Mechanick exercises, or, The doctrine of handy-works by Joseph Moxon.

§ 19. The Hanging of Doors, Windows, &c.

THe Floors being Boarded, the next work is to Hang the Doors, in which though there be little difficulty, yet is there much care to be taking, that the Door open and shut well.

If the Door have a Door-Case (as Chamber-Doors, and Closet-Doors commonly have) the Jaums of the Door-Case must stand exactly perpendicular, which you must try by the Plumb-line, as by § 8. and the Head of the Door-Case or Entertise must be fitted ex∣actly square to the Jaums, as you where taught Numb. 3. § 17, 18, 19. and the Angles of the Door must be made exactly square, and the Rabbets of the Door to fit exactly into the Rabbets of the Door-Case. But yet they commonly make the Door about one quarter of an Inch shorter than the insides of the Jaums of the Door-Case, lest if the Boards of the Floor chance to swell within the sweep of the Door, the bottom of the Door should drag upon the Floor.

They consider what sort of Hindges are proper∣est for the Door they are to Hang. When they have a Street-door (which commonly is to take off and lift on) they use Hooks and Hindges. In a Battend-door, Back-door, or other Battend-door, or Shop-windows,

they use Cross-Garnets. If a Framed Door, Side Hin∣ges: And for Cup-board Doors, and such like, Duf-Tails. (See the description of these Hindges in Numb. 1. Fig. 1. 5, 6.) But what sort of Hindges soever they use, they have care to provide them of a strength proportionable to the size and weight of the Door they hang with them. Well-made Hindges I have de∣scribed Numb. 1. fol. 20. Whither to avoid repetition I refer you.

If they hand a Street-door (which is commonly a∣bout six foot high) they first drive the Hooks into the Door-Post, by entering the Post first with an Augure: But the Bit of the Augure, must be less than the Shank of the Hook, and the hole boared not so long, because the Shank of the Hook, must be strongly forced into the Augure-hole, and should the Augure-hole be too wide, the Shank would be loose in it, and not stick strong enough in it. Therefore if the Shank be an Inch square, an half-Inch-Augure is big enough to bore that hole with, because it will then endure the heavier blows of an Hammer, to drive it so far as it must go; and the stronger it is forced in, the faster the Hook sticks. But yet they are carful not to split the Door-Post,

These Hooks are commonly drove in about Fif∣teen Inches and an half above the Ground-sell, and as much below the top of the Door. It is, or should be, their care to chuse the Pin of the lower Hook about a quarter of an Inch longer than that they use for the upper Hook (or else to make it so) because these Doors are commonly un-weildy to lift off and on, especially to lift both the Hindges on both the Hooks at once. Therefore when the lower Hindge is lifted on the lower Hook, if the Door be then lift-perpendicularly upright, so high as the under side

of the upper Hindge may just reach the top of the up∣per Hook, you may the easier slip the Eye of the up∣per Hindge upon the Hook; whereas, if the lower Hook be either shorter, or just no longer than the other: instead of lifting it readily upon the upper Hook, you may lift it off the lower Hook, and so begin the labour again.

Having drove in the Hooks, they set the Rabbits of the Door within the Rabbits of the Door-Post, and underlay the bottom of the Door, with a Chip or two about half a quarter of an Inch thick, to raise the Door that it drag not. Then they put the Eyes of the Hindges over the Pins of the Hooks, and placing the Tail piece of the Hindges parallel to the bottom and top of the Door, they so nail them upon.

This is the Rule they generally observe for Hang∣ing Doors, Shop-windows, &c. Only, sometimes instead of Nailing the Hindges upon the Door, they Rivet them on, for more strength. And then, after they have fitted the Door, or Window, into its Rabbits, and laid the Hindges in there proper place and position (as aforesaid) they make marks in the Nail-holes of the Hindge with the point of their Compasses upon the Door, and at those marks they Pierce holes, with a Piercer-Bit, that fits the shank of the Rivet; then they put the shank of the Rivet through the holes made in the Door: yet so that the Head of the Rivet be on the outside of the Door: and they also put the end of the Shank into the Nail-hole of the Hindge, and so whilst another man holds the head of the Hatchet against the Head of the Rivet, they with the Pen of their Hammer batter and spread the flat end of the Shank over the Hole, as was shewn Numb. 2. fol. 24. 25.