Denise Ohio
12-13-2007, 10:39 PM
Okay, over a year ago I was asking a bunch of questions about building casement windows for our new loadbearing strawbale house.
House has been up for a couple months. We're finishing up the interior framing now, and I have to get my windows built and in---yes, I'm late, but there's a story of drama that includes meth heads, but I will refrain from spilling it unless someone buys me a lemon drop and I ain't talking the suger-coated candy.
Anyway, Tod Evans suggested I laminate 1/4" wide pieces using water-proof glue (I use West Systems, thank you Bob Smalser) as my sash stock, prior to milling it all.
All but two pairs of my windows will be fixed---the two pairs are egress windows and will open outward as french casements. We have an HRV system and french doors to handle ventilation. I may change some smaller windows into awning windows near the kitchen, but according to my HVAC guy, it isn't necessary with the HRV system we're going to use.
Anyway, I'm not quite seeing how to do the laminations:
1. Do I slice up my stock, flip every other slice to get the grain going in different directions, then glue? Or do I slice up from different pieces and mix the slices, and glue?
2. Am I slicing up on the long or short dimension?
3. I have nominal 2x4 KD western red cedar, all of it clear and vertical grain. SHould I be concerned regarding the strength of the cedar with the weight of the glazing? Our largest opening sash is just under 2'x4' o.d. I have some CVG doug fir as well---some KD (leftovers from a defunct window factory) and some non-KD, but was cut in the 1890s and I salvaged it. Should I use the doug fir for the egress windows?
Anything else you can think of, I'd like to hear. I am confused. And tired. And my back hurts. But my new house is pretty and I'll finally get to use all of the maple and yellow cedar we harvested last year, as well as all of the salvaged cedar and fir I've squirreled a way.
Okay, I yield to your wisdom.
Edit: Okay, I'm bumping this up just once, then I'll leave you all alone. Unless I post a picture of the house, which really is pretty.
House has been up for a couple months. We're finishing up the interior framing now, and I have to get my windows built and in---yes, I'm late, but there's a story of drama that includes meth heads, but I will refrain from spilling it unless someone buys me a lemon drop and I ain't talking the suger-coated candy.
Anyway, Tod Evans suggested I laminate 1/4" wide pieces using water-proof glue (I use West Systems, thank you Bob Smalser) as my sash stock, prior to milling it all.
All but two pairs of my windows will be fixed---the two pairs are egress windows and will open outward as french casements. We have an HRV system and french doors to handle ventilation. I may change some smaller windows into awning windows near the kitchen, but according to my HVAC guy, it isn't necessary with the HRV system we're going to use.
Anyway, I'm not quite seeing how to do the laminations:
1. Do I slice up my stock, flip every other slice to get the grain going in different directions, then glue? Or do I slice up from different pieces and mix the slices, and glue?
2. Am I slicing up on the long or short dimension?
3. I have nominal 2x4 KD western red cedar, all of it clear and vertical grain. SHould I be concerned regarding the strength of the cedar with the weight of the glazing? Our largest opening sash is just under 2'x4' o.d. I have some CVG doug fir as well---some KD (leftovers from a defunct window factory) and some non-KD, but was cut in the 1890s and I salvaged it. Should I use the doug fir for the egress windows?
Anything else you can think of, I'd like to hear. I am confused. And tired. And my back hurts. But my new house is pretty and I'll finally get to use all of the maple and yellow cedar we harvested last year, as well as all of the salvaged cedar and fir I've squirreled a way.
Okay, I yield to your wisdom.
Edit: Okay, I'm bumping this up just once, then I'll leave you all alone. Unless I post a picture of the house, which really is pretty.