remodeling again

[lenny]

Lenny,
great work. I remodel houses (not a contractor but i have several rentals and flipped 2 houses) also but NOTHING near the amount of work you are doing. Keep up the good work! I also love the history and stories behind some of the older houses. My first remodel was a 90 year old house and we had the original "blueprint" put behind sun resistant glass and displayed it in the living room. Ironically, the original family that owned the house for almost 2/3 of the time knocked on our door and purchased the house back from us after the remodel!

that's cool, they must have been attached to the place?

Remodeling is a very challenging endeavor to me. You wanna make the place look good but at the same time you wanna keep it with it's character, balance is they key I suppose

 

[lenny]

check these pics out, do the windows look better? 2 more days of windows and I'll be done and ready to move on to the front steps and porch trim.

 

[Deleted member 10829]

Windows look great Lenny! Have you ever tried a strap for your elbow like I used up at John's when we cut wood? They make a big difference, provided it's a tendon issue.

 

[lenny]

Windows look great Lenny! Have you ever tried a strap for your elbow like I used up at John's when we cut wood? They make a big difference, provided it's a tendon issue.

Thanks Mark, I have tried a strap when the pain was very serious along with I-bu-pro-fin (<--- hope frank doesn't see that) and it all does work.

 

[favoritos]

Front steps are already perfect. Just think of all the time you could save on shoveling snow.

You must have a few trips up and down ladders by now. Did you do those 3rd floor windows from the ladder?

 

[lenny]

Front steps are already perfect. Just think of all the time you could save on shoveling snow.

You must have a few trips up and down ladders by now. Did you do those 3rd floor windows from the ladder?

No, all the window sash's come out of the frame and worked on on the bench. Just getting the sash's out can be a job by itself especially when they have not moved in 35 years and have been painted shut. To get them out you have to remove the outer sash stop and that will allow the lower window to be removed but than the hard part. You need to get the upper sash down to the bottom and remove it's stop which is a bear. Some of the cords break, most of the stops are painted in and need to be loosened up without damaging them. Next I use the multi tool and scrape the windows and than by hand, remove broken glass, sand the windows, install new glass, re-glaze, prime, finish paint, scrape paint off glass. Do the same thing to the stops, and just clean up the slide jambs. All that than you still have the window frame inside and out to do along with trim on both sides. It really is major time consuming. I made an early day today as I am overly frustrated with the slow drying of glazing and paint with this rain and cool temps. I just said screw it, it's one of those days!

 

[favoritos]

Lenny, I think a lot of people would have said "screw it" a long time ago.

That is a lot of work just on the windows. How the heck do you replace the broken cords without opening the wall?

 

[lenny]

Lenny, I think a lot of people would have said "screw it" a long time ago.

That is a lot of work just on the windows. How the heck do you replace the broken cords without opening the wall?

The window frames have a small panel (3"x12") that is removable which allows access to the weights, getting the cord down to the weights is another story. Easiest way is to remove casing on one side and cut a small chunk out of plaster that will cover back up when casing is reinstalled. Removing the small piece of plaster allows you to grab the cord as you slip it through the top pulley and tie a small weight to it in order to get the cord down to the bottom removable panel to re-tie the new cord to the weight, easy as pie,,,yea right!

 

[lenny]

1st floor windows are complete, attic windows need paint scraped off glass and installed. Basement windows are out and ready to prime. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as windows goes.

Stats: 72 window sash's, 35 doors, 82 steps on all stairs, 428 individual pcs of glass within all doors and windows including storms (crazy)

 

[lenny]

in the beginning I couldn't cut a piece of glass to save my life, now I am a glass cutting fool. When I removed all the broken wavy glass I saved anything of size and have been using it to replace smaller pieces. Today I cut my last few pcs and glazed them. Tomorrow I install the basement windows and she's all done. Another milestone complete and ready for the next project (front steps.)

Till than, Leo the Lop (as my buddy calls me, not sure what that means)

 

[snoseekr2]

Lenny i feel ypur pain brother, just finished that side job scrapeing and painting 45 windows on a 100yr. old house. It took for ever.

 

[700classic]

This is house number 6 and my wife says it's the last one so it better be good this time.

Sorry lenny, but every time I bring up this thread this line always catches my eye. Is your wife trying to say that the other 5 were not so good?

 

[lenny]

Sorry lenny, but every time I bring up this thread this line always catches my eye. Is your wife trying to say that the other 5 were not so good?

now you got me wondering, where's that women at!

 

[lenny]

just got back from da old place, was working on the front door, big old 42" door. The front entrance had a temp built by previous owner to keep people out. The door had been kicked in so one of the panels was split and damaged. The style' were separating from the rails about 1/4". I set the door on a bench and took a good look at it. I borrowed some huge clamps from my buddy and before clamping I glued the joints up real good and tightened er up. All the joints came right back to place. There was a big split in one of the panels where it had been kicked in. When the door was kicked the panel split and hung up on itself and warped in that condition for the last 20 years probably. What I did was tap the rail apart further and allow some room to separate the broken split panel. AS had to smack it hard and she snapped close but being warped it wasn't flush. I was able to get the pcs flush and clamped the door tight and she stayed. Very much amazed now that the door looks really good. Pre drilled and counter sunk some 3" screws to keep it tight. Tomorrow I'll replace the damaged jam and trim, if this comes out nice I'll be so pleased.

 

[duane9835]

WOW!!!! Awesome thread and work!!!! I need to find a place like that around here for my ever growing family, I thought the 4 bedroom i built 7 years ago was going to be enough......
Nice work.....

We have been looking for an old farm house with a little property but there is not much of that left?

 

[lenny]

Thanks Duane! Today I got the front door into shape and this old gale of a house has gotten her dignity back. Had enough time to take the back door off and re-work it. She needed some serious planning and replacing broken glass. Both doors swing nice now, latch perfectly. I just need a few skeleton keys so I can look them

 

[98panther]

Unless I missed it Didn't see any mention, How you gunna heat it?

 

[lenny]

My latest plan is running hot water under the floors with reflectors. If I plan right and save I would love to go with a Duel fuel boiler, LP and wood with the wood heat a gasificatioin system and I would run the wood as the primary, probably along with a huge holding tank. 10 g's would cover it and pay for itself in 5 years. Tarm USA or ECO have 94% efficient gasification technology and for wood that is remarkable. I really like the idea of allowing the wood to season for a year and being outside a winter killing most bugs so I can store wood in da basement.

 

[lenny]

Today I dug up by hand the old footings for the front porch stairs. Those footing went down 22" only, no wonder they were crooked and heaved. I dug down 46" and set my posts, poured some crete. Installed a new lock on the front door, installed all the basement windows. The house is ready for the winter now and all closed up. Tomorrow I finish the front stairs and start trim on the porch.

If anyone wants to come up real soon and help me gut the place I will give them free lodging this winter and they can also stay for free while they are here. We can also have a few cookouts and a few brew's. Fall colors are getting close to peak and maybe a little atving will be in order,,, anyone?

 

[Cat Woman]

Lenny this is absolutely amazing. You are a true inspiration to us all. There is nothing like old school character and charm!