Crazy is as crazy does
I have sort of a plan. It’s time to try and put it into practice. Sometimes you have to follow an idea and just see where it leads you…
From the pile of redundant scrap wood, I’d managed to salvage just about enough lengths of wood for my scrap wood challenge door mini-design project.
I say just about enough wood, as some lengths are a bit too short at the moment.
Short becomes long
The first task was to try and join some of these shorter lengths together end to end. I had messed around with different methods of joining the timber.
I experimented with halving joints, PVA glue, dowels, screws, etc. until I found a combination that worked for my particular application.
Structure and the way things join together has always fascinated me. I’ve always loved these sort of details. Its something we are quite literally surrounded by in our everyday lives, but probably pay zero attention to.
Gnarly details
The humble scrap timber framing has a rough-sawn finish to it. It was never intended to be used for anything fancy. Just a simple, not-to-be-seen structural element.
On top of this, there were now the holes and scars left from the removal of the countless old rusty nails.
The thing with timber is that you can easily clean it up or plane the rough surface smooth. Underneath it will look brand new once again. I guess that’s what most people would do.
I understand why most might opt to go that way – but I’m not most people.
These marks, scars and defects (as some might see them) are the character and narrative of the timbers history in the Small Mission Hall.
I want to try to preserve, enhance and amplify this as part of its v2 usage within the building moving forward.
Kind of Kintsugi
In this instance, I wanted the structure and the fixing or jointing to be a part of the overall finished aesthetic.
Taking inspiration from the traditional Japanese concepts of Sashiko (visible mending) and Kintsugi I wanted to create my take on, or form of refined raggedy.
In the end, I combined making a scarf joint with the addition of three reinforcing wooden dowels passing through it.
This way, you ended up with a stronger joint, plus you got to see how the joint was made in whichever orientation the timber was at.
This aspect was an important detail to me. I know this sort of thing will probably not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved these gnarly little details.
Super scarf
The joint then becomes a detailed feature that adds to the raggedy aesthetic (in my eyes at least).
Creating the required scarf joints to make the longer lengths needed, brought up some interesting combinations of timber.
The scars and different nature of each piece created unique individual feature details. No bland uniformity with this door that’s for sure.
Materials Matter
Door handles? Yep, ahead of you there. I’ve found a couple of ideal off-cuts that will make great handles in keeping with the door.
Abstract sculptures in their own right. Accidental art at its best.
However, for joining the individual lengths together, I opted for a contrasting approach. As an offset to the rugged textural beauty of the timber, I’ve gone for something a little more crisp and contemporary – threaded stainless steel rod with polished black nuts and washers.
Woodworking purists, look away now. There are many classical and traditional ways of making a door from planks of timber. This is not one of them.
155 holes later
OK, so this is quite a challenge, and I will most probably need a new 8mm drill bit at the end of it all. I have to drill 155 x 8mm holes in five different matching positions in the lengths of the door timber.
All the holes need to line up or the whole idea just doesn’t work. To have any chance of this happening, I needed to make an accurate as I could template guide for the hole positions first.
Fortunately, I had made a friend up here in Ness who let me use their pillar drill. Using this, I was able to make a reasonably accurate guide/template.
I could then try to replicate drilling the 155 holes needed in the timber sections with my hand drill. At least, that was the plan.
Once the holes were all drilled, it was time for the real moment of truth. I had to drive the five threaded stainless steel rods through each set of corresponding holes in the wood. Hoping that all the 155 holes were aligned correctly!
It took a little bit of patience, fortunately, the hole alignment wasn’t too shabby. Once through all the pieces, everything got clamped together with a black washer and nut at each end.
We might now just have the beginnings of a scrap wood challenge wonky door!
Refined raggedy
OK, so my wonky wonder of a door is just about ready. Unfortunately, the building itself is nowhere near ready for it to be hung!
Still, it was cool to see what it might look like in situ. Great to see the way the golden hour sunlight plays with the undulating textures of the doors surface.
Until I get my planning permission and building warrants in place, I cannot progress with any major building works, so the door hanging will have to wait, but at least it’s now made!
It also gives a tiny glimpse into the future of what might be…
