I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and to say thank you for all your support over the past year. I do enjoy answering your many and varied DIY related questions throughout the year. I hope to continue next year to help you become the handy person you know is lurking about in there somewhere!
I’m all done with work now until the new year, (apart from catching up with some invoices maybe). Looking forward to going fishing tomorrow for a little while, and then a gentle afternoon wrapping presents in front of the fire. Easy life…
Let me know what your plans are after the New Year. It’s such a great time of year to plan for those spring projects 🙂
Merry Christmas one last time, and a happy new year!
Cheers
Ian
Comments 3
Hi, sorry Im not sure where I am supposed to go for advice from you. Anyway here goes. I had carpet fitted…yep should have done it myself, but dont claim to be a DIYer…yet. The fitter left the door off as it need ‘trimming’ at one side at the bottom.
So off I go to buy a plane…havnt used once since school…errrm…ages ago.
However the door is one of those cheap, 2 bits of plywood with polystyrene and bits of wood to stop it collapsing. So I give it a go, and after making some sawdust, and not much more, I go for the hand saw, and cut a raggedy but ultimately successful bit off the bottom. What would have been the best, better way, or tool to have done the job? Just moved house and no workbench, proper vice yet.
Thanks for any advice.
Regards
Mark
Author
Hey Mark,
Sorry for the delay, been out of the country over Christmas…
Well, for me I’d have used a plunge saw, but that is overkill (and an expensive tool!). The best tool really depends on how much you want to remove.
It is quite difficult to cut off small amounts with a handsaw, then a sharp plane is best, or electric if you can run to it.
But if you are removing more than 5mm or a quarter inch, then a regular handsaw is as good a tool as any. Pop the door onto a couple of boxes/bottle crates/saw horses/etc., mark the cut line and go over it with a craft knife to leave a shallow cut (this helps minimise splintering, especially on the back side).
Keeping just inside your knife mark, slowly saw away the excess, being sure to keep the saw square to the door face. Sandpaper wrapped around a block of wood will tidy up the cut edge and any tiny splinters.
And don’t worry, taking a bit off the bottom of a lightweight door is a pain in the butt for everyone! Especially if you go through the tiny piece of wood at the bottom and into the core of the door. Then you need to shape a new piece of wood to fit and glue it back into the middle of the door!
Good luck with the new house and feel free to reach out anytime,
Cheers
Ian
merry xmas and a happy new year