These are the illustrated instructions for assembling the new Laser Cut Door Frame Kits. This kit is cut from 1/8" Baltic Birch Plywood which makes it light weight and easy to assemble with precision tabs and slots.
These following steps show you how to assemble the new Door Frames.
KIT BLOCK:
Like many other parts, the Door is mostly contained in a pre-cut kit block. The door also requires Panels, the inserts, and the hinge pins. These items are not shown in this assembly instruction.
CUT OUT PARTS:
Most of these parts should pop out of their blocks fairly easy. However, it's wise to take the time to turn the block face-down and cut as far through the tabs as possible. Since this is plywood, there may be some places where the laser has not cut all the way through. Take your time to finish cutting through those areas with an exacto knife. Lastly, clean up the location of each of the tabs with the knife or light sandpaper, just to be sure the parts assemble with ease.
INITIAL PARTS LAYOUT:
Stand up the sides:
Stand up the 4 side pieces, align with the tab/slots on all sides.
Glue The Inside Corners:
Add glue (we use CA Glue) to the inside corner, at each corner, making sure to contact the 2 edge pieces and the bottom (back) piece. You don't need much. This is just to hold it in place for now. Once glued, be sure to hold the frame tight together and square, as well as down to the back piece. (but don't glue it to your workbench!)
Add More Glue:
Once the corners are pretty well set (and you can carefully move the piece around without it coming part), add more glue to the 4 inside edges. This is to connect all of the frame to the back piece. Hold tight and allow to dry/cure fully.
When you have the part well glued and cured/dry, you can then stand the frame up and glue the exterior dovetailed corners. We use a thinner CA glue so that it will seep down into these joints, making them very strong. Do this on all 4 corners (being careful not to glue the whole thing down to the table you are working on)
Assemble the Face Frame:
Using the frame you just assembled for spacing, layout the 3 face pieces as shown above. Be sure to use the assembled frame with the small arrow pointing towards the face frame. Do this step with the face frame FACE DOWN. Add glue to the 2 joint locations and allow to dry/cure.
Add the Face Frame to the Frame:
CAREFULLY, lift the face frame and set on top of the frame, slipping the bottom tabs into the door sill. You'll need to adjust the frame and the face just a bit to get it to be square. Once the test fit works, remove the face frame, add glue to the front edges of the frame and replace the face frame. Square the door up again and hold tight until it is fully dry/cured.
DOOR PANELS ALIGNMENT:
Dryfit and align the back panels with the front panels.
NOTE:
#1 - The thinner panels (with line etching only) are the back panels, the thicker front panels (cut through) have a hinge hole.
#2 - The small squares both need to be at the top of the door.
#3 - There is a small bump on the hinge side. This little bump should align perfectly with both the front and back panels. This is how you verify you have the doors aligned correctly.
Most importantly, YES - the back panels are different widths than the front panels. This is designed so that light will not come through between the doors. When the panels are assembled, the right hand panel will open first (because the back panel of the left-side door will be behind the front panel of the right-side door)
NOTE:
#1 - The thinner panels (with line etching only) are the back panels, the thicker front panels (cut through) have a hinge hole.
#2 - The small squares both need to be at the top of the door.
#3 - There is a small bump on the hinge side. This little bump should align perfectly with both the front and back panels. This is how you verify you have the doors aligned correctly.
Most importantly, YES - the back panels are different widths than the front panels. This is designed so that light will not come through between the doors. When the panels are assembled, the right hand panel will open first (because the back panel of the left-side door will be behind the front panel of the right-side door)
Once aligned and you are sure the correct panels are in the correct place, you can then add glue to the back of the front panel, align with the back panel (while pressing both down on a hard surface to help align the side) and carefully press the two panels together.
Most importantly, please be sure these two panels are well aligned. In the event they aren't perfect, you can use an Exacto knife to trim off any overhang of the back panel.
Repeat on the other door panel (shown above)
The next step on the door panels is to round over the hinge side. This can easily be done with a simple piece of sandpaper, or you can carefully use a band sander - whatever your preference.
As shown in this image above, you want to round off that hinge edge just a bit so that those corners don't interfere with the frames while the doors are swinging.
Just note - it's easier to sand more off than to add wood back on, so sand slowly until it looks and works well in the frame.
RAISED PANELS:
Now we add the raised panels into the Frame cutouts. Do NOT use super thin CA glue here - you probably want to use a gap filling/thicker one.
Layout the small raised panel pieces on either side of the door, to align with the proper sized openings.
Add CA Glue to the openings (you can do them one at a time if you'd prefer).
Now drop the correctly sized raised panel into the correctly sized opening ** BUT Don't Push It Down Yet! **
Instead, use an Exacto knife to carefully move the raised panel a bit (the raised panel will 'float' a little on the thicker glue) until you have it where you want it (probably centered in the opening), then carefully apply pressure to the raised panel until it is well glued down. At this point - the raised panel piece should not be able to move at all. (so make sure you get it right the first time).
Then repeat for every opening, as shown above.
Do one more application of pressure over each piece just to be sure they are well secured.
And now the panels are assembled. And in this image above, you can also see how the back panels are different widths and allow them to 'nest' with the other door when closed.
And that's it for the assembly of the new Door kit. You'll then want to paint, then apply the vellums, then final assembly and attachment to the structure!
Questions? Please feel free to contact us on our website or our etsy store!
