Details of the stub tenon entry door with vent door.
Please forgive the lack of pictures, they will have to wait until I get a shop back together again. And please check each dimension
before cutting. Some of these drawings were made after the fact and errors more than likely have been made. I take full responsibility
for the errors but please remember
"Measure twice, cut once "
A stub tenon is a simple and strong method for assembling doors using plywood as the panel. The stub tenon is not as strong as a full tenon or lap joint but the glued in plywood panel more than makes up the difference. The doors and vents for this coop are all made with stub tenons and plywood panels.
The groove for the door panel is cut on one edge of both the rails and stiles. The groove opening is adjusted to be a snug fit for the thin plywood used for the panel. Starting with a scrap piece of the rail and stile stock, adjust the blade for the depth of the groove, usually a 1/4" to 1/2 inch. Adjust the fence so the blade cuts a groove down the center of the stock. Turn the stock end for end and run it through again. This will result in a perfectly centered groove. If the groove is too narrow, use card stock or masking tape on the fence to slightly move the stock and widen the groove. If the groove is too loose, move the fence ever so slightly away from the blade. Make a pass then turn the stock end for end and test the fit again. It can be a tedious process to get a good snug fit. The stock must also be of uniform thickness and use feather boards to keep the stock against the fence. The top rail of an entry door with a vent does not have a groove for a panel.
To cut the tendons adjust the fence so the distance from the outside of the blade to the fence face is the just slightly less than the depth of the groove made earlier. Adjust the saw blade so the height above the table is the same as the distance from the edge of the groove to the side of the rail stock. Pass the rail end over the blade several times nibbling away the material. Test the fit in the groove, lowering the blade if the fit is too tight, raising to loosen the fit. The length of the tendon can be adjusted by moving the fence or using shims as above.
Cut the panel to the size of the opening plus two times the depth of the grooves. Use a good weatherproof glue and glue a tendon into a stile, testing to insure it remains square. Glue the panel in place and add the remaining rails and stile always testing to keep things square. If a vent door is added, build the vent door to fit the opening using the same techniques. Add a section of hardware cloth behind the vent door and attach the bottom of the vent door with two sturdy hinges. Add some sort of latch to keep the vent closed. Use at least three sturdy hinges to hang the entry door along with a sturdy latch.
The small chicken entry doors at each end are made the same as the larger door but they are not hinges. The doors slide up in tracks. The tracks are made with a loose fit 1/8 wider than the sides of the doors. The narrow uprights for the tracks are cut a 1/8 deeper than the door rail and stile stock. This provides a very loose fit to prevent sticking of the door. Add latches to hold the door in both the open and closed position. There are many critters out there that would like nothing more than a nice tasty egg or hen for dinner. If desired you could add a chicken door to the bottom of the main entry door.
