Constructing and installing doors and windows for bathhouse

On completing the work of adding exterior base coat stucco, Sakaguchi-san measured the dimensions of door and window framing.

Measuring door dimensions.

 

He then returned to his shop to fabricate  the doors and windows. During this time, he also constructed framing components for the tatami floor and various cabinetry.  He selected the lumber pieces which consisted of redwood, mahogany and rosewood, then measured and did the rough cutting of components.  He squared them by putting them through the joiner and planer. He had to let them sit for some days in his shop to see if they twisted at all.  The ones that did, he put through the joiner and planer again.  For some components, he had to repeat this a third time before doing layout for the joinery.

Rough cut door and window components.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Sakaguchi-san finished the layout, he cut out the joinery and did the finish planing on the components, mainly by hand.

Cutting out joinery on a rosewood component for a
bathroom cabinet.
Close-up cutting out joinery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Door and window components with cutout joinery.

 

Hand planing the components.

He then assembled the doors and windows.

Assembling shoji screen components.

 

 

Shoji door with wood panels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detail door frame joinery.

Detail joinery.

 

Door frame partially assembled.

 

 

Detail hand- cut design in door component.

 

 

 

 

Assembling entrance door.

 

Shoji doors, some completed with shoji paper.
Door for ofuroba (bathing room with wooden soaking tub).
Detail hand-cut wooden handle for sliding glass and shoji doors.

When the doors and windows were all assembled, Sakaguchi-san transported them to the work site and installed them.

Installing front door
Installing front door
Installing yukimi shoji screens