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When faced with the task of refinishing a large, heavy oak door, I wanted to complete the job as quickly as possible by being able to work on both faces of the door without having to wait for one side to dry.
To solve the problem, I began by drilling a 1⁄2“-diameter hole in the exact center of each end of the door. Then, on one end, I drilled two additional holes, centering each carefully across the thickness of the door, but nearer the door’s edges. I cut four 1⁄2“-diameter hardwood dowels about 7″ long, and planed each to size for a snug but easy-sliding fit in the mating holes.
With the dowels inserted in their holes, I suspended the door across a couple
trestle-style sawhorses, with the dowels lying on the horse beams. (Alternatively, you could rest the dowels on 4x4s lying on two tables or benches.) After finishing one side of the door, I removed one outermost dowel, carefully pivoted the door 180°, and reinserted the dowel. I was then able to finish the opposite side of the door immediately.
When I was done with the finish work, I glued the dowels into their holes and sawed them flush. They’re never seen because of their placement on the large door. –Dan Urban
