M/T joint depth query for doors

[John Moorhead]

Folks -

I am building 3 Victorian style wooden screen doors and was wondering about the MT joints for putting everything together.... How deep do those mortises need to be? My plunge router will only give me about 1.5 inches, and I guess I can flip the stiles over and plunge through for a mortise that will go all the way through, but thought I'd ask for some feedback. A screen door gets alot of use and I want it to be sturdy. I am using VGDF....

Thanks in advance!

John

[js]

Well, my house is Victorian, and all the doors inside are original. The mortises go all the way thru. I would say that is probably the strongest you'd get.

[Stephen M]

Ditto. 1860's vintage.. all pinned, through mortises.

3" stiles? That seems a bit light to me. If you start with routed mortises, finishing up with a chisel will be pretty easy using the routing as a giude if you need "extra reach"

-Steve

[John Moorhead]

Steve -

The stiles are actually 3 1/2; the bottom rail is 10" wide and the top rail is also 3 1/2 - there are two intermediate rails that are 2" with 3 1/2" tall turned spindles between them, roughly halfway up the door.

I'll plunge as best I can and drill and chisel out the remainder... I can't justify a hollow chisel mortiser (yet) but have 4 mission style pieces in the pipeline that may well tip the scale over center.

I have an 1868 Victorian in Lakeport, CA... and over the years have discovered that the quickest way to have a nice Victorian home and a small fortune is to start with a large fortune...

John

[Stephen M]

I have the benchtop delta, and the "distance under the chisel" is limitted to 4". I suppose that's reasonable for a $250 machine, but I have have needed more on occaision. I like it for cabinet doors, but it's not really enough machine to handle full-sized interior doors.

I know wha'cha mean.

[James D. Kountz]

You can unbolt and turn the head around then elevate it as far above the work as you need. I use a piece of 6x6 that I trued up and then clamp to my bench.

Jim