re-visited the other day, and had a chance to at look closely at things after 10 years out in the weather, South facing, with some overhang. Honduras Mahogany, pattern grade, and it hasn't moved hardly at all. Finish had a couple of small cracks along the wide, tall panels at the molding. The miters (all reinforced 2 ways) were completely tight, with no cracks. Customer is building a new house and is considering taking the doors with her.
Viewer Comments:
Beautiful. If she takes it you'll get a chance to make another for new owners.
Beautiful, beautiful work. If I was her I'd take them with me too.
She is in a neighborhood that has been overtaken by "ballers" as she calls them - professional athletes. They typically plop down $3-5M for one of these houses, stay for 3-5 years, then move on, selling to another professional athlete. She is also taking the gold plated lighting and plumbing fixtures, Sheryl Wagner sinks, and other nice details - and replacing them with more common materials. She says the new owners will not have an appreciation for these finer things.
David, your doors still look great. You made the most of the pattern grade mahogany. What finish did you use that lasts a decade? Any on-site maintenance on those doors since they were first hung?
Thanks. Sikkens exterior, lacquer interior. The doors were recoated once, about 3 years ago, on the exterior side only. I would bet the cleaning staff cleans cobwebs, etc from the exterior and interior gets regular dusting.
The remarkable thing about the doors is they still have the same margins and nice solid feel in closing that they did when first hung. The Mahogany just does not move.
Dave,
Beautiful work. I can appreciate going back and looking at a job 10 yrs. later and everything still looking good.
Mark
You mention your miter are "reinforced 2 ways". How did you reinforce them? Thanks, Matt
Gorgeous work. Did you do the carving yourself?
Nice work Dave!
I think regular cleaning of exterior doors extends the finish life. I have noticed that with our doors. Except when they clean with a hose...
The carvings were out-sourced, off the shelf onlays. We did modify them and blend them into our moldings, for what it's worth.
I posted some images and text on the Architectural Forum on how we reinforce miters for these exterior doors.
And I agree Joe, keeping the finish clean extends the life of the finish and makes the doors look better. The same is said of auto finishes. The hose is better for the car than the doors.....
I don't go to the gallery often, but glad I did this time. Beautiful work Dave, thanks for posting.
Rob
Dave, very nice work.
Congratulations also have to go to the customer for valuing quality.
I have been blessed with a variety of customers who have that same level of appreciation and it makes doing the job that much more enjoyable.
It was interesting to read your posting regarding the methods used in construction. I just installed a door yesterday that I made in much the same manner. The artisan who is doing the stained glass is coming today to install his work. Hopefully all goes well with the dimensions as he never came to the shop to see the frame, just did everything by phone.
very beautiful work! Was wondering, on the palladian arch, for the RP portion, how did you get the inside corner sharp? just running a RP bit would create a radius to the inside corner unless you did it in parts and edge glued after?
Running it in strips would still require a mitered corner. We simply carved the inside corner, as it is a solid wood panel, not rimmed with a raise molding. It is not hard to do, and like so many things, shows off the shop's skills.
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