Simple doors made of brass..
Hear is an idea I used for the doors on my steam tug , I needed a way of getting as much air in the the hull to enable the steam plant to function, I wanted them to be lcloseable and to be sturdy and I wanted to try and keep the weight down so did not want to use white metal
Picture 1 setting out , this does not have to be to accurate yet its just to make sure the hole is in the right sort of area .picture 2
picture 3 shows the hole punch I used to make the top hole, it gives you a nice radius for the top of the frame
picture 4 shows the finale marking out for the frame and picture 5 shows me using a dowel as a rolling pin to get some of the twist out without putting more in, Picture 6 shows me cutting the rest of the waist out I drilled holes at the bottom corners first to work towards and scored the brass with my knife on both sides the holes make this a bit easier to line up I also used my scissors to trip as well.
picture 7 shows the hole complete and ready for the outside to be trimmed with scissors.
picture 8 shows the strip of brass for the lining of the frame. Picture 9 shows the strip bent this takes some time and helps if you are an octopus or have six fingers on each hand . Its a case of working it till it a nice fit and the join is mitred so as to hold the ends together.
Picture 10 shows a jig I made of scrap to hold it when soldering it can be done without but its so much easier to knock a jig up speciality if you are making several .
picture 11 shows it soldered I forgot that when I made the doors for my boat I soldered from the back, much easier to clean up but it didn't take long Picture 12
The door
same brass just a bit larger than the opening all roundpicture 13. The hinges are made of the material I used for the door lining picture 14
Picture 15 shows the door pinned down ready to solder, when soldered just bend the rod for the hinge and drill two holes in the frame and solder.
picture 16 shows the material for the handle to lock the door just a 5mm length of tube and a brass rod solder the tube in the door and bend the rod and the hole drilled .Picture17 shows the handle fitted and 18 shows a small notch for the handle to stop against and 19 shows the finished door still needs a bit of a polish and then the etch primer and paint .
You could always make it in styrene if you don't like brass
In making the door and frame no special tools where used except the punch which I have had for twenty odd years the soldering iron was again a 25w and was plenty big enough.
A thanks again to the chap who put the box of brass at the deans marine show just to show it is being used.
Peter
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