back to the Dollhouse Workshop
  • For this demo, I put together an RGT JM 401. It has 3/8th thick MDF walls. The stairs on this house come too close to the back edge of the wall for a door cutout on that side (the side that is away from us)
    b100_0317.jp...
  • An interior door often has a framing size of 3" x 7". I have marked a cutout size ("rough opening") of 3 1/16" x 7 1/16 plus another 1/4" for the thickness of the Base Floor
    b100_0319.jp...
  • I will use these tools: drill with 1/4" drillbit, jig saw with an 18 tooth-per-inch metal-cutting blade, and a utility knife with a nearly new blade
    b100_0331.jp...
  • Drill two intersecting holes to start the jigsaw blade
    b100_0333.jp...
  • Cut to a corner from one direction
    b100_0334.jp...
  • The blade can't make a sharp corner
    b100_0335.jp...
  • Stop the down-cut well before getting close to the floor
    b100_0337.jp...
  • cut to the corner from the other direction
    b100_0338.jp...
  • Finish the down-cut with the utility knife. One straight cut on the line and a clearing cut inside of the line, angled toward the straight cut. Do not slice! Press the knife against the wall - rock and wiggle the blade.
    b100_0342.jp...
  • Remove the material and repeat the straight and clearing cuts until you get to the edge of the floor. Finish both down-cuts
    b100_0343.jp...
  • Pull the waste piece outward. Clean up the shreads
    b100_0344.jp...
  • The door's threshold will cover the cut-away bottom of the wall
    b100_0345.jp...
  • An upper door layout starts 1/16 below the upper floor's surface. This layout is 3+1/16 x 7+1/8. The roof gets in the way of swinging the jigsaw for the down-cut, so I have a low starter hole
    b100_0351.jp...
  • I made this base-cut well above the floor's surface. I should have made it higher still, even 2" above the floor so I would have more leverage when it comes time to break the piece off.
    b100_0354.jp...
  • Chop the final part of the down-cut (press and rock - straight cut and clearing cut)
    b100_0357.jp...
  • I have clamped the straightedge because of the risk of slipping with the utility knife. The wall surface will be covered so a slip won't matter there, but I don't want my hand in the way.
    b100_0358.jp...
  • Once again, straight-cut and clearing-cut. You don't have to cut all the way to the floor's edge. The groove on the inside and a good "V" cut on the outside will define the break line
    b100_0359.jp...
  • See the knife slip? My hand wasn't in the way!
    b100_0361.jp...
  • A bigger waste piece would have made this step easier.
    b100_0364.jp...
  • Trim the shreads
    b100_0365.jp...