# Moving strikeplates on interior door jambs....



## JW_in_Indy (Mar 20, 2009)

Hello folks.... this is my first post on this forum so be kind to the old guy (and I _DO_ mean :wheelchair will you please?

My connundrum.... I recently purchased all new interior six panel poplar door slabs to replace my existing elcheapo hollow core luan doors. I took all of my existing doors in and the yard matched up all of the door lengths and cut in the mortises for the hinges so the doors could be hung right back in the same spot as before and be trimmed to the proper length to clear the carpet.

The ONLY problem I didn't consider, was the placement of the locksets in the doors themselves and the strikeplate receivers in the jambs. When the lumber yard informed me the lock set bores on the six panels would be in the wrong place if they copied the existing doors, I had them bore them in the correct place.

Now, before you guys go and say, well.... _"just replace the strikeplate side of the jamb silly"....._ While the doors were being readied, I upgraded and replaced ALL of the base molding and the window and door casings (on both sides of all of the doors). They've even all been filled, caulked and painted. I REALLY don't want to take them apart on both sides of all of my interior doors. :wallbash:

So, I'm left with trying to fill the old hole and mortise for the strike plate, drilling a new hole and mortising in a new strike plate. What product (and or how) would you guys suggest I use to fill the hole and old mortise? Bear in mind (if this even matters) that the new mortise "may" need to be cut in to a small area where the filler is. I'm not certain about that.... it's going to be close. But it may fall in just at the edge.

Thanks in advance for any:help:

PS: You can always tell a cool forum by the number of emoticons they have available. I can tell already, you guys :rockon:


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## Willie T (Feb 1, 2009)

With the exception of the deep backing parts and places where you may need it pre-filled to accept screws, my suggestion is to wait until the new strike-plate is mounted in place to fill the areas around it.

The reason is that no matter what you use (I use epoxy putty) to fill shallow areas, it is likely to flake and chunk out when you try to mill it.

So, fill it all up, mortise and drill as needed without worrying about chip outs, install the strike-plate, then go back and fill in the messed-up edges.


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## bzbatl (Feb 10, 2009)

I'm not a pro at this, but I recently had to fix quite a few of mine due to settling.

This is the beauty of woodworking that requires paint - so many options to fix wholes/scratches/marrs/screw ups :laughing:

I'd fill the holes in with dowels and glue, then spackle around the gaps. I had to move my strike plates about 1/4" down, so I just drilled out the screw holes, cut some dowels to length and glued them in. Caulk and paint covers all the rest.

Your case is a little different due to moving the mortise altogether. But same rules probably apply here in case you have to drill where the old mortise was - fill the holes with dowels, then cut a piece of veneer to fit the mortise and glue it all up.

Or maybe I'm missing something here and I've oversimplified it...


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## JW_in_Indy (Mar 20, 2009)

*Thanks for the reply's guys....*



bzbatl said:


> I'm not a pro at this, but I recently had to fix quite a few of mine due to settling.
> 
> This is the beauty of woodworking that requires paint - so many options to fix wholes/scratches/marrs/screw ups :laughing:
> 
> ...


You know.... I didn't even think about veneering over the old mortise. I WAS worried though about filling a large hole with something that wouldn't shrink and crack over time. I guess I could drill the new holes and mortise in the new strike plates first, then fill the hole with a dowel that snuggly fits, then fill around that with silicone. I could then cover the strike plate area with cut to size veneer, then caulk with latex and paint 'er up.

I may try it WillieT's way first, than try the veneer if I have problems.

Anyway.... thanks for the feedback guys.


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## RussBoyd (Feb 28, 2009)

*filling*

Durhams water putty. Been around for a LONG time and works great. You can even route a profile on it after it sets. Sets up quickly too. Only for painted surfaces. You can also mix it to a thicker consistency to help hold on a vertical surface. Try it, you'll like it and it can be used in a multitude of applications. Russ


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

For large size fills that will be painted, Bondo works pretty good. For a wood finish, I would mortise out a section deep enough to fit in a new section of wood. Done right, it can be done like a boat plug, or shaped to flow with the grain and become less noticeable.


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## JW_in_Indy (Mar 20, 2009)

Thanks again guys. I appreciate all the help.


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## scribbles (Mar 2, 2009)

For paint grade patches that big I use bondo as well. The fiberglass reinforced stuff work even better. On really big holes.


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## KB Services (Nov 28, 2006)

cabinetman said:


> For a wood finish, I would mortise out a section deep enough to fit in a new section of wood. Done right, it can be done like a boat plug, or shaped to flow with the grain and become less noticeable. qoute
> 
> 
> 
> Go with a Dutchamn like Cabinetman said. You can get 1/4" Poplar from Home Depot use a good glue a little filler and paint. No one will ever notice. All it takes is a fresh utility blade and a sharp chisel to carve it out. I've had to do this one many times. Take your time and you'll love how it turns out.


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## clampman (Oct 20, 2006)

The fastest way to install dutchmen, if you have a thickness plane or good tablesaw, is to thin your stock to 1/8 to 1/4 by a quarter wider than you plan to use.

Cut it to length longer than the spot you are filling by a 1/2" or so. But when you cut it to length, cut it in the shape of a trapezoid by setting your chop saw at two or three degrees.

Set it over the spot to be patched with the shortest length in and the wider length overhanging the jamb edge. Scribe with a sharp pencil and take off your dutchman. I would then go inside the line a sixteenth or so with a good rap on a wide chisel . Don't start on the line or you may compress the edge of the mortise. 

Freehand the center out with a router to the correct depth up to the deep chisel mark (which didn't need to be perfect or even follow your scribe line well).

Now chisel on the center of your lines and remove the little bit of material. Your plug will fit in a bit loose. 

All you need to do is swipe your low angle plane along the back edge of your plug (the short side of the trapezoid) and your plug will increase in length slightly with each swipe of the plane. You can quickly get it to fit so tightly with taps from a hammer onto the edge of the plug that you may not be able to get it out without damage to the job - so be careful with the taps.

Done this way on stained work, you will not get a glue line, nor will you find it hard to clamp. 

After the glue has set, plane off the little bit protruding beyone the jamb edge.

Have fun.

Jim


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Clampman*

Jim, before you "go" remember to donate your brain to the Woodworker's Hall of Fame and your jersey as we will retire your number. Another informative post by the Clampman:thumbsup:. By the way are the jerseys for sale, a little advertising wouldn't hurt in these hard times...You ThinK? heh ..heh..bill And check out My Photos for some intertesting "clamps"!


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## JW_in_Indy (Mar 20, 2009)

Jim (clampman) .... you are already my hero and I don't even have five posts on this forum yet! :notworthy:

I'll bet you have a basement/garage/woodshop that rivals Norm Abraham's of the New Yankee Workshop. Somehow though, he'd find a way to use a biscuit some glue and a brad on the repair I think.

First up, I don't even know what you are talking about with regard to some of those tools. I have screw drivers, plyers, scrapers, drywall knives, a hammer or two a compound miter saw, a pneumatic finish nailer and compressor, various battery powered drills, small circular saws a nice jig saw and a decent palm sander. I even have a big Milwalkee stainless steel reciprocating sawz-all but that's about my limit when it comes to "tools." 

Now, don't get me wrong.... I can do an acceptable job with all kinds of trim molding (this is the second house I've completely replaced and updated all the molding), even crown. I can fill and sand with the best of them, stain and finish like a pro, paint and hang wallpaper with anyone on the planet.... but REAL woodworking? Nope, nadda.... not even close.

This repair is on a jamb that's totally painted. So, what I needed was an idea on what product and possibly technique to use that would both fill a deep" hole as well as the thin mortised area without shrinking and then stand up to being re-chisled without totally cracking should the new mortise fall into the filler (which upon further review looks like it won't). 

Fortunately, no grain matching or staining will be involved. So a dutchman (I had to look that one up :blush won't be necessary I don't believe. Although, I gotta tell you.... you're way sounds like it's ubber cool and would be a lot of fun for someone who had your tools and skill set. But, that my friend is way, WAY over my head.

Thanks though for the detailed suggestion. I really do appreciate it.

:thumbsup:


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## clampman (Oct 20, 2006)

JW,

Sorry I diverted. Bondo is a good way to go. I know you don't need any dutchmen, but KB and cabinetman brought them up and I thought I'd throw that method out there because, sooner or later, someone will need to renovate an historical place or a screwup or something.

As far as something that doesn't shrink AT ALL, I've never found anything but foam that does that. If it's wet when applied then loses water, solvent or anything else as it cures/dries, it shrinks to some degree. Best policy, even with bondo, is a couple applications.

There are a lot better woodworkers on this site than me. I was a construction trim guy for most of my life and built some pretty nice cabinets in the shop, but never got into furniture making the way many here have, and it always amazes me that friends of mine can make a living doing it.

The dutchmen trick I figured out after being selected to fill in approximately 200 stained doors worth on a development project in Colorado that the door company or developer screwed up. 

My main shop now consists of about 40 - 50,000 lbs of old metal working equipment. My woodworking tools and equipment are scattered over 1 garage, one barn, a basement and a trailer in three different states. Don't even know where what is where, and probably have less to work with here than you JW.

Cheers,


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Tools required.*

Clampman tells it like it is and he's just being humble, he's a genius!:yes: But, he did mention a table saw, router and miter saw, all of which you will want to get ASAP. The other tool he mentioned is a "low angle" block plane, a trim carpenters right hand or left as the case may be. They are pricey at $100 or so, but worth it. The entire process he described can be done with hand tools and some Forstner bits,(you'll want these too) to remove the waste inside the scribe lines and of course, some good sharp chisels. His process is the best for your application. Bondo is a good "filler" unless you get the glass reinforced type as mentioned above. There are lots of forces on a strike plate,some accidental, some from wind, temper tantrums and God forbid...the bad guys. You want a strong repair or you'll be repairing the repair. JMHO :smile: bill


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