DIY Network

Redwood Garden-Gate: Frame Assembly From "Wood Works" episode WWK-607

	The frame for this garden gate is built from solid redwood, an ideal wood for exterior pieces since it is both beautiful and resistant to damage by the elements. . .
	. . .In fact, this gate was build in an environmentally conscious manner. The redwood used to build the frame was salvaged from old redwood tanks that had previously been used for aging wine.

In this episode of DIY Wood Works, host David Marks builds a redwood garden-gate with a colorful copper panel specially treated to give a patina effect.

With the, stock and joinery for the garden gate's redwood frame complete, work can begin on glue-up and assembly of the frame.

Materials and tools used in building the frame:

Salvaged redwood stock
MDF for template
Bendable wood strip
Table saw
Jointer
Power-planer
Drum sander
Band saw
Table router; flush-trim bit
Plunge router; 3/4" carbide bit
Cordless drill; Forstner bit
Jig saw
Steel brush
Clamps
Hand scraper
Pattern-maker's rasp
Sanding strip
220-grit sandpaper
Waterproof polyurethane glue
Straight-edge
Compass
Brad-driver and brads
Wire snips
Carpenter's pencil or marker
Bricks
Blue masking tape
Safety glasses or goggles

Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

Garden Gate: Frame Assembly and Wooden Stops

• The loose tenons for the redwood frame should be milled to 3/4" x 3-1/2" x 4". Round over the edges of the tenons at the router table so that they match the mortises.

• Use waterproof polyurethane glue for this glue-up. This is a strong, all-weather glue that's ideal for exterior uses. Tape the edges of the pieces with blue-tape to catch the glue squeeze-out, and brush glue into the mortises and onto the tenons (figure A).

• Work your way around the frame, assembling it on it's side. Once it's assembled, lay the frame flat on the work surface (figure B).
  

  	Figure C
  	Figure D

  
  

• Apply good clamping pressure to pull the joints together (figure C), and allow the glue to cure for 4 to 6 hours.

• Once the glue has hardened, there are a few more things that need to be done on the frame before moving on to the copper panel. First, trim off the excess stock on the stiles so that they'll match up with the top rail. To do that, use the curved MDF template created earlier. Align the template with the top rail and trace the curve (figure D).
  

  
  

• Cut the curve close to the line using a jig saw.

• Assisted by the template, use a plunge router to flush up the edges (figure E). The bearing on the flush-trim bit references against the template to leave a smooth surface.

  You'll need to do this in two passes because the stock is so thick. Extend the router bit and complete the trim cut with the bearing referencing off the first cut. Extra blocks of wood attached to the ends will minimize chip-out (figure F).

  Figure E

  Figure F

  
  

  	Figure G
  	Figure H

  
  
  

• As seen on the prototype, the copper panel is held in place by redwood stops. These are made from two sets of four simple pieces of 3/4" stock. One set is positioned 1/4" from the back and anchored to the frame. The copper panel will be placed on these; the other set of stops will be used to secure the panel.

  The stops for the sides are milled 1/2" x 3/4" x 55-3/8". An angle is cut in at the top of each to match the curve. The bottom stops are 23" long, and fit snugly against the vertical stops. The tricky one is the top curved stops (figure G).

  
  

• To create the two curved stops, trace the bottom curve of the rail template onto a piece of redwood stock (figure H).
  

  
  
  

• Rough-cut the curve at the band saw (figure I).

• Sand the curve smooth to the line using a flexible sanding strip (figure J).

  Figure I

  Figure J

  
  

  Figure K

  
  

• At the table saw, cut the piece to final dimension of 23" long.
  
  
• To cut out the stops, mark out a 1/2" width using a compass (figure K).
  

  
  
  

• Cut out the shape at the band saw, applying even pressure against a two-point jig.

• A two-point jig acts as a fence and helps balance the stock across the two points (figure L) to ensure a consistent cut.

• At the band saw, rip the stock in half to make the front and back stops (figure M).

  Figure L

  Figure M

  
  

  
  
  

• To attach the stops, first use a compass to draw a line 1/4" down on the rails and stiles. This line (figure N) represents a guide line that will be a reveal.

• Using a brad-driver, tap in a few brads 3/8" below the guide line. Snip off the heads of each brad (figure O), leaving a nub. When the stops are attached with glue, the brads will prevent them from slipping around.

  Figure N

  Figure O

  
  

  Figure P

  
  
  

• Use polyurethane glue to join the stops to the front side of the frame. Later, after the copper panel is completed, the four stops will be attached to the back of the door using screws.

• Once the glue is evenly spread, tap the stop onto the brads.

• Clamp securely with cauls (figure P) and allow the glue to cure.
  

  
  

In the segment that follows, David Marks cuts the copper panel and gives it a chemically induced patina-finish.

RESOURCES :

The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619

Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456

David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com

Woodworker's Guide to Wood: Softwoods, Hardwoods, Plywoods, Composite, Veneers
Model: 080836878
Author: Rick Peters
(2000)
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com

Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com