I have a framed ledge and braced hardwood front door. The ledge is the ideal height for fitting a mortice lock (just above a third of the way up the door), but that will mean cutting into the wedged tenons fixing the ledge. It's a hefty frame (100x56), and a very hefty ledge (180x56). Would I be better off just fitting to the frame slightly above or below the ledge?
Received wisdom is to avoid cutting into the tenons, as it may over the years lead to the door dropping. OTOH it's not unusual to see it done. Up to you to decide if you think your door will take it.
Sheepish,
Use a 21/2" mortice lock and put it where it suits you as there are different schools of thought about cutting the tenons in the middle rail (ledge).
To put that into perspective, the middle rail is around 9" wide and the lock around 3" wide - so even cutting the tenons will leave enough 'strength' to take whatever is throw at it.
Brian G
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