Now that I have already made the wooden frame for the window, let’s watch a simple method for making simple wooden windows. That is, to make simple wooden windows, since in this case it is to ventilate a shed. That is why it will also have a metal mesh in place of the glass.
How to make wooden window joints
To make simple wood windows we can make mitered joints. Then, with the help of the frame that I made in the previous post, I’m going to measure the window stiles and rails. And with the miter saw I can cut at a 45 degrees angle to make the mitered wood joints.
Now I have to dry assemble the window with the help of some strap clamps. Then I can measure and cut the middle rail member. And I’m going to join this middle rail with wooden dowels. Then, with the help of the horizontal table and the vertical table of the drill press, I will drill the holes to make the wooden joints with dowels.
So, first I’m going to drill the holes in both ends of the middle rail. And then I can use some metal center pins to mark where to drill on the wooden window stiles.
And once I see that the stiles and the rails fit well, I can glue the wooden window. I have to apply a little carpenter’s glue to the 45 degree miter joints and the dowel joints. And I hold everything together and tight with the strap clamp. Until the carpenter’s glue dries. Although not everything could be perfect, and as we can see in one of the pictures, the miter joints are not perfect. Fortunately, it’s not something I worry too much about on this simple window, as I can fix it with wood paste. Now I have a miter joints cutting jig for my homemade table saw, which allows me to cut at a 45 degrees angle more accurately.
Also, those miter joints are a bit simple joint for a window, so if we are going to make wooden windows like this one, it is necessary to use the jig to reinforce miter joints (watch the video here) to reinforce the corners with wood splines.
After letting the carpenter’s glue dry, I sand the corners well to make the splines flush with the surface of the window edges. And I check if the window fits properly in the wood frame. But it turns out that, as expected, it is slightly larger than the frame. Luckily I can use the woodworking jig that I made to make long straight cuts with the circular saw. And it helps me to fine tune the size of the window to fit it in the frame with the clearance I want.
Now, in order not to leave the electrowelded wire mesh just stapled, I make some slats that will cover it around the holes of the window. And to accommodate the electrowelded wire mesh under the slats, I have to make a rabbet in them with the table saw. If I didn’t make these cuts, the slats would be twisted on the wire mesh.
And I cut them at 45 degrees to make a frame around the window openings.
Installing locks and hinges on these wooden windows.
To install the window lock I have to route a mortise for the lock box and another one for the lock plate. Something quite simple to do with a plunge router machine. The most difficult part is usually to clamp these wooden windows in order to be able to work on the edge with the plunge router.
It is almost more difficult to make the hole to pass the key of the lock. I never manage to make a keyhole that has a nice shape. Fortunately, the keyhole will be covered with the keyhole plate.
So, now I can sand the whole wood well, first with medium grit sandpaper and then with fine grit sandpaper. And I apply a couple of plentiful coats of weather-proof and woodworm protection. Something indispensable if we want to protect these wooden windows that are going to be very exposed to the outside weather.
Once the woodworm and weather protection is dry, I will staple the electrowelded wire mesh in place. And I screw the trim slats covering the staples.
Now I just have to put the hinges on. To do this I had to make a small cut in the trim slats that go on top of the electrowelded wire mesh. Only to prevent the hinges from protruding beyond the frame. But other than that, these hinges that go on the wood and in sight are very easy to put on.
As you can see, it is a simple job as I use 45-degree miter joints and dowel joints. Well, and also thanks also to the woodworking jigs that we could see how I made in this blog and in my channel in YouTube.
