Screen Doors
This is an advanced project that requires a fair amount of woodworking skills. If you are a beginner to intermediate level woodworker I highly recommend that you try a simpler project first, like the Under Galley Storage. There you will learn the basic skills to tackle a project of this magnitude.
I made the Screen Doors from some left-over oak flooring. The screen is pet screen. It is much more heavy duty than normal screen material and I was trying to factor in the abuse it would take as the doors will be stored, attached and, removed quite often.
The door frames are made from re-clamed oak flooring and covered with 7 coats of Epifanes Varnish purchased through Jamestown Distributors. See Under Galley Storage for details on using Epifanes Varnish.
I placed a hasp on the outside to lock up while away from the Christopher-Jin and a latch inside for a feel of security while lazing around the boat at night. I also thought that it would prevent some of the larger mosquitos from just opening the door and draing me of my blood. Note the placement of the hasp is such that it prevents either door from opening. If place on the right door the left door would just open! See the Overlap Pattern inset.
The Pocket holes were made with a neat contraption called the Kreg Pocket Hole System by Rockler. I own the simpler 2 hole version purchased at Lowes and it works great. One thing to be careful of when using pocket holes, it is imperative that you predrill pilot holes for the screws through the pocket hole and into the ajoining piece. I use my Dremel Tool with the appropriate size bit chucked into the drill chuck. If you skip this step, chances are, you will split the boards. See Under Galley Storage for details on usng the Kreg Pocket Hole System.
Once I open the Christopher-Jin for the Summer I will show photographs and give more detailed dimentions but it is important to note that you will have to make sure that you modify your Screen Door to fit your particular Cabin Door Opening.
You will notice on the Side View that the top and bottom are beveled to fit snuggly against the threshold and under the sliding pop-top trim plate.
The Screen Spline Grooves were cut last using a table saw. I let the saw run the entire length of each side which gives the doors a decorative look and makes life easier.
The outside handle was a hardwood knob I found in one of junk collection coffee tins that seem to grow stuff when I'm not looking.
I did have a little trouble with the alignment of the first hinge that I set. Welcome to woodworking. If you don't get the angle pretty darn close the door will bind when you try to open or close it. In the end I had to reset the first hinge. To fix the unusable holes I took some weathered teak sawdust and mixed it with Tight-Bond III glue and patched the holes with the mixture. As it turned out the old holes where almost completely covered by the hinges. The little you could see was virtually indistinguishable from the teak side boards.
This is a quick shot of the screen doors in the Port Hold. They are easily accessed through the Aft Dinette Seat Storage Door.
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