Working the Wagon Doors

"Making the mortise"

Almost done, now for the paint.

When I initially designed the wagon, the scale model had a dutch door.  Through my research I found that there were differences from the English caravans and the French caravans.  The French seemed larger and roomier and they had, of course, French doors.  I decided it was easier for me to make the French doors.  A friend of mine gave me the stained glass windows that I used in the doors and now to make them.  I knew it would be impossible to find doors pre-made to fit the space so  I endeavored to make them.  I had never made doors before so this was a challenge.  The fun part was using all my hand tools I don't often get to use.  My son bought me a great set of chisels for Christmas, which really worked out well for the mortises.  I modeled the doors after the ones in our 1840's farmhouse.  The joints are pinned using wood dowels that allow the door to expand in different seasons without splitting.  This being a sound approach (as the doors have lasted since 1840) and an easy solid joint feature it was the easy path to take for the novice.

First coat of the color "Gypsy Pink"

Doors in place.