Question for the masterminds

[Jay Jolliffe]

I have to make two windows 24"x24" that slide into a pocket on an exterior wall.


Picture pocket doors but windows. I'm looking for ideas of some sort of track that they would slide on. The old ones that were single pane glass that just slide on a wood sill worked pretty well for being about 60yrs old. Now they will be thermopane glass...Any Ideas....

[Chris Draper]

Assuming you are mostly talking about just window sash sliding in a pocket. I would likely consider full extension drawer slides mount top and bottom. Pretty easy to hide with trim and suited to the application well enough.

[Richard Shaefer]

why wouldn't you just by off the shelf Johnson pocket door hardware and use that?

[Jay Jolliffe]

These will be exterior windows & will need a weather seal against the windows....I'm looking for some kind of sloped track the windows will slide in...

[Lee Schierer]

I have three side sliding double pane vinyl windows in my house. The sashes can be easily removed if needed. They seal weather tight. The sashes have rollers on the bottom so the move easily.

Why would you need pocket windows?

[Tom M King]

Casements won't work?

[Jay Jolliffe]

Because they slide into the wall...Lame Idea but they like them...This is an old house that they just changed all the single pane glass windows with insulated glass.

[Mike Cutler]

Because they slide into the wall...Lame Idea but they like them...This is an old house that they just changed all the single pane glass windows with insulated glass.

OMG!! does that bring back some bad memories.
We rented a house in Mystic CT when we were first together that had those windows. It was at one time a carriage house, that had been converted.
What a pain in the behind they were! The ice in the winter!!!!!!:eek: I used to have to tape plastic sheeting over them in the winter.
I wish you luck my friend and hopefully there is a "new work" solution, or they can be talked out of them.

[Tom M King]

I rebuild old house parts, like they were, for a living. On occasion, some things that this company provides have been very useful.
http://www.conservationtechnology.com/building_weatherseals_components.html

[Jak Kelly]

Not sure if this will help in your grand quest for parts but if you look into Unistrut they also have trolley's and all sorts of parts that are similar to those track systems. I think those parts may be a lot cheaper than what the big box stores sell those door tracks for as well. You can find Unistrut, which is a Cooper product, more commonly known as B-Line at an electrical supply house.
Good luck!!

[Joe Calhoon]

http://www.fenestration.net/window/lift_slide_window.html
Lift - Slide window would give the best weather seal. The hardware machining is a little involved though.

[Tom Bender]

If the original worked for 60 years why not replicate it? Sell it as 'period correct'.

[Bradley Gray]

+1 on conservation technology - I would look at their weatherstripping and glass seal products and design around them.

[John Stankus]

Not quite a mastermind but....
Why don't you get one of these 24x 48 windows (or is it 48 x 24... see not a mastermind) and bury half the frame in the wall.
JELD-WEN V-2500 Left-Operable Vinyl New Construction Desert Sand Exterior Sliding Window (Rough Opening: 48-in x 24-in; Actual: 47.5-in x 23.5-in) (this was on the Lowes website)

John

[Richard Coers]

Tough to insulate a wall with a pocket for the window in it.