Router or Planer or something else...

[WeeBob]

Finally, I'm going to have to fix my garden gate.

It's a heavy oak door that expands and contracts depending on the season and the weather. It has an L shaped edge that fits against an upside down L frame (if you see what I mean).

The door and the frame are jamming (and not in an interesting musical way). I think I need to shave a bit off the gate, or off the frame.

I'm guessing I need a powered planer or router to do this... any suggestions what may be the better option? Or are there other questions I should answer first?

Thanks & regards Bob

[Tricky Dicky]

A router would be my choice. Making rebates with a power plane can be a little hairy due to the amount of exposed blade.

Richard

[newshound]

Or a small manual plane, the metal type where the blade goes right to the edge, especially if there is not too much to remove, or if the binding is only over a limited distance.

Like one of these:

[Capitol]

Oak will tend to take the edge off the blade. I'd try a power plane with carbide blades or a belt sander.

[Dave Liquorice]

I'd go for a hand plane, if the door (gate? different things...) is only jamming a bit and can still be closed there isn't much getting in the way.

See if you can work out where the binding betweem frame and door/gate is, damage to finsishes, marks, which bit of door stops moving when the rest doesn't etc. It may only be a small section that needs half a mm removing. A sharp 1" or 1 1/2" chisel used bevel up and more or less flat to the timber might be enough.

What ever you do don't take anymore off that you need to to stop the binding otherwise it'll be well loose when dry.

[tabbypurr]

I'd probably use a hand plane. Power tools plus embedded nails can be a bad combination. If a power tool, a circ saw has the advantage that it will cut through embedded metal, as long as you take it very easy when any is encountered.

Oh, put paper between gate & frame to see where its binding.

NT

[newshound]

If there is a risk of nails, I wouldn't use my *good* manual plane! (I do have an inferior one for rough work). While nails will destroy the cutters of a power plane, these are easy to replace and not silly money.

Agreed

[David]

Power sander?

A belt sander with a coarse paper can shift a lot of wood. It isn't a precision tool. but then again the belts don't cost as much as a blade.

It depends on where (and how much) you need to remove the wood.

Also consider that a breathable wood treatment may reduce the take up of moisture during winter and reduce the expansion.

Cheers

Dave R

[fred]

Does nobody use a Stanley Surform any more? Or its modern equivalent the Microplane > Ideal for this and quick. With a bit of luck gate could be left in situ

[The Natural Philosopher]

1/. sanders are pants compared to a planer for removing wood.

2/. you would be surprised when the air is most humid. Its not generally winter...

[Dave Liquorice]

Hum, have you used a belt sander with 80 grit paper? It may not do a

*controlled* 2 to 3 mm removal in a single pass though.

Tell that to our back door, mid winter it binds, mid summer it has a

3/8 gap on the slam side. Or shed roof, > 1/4" gaps between planks in summer jammed tight in winter. B-)

[Capitol]

Never seen a home planer that will cut 3mm off seasoned oak in one pass!

[steve.n]

Have a look at the hinge side to see if you can sink the hinges a bit Its the first thing a carpenter would do

steve