Accordion folding doors

[Klatawa]

When we picked up the Safari the floor had been replaced and most of the original interior reinstalled with the exception of the gaucho. I started by pulling out the front end portion and then decided to completely gut the unit. We used marmolleum for the floor and counter tops. Birch wood was used I purchase all of my wood ruff cut and plane down to the thickness that I want. I also radiused all of the cabinet corners. Deb my wife did all of the upholstery work with a upholstery grade material. We replaced all of the foam which was not cheap. The gaucho was constructed using oak slides using 1/4 aluminum pieces for slides and support the table has hinges routered in so the leafs fold up on top to allow more seating room. It all has been fun and rewarding.

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

Wow some of you guys are so talented.

Jim Foster that is a real neat eyecatching creation.Wish you could post more pix. Closer up of fabric and also with door folded open etc.
Is the material upholstery weight? Would starching and pressing first make any difference or improvement in some fabrics?
Is there any need or advantage to sew in some weights at the bottom?
Are you the sewer or the wife?

This material is fairly heavy, but I don't think it would be heavy enough to do upholstery.
No starching or pressing necessary, I wouldn't.
No weights necessary as the slats used (replacement slats for berticle blinds) do the job very well.
Lynn and I both sew, however Lynn did this project. Next week she will be making another for our '83 27' Excella.

[kennyp315]

Very nice job. I gutted my '65 Globetrotter and did a very similar job. Birch sure looks good when it has many layers of varnish on it. I trimmed out all the windows, doors and bathroom in teak to make it look like a wooden sailboat. My only wish is that mt trailer was a little longer. I could sure use three or four feet of interior space. Next trailer will be longer. I love your bathroom door and almost did that as well. Every one one my cabinet corners are custom made. No mitered corners. Kenny

[Jim Foster]

Important note on the slats


When we made the door in the photos, we used slats that were 2 1/2 inches wide. We have found that all of the manufacturers seem to have gone to 3 1/2 inches wide. When folded, that will make the door nearly four inches wide when you include the 1/4 inch clearance allowance in the pockets and the fold in the material.

So............what we are going to do this time is cut the slats to length, cutting off at the top where the whole is, then cut the slats lengthwise to the 2 1/2 inches we desire. Then make a new hole near one end of each slat, in the middle of the slat, for the key ring. The ring goes through the material, then the slat, then the material. That way, the material is not supporting the slat. The ring supports both the slat and the material.

Being made of light plastic, the slats should cut easily.

Another note

The slats have a slight bow, side to side. When sliding them into the pockets, the first one, nearest the attaching wall, should be done so that the concave side is against the wall, then alternate the slats so that they "nest" and fold tightly together.

We will be making the new door next week. I will post and tell how it comes out, and if I have any trouble cutting the slats. We really don't want them 3 1/5 inches wide.

[Klatawa]

Kannyp315, hope you purchased your teak a while ago, I just purchased some teak from my normal supplier at $35.00 a board ft. to build some wicker/teak doors for our boat. The different types of woods you used should look good with the contrasting colors and grains.

[Jim Foster]

Found a vertical blind new, 78" wide, containing 24 (only need 12), 3 1/2" x 80" long slats at a fabric store in Lake Forest CA for $14.99. The slats cut easily with a pair of scissors.

It was cheaper to buy the whole mechanism than just the replacement slats.
The replacements at Home Depot were $12.00 for a package of nine.

Go figure.

[Distantdrummer]

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

Wow some of you guys are so talented.

Klatawa
What is the "glass" in the doors?
If plastic is it cut from light diffuser screens? You know those drop in covers for fluorescent fixtures in commercial settings.
Decorative plastic (maybe plexi) sheets like that were redily available in various textures and colors back in the 70's but are no longer produced that I can find. I think K-Lux was the prevalent brand name back then. Now defunct.

Klatawa I thought you might have missed this part of my question.
So I am bumping it back. Hope you see it.
I suppose you routed the backside of the doors to receive the panels of "glass". How deep ? And what type of sticking holds them in?

Are the frame jambs joined with an overlap joint or dowels or biscuits or what type of connection where the styles mate with the jambs?
Lastly, did you have to use two separate overhead tracks since the motion doors are not on the same plane? Or is it just a standard bi-pass track?

those doors and their header could probably be sold to many Airstreamers if you wanted to produce them. Same for Jim Foster's Accordion customs.
They would fit almost all vintage units I believe.

[Klatawa]

Distantdrummer, Yes they are light difusser screens I cut them on the table saw.
I use a thin cut saw blade to cut a 1/4" deep grove in the edge of all syles and side pieces.
I butt jointed, glued, screwed and plugged all joints with the difusser panels in place.
The slider unit is a 48" commercial that you can purchase at any box store and cut down to fit.
I pruchase all of my material ruff cut and plane down to the dim. I want, these doors are just under 3/4"
If you have any other question just let me know?

[Distantdrummer]

Thanks Klatawa,
Wonderfully Handsome and professional work.
Only thing I question is if you break one of the panes you'll have to build a new door section to fix it. Or maybe you would rout it out and then use 1/4" quarter round sticking.

I suggest both of the door customizations should be highlighted in Airstream Life. If not Handyman or Popular Mechanics etc.
Great pictures and descriptions too.
Thanks again

[Klatawa]

I had not thought about replacement untill you mentioned it. I would most likley router out the bottom section and up about one or two inches. These panels were very flexable and would slide in. Now you have me thinking I should pick one new panel before the design changes and can't find one.

[siouxcitygro]

You all are so talented!! I am not, but you have inspired me to at least try some things, my MH may look like a collage when I attempt it, but that is ok, it will be unique lol.
Wow!! I am so glad you post this stuff, than you!!

[toothDr]

Klatawa,
I love this design. Can you post any particulars on how you did this?

Thanks

[Jim Foster]

You saw the accordion door in our '65 Caravel, well we just finished the accordion door in our 27' Excella.

On the bedroom side of the door, we used the same fabric that we will use on the duvet covers. We wrapped the front side material around the edges one panel to give the door more body around the edges.

[Distantdrummer]

Jim I notice that all the fabric you use has lines "built-in" in the design of the fabric.
I think this must make sewing the vertical pockets alot easier. That is; helping with the line of stitch. Seems no lines or random designs would make for a nightmare to keep pocket lines straight and parrallel to one another?
Is this why yall choose such paterns?
Again great looking work.

[Jim Foster]

No........ The door in the Caravel was a nightmare as it was very hard to line up the squares. Lynn said at that time, "If I ever do another one of these things, I will get a fabric with a random pattern. Maybe no pattern."

Well, as you can see, that didn't happen. It is very difficult to keep the pattern lined up. It would seem easy, but is isn't, as the pattern in fabric is not exactly the same, as it is on wallpaper. The bigger the item, the harder it is to line up the pattern. This may be due to stretch, or just the way the fabric is woven.

I would strongly urge people to use fabric with no pattern, or where the pattern is random, or very large, where lining it up is not important.

Making the stitch lines straight can easily be done with a ruler and pins. You want to pin the back and front together to keep them even and flat anyway.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Jim Foster

No........ The door in the Caravel was a nightmare as it was very hard to line up the squares. Lynn said at that time, "If I ever do another one of these things, I will get a fabric with a random pattern. Maybe no pattern."

Well, as you can see, that didn't happen. It is very difficult to keep the pattern lined up. ....

Look up "walking presser foot"

One problem with all sewing machines is that the feed dogs move the bottom layer of fabric past the needle, while the top layer is squeezed down on the bottom layer by the presser foot... often causing the top layer to stretch.... a horrible example can happen when you put a zipper into plaid fabric, and you can NEVER keep the plaid lines lined up together. The zipper looks like the San Andreas fault after a magnitude 7 quake.

A walking presser foot can be adjusted to move the top layer of fabric in concert with the bottom one. Mine has a hand wound spring thingy that works like feed dogs on the top layer of fabric - look at one and you'll instantly see how it works. I started sewing at about 3, but I first saw this type of foot when I was in my 20's... haven't been without one since!
Slows you down quite a bit, but where accuracy is paramount and your fabric has any natural slippriness, well worth using.

Paula

[modarch]

Jim- I am having troubles finding replacement slats at HD and Lowes. Maybe just in my area they don't carry them. I guess I should just buy a complete blind and cut it apart? I can't think of another material that would be light, thin and stay straight.

Also- I am having troubles finding a magnetic device or locking device that would work well to secure the door. I didn't hang onto the old door, so that was a mistake. I think Lowes has an accessory part for their PVC folding doors that is a lock device, but it looks large and obtrusive and I don't think it will work well. Any suggestions?

[Jim Foster]

We needed two sets of replacement slats because they come 12 to the set and we needed 14. We ended up buying a whole blind on special at a place called "Anna's" for less than the price of two sets of just the slats. We had to cut them down to the 2 1/2" width we wanted as they only come 3 1/2". 2 1/2" went away a couple of years ago.


As for the magnetic catch, the one that was on the old door didn't work for the new door, and was very ugly anyway, so we found a good used one that just fit the bill at an RV wrecking yard in Sacramento.

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Look up "walking presser foot"

One problem with all sewing machines is that the feed dogs move the bottom layer of fabric past the needle, while the top layer is squeezed down on the bottom layer by the presser foot... often causing the top layer to stretch.... a horrible example can happen when you put a zipper into plaid fabric, and you can NEVER keep the plaid lines lined up together. The zipper looks like the San Andreas fault after a magnitude 7 quake.

A walking presser foot can be adjusted to move the top layer of fabric in concert with the bottom one. Mine has a hand wound spring thingy that works like feed dogs on the top layer of fabric - look at one and you'll instantly see how it works. I started sewing at about 3, but I first saw this type of foot when I was in my 20's... haven't been without one since!
Slows you down quite a bit, but where accuracy is paramount and your fabric has any natural slippriness, well worth using.

Paula

We have two machines with a built in walking foot. A Phaff 1473 and a 1475. We use them mostly for sewing kites made of very thin rip-stop polyester, where a walking foot can be very important, especially on longer seams.

The problem lining up the pattern on the folding door was not from the material crawling, but rather from the pattern on the material not being consistent.

[modarch]

Jim- would you mind posting a photo showing the top track and the connection you did with your custom door? I think I follow, but want to see how the rings work with the track.

I am still running into dead ends with the slats. Nobody seems to have them here in Memphis. I found a 4x8 sheet of this Alder Ash wainscot material at HD that is pretty thin and looks to be made of a particle material with a thin paper veneer material on one side. I am thinking about ripping it down to 2.5" strips on the table saw, but concerned that it will be too flimsy and bow once it is in the sewn pockets.

The cheapest blind I have found that is at least 72" long is on ebay for $50+ shipping. It is real wood, looks to be a mis-sized custom that someone ordered and it trying to unload. I was just thinking that this project wouldn't cost that much.

The only other idea was to buy one of the PVC folding doors at HD for $28 and just cut strips out of the PVC with a utility knife.

Anyone have some good ideas for cheap, thin, straight and light material that would work for a custom fabric folding door??