Paint Scraper ???

[Carroll Courtney]

To me this is a tool with arm power, but if not please move to appropriate section

Guys I pick up 5 old single hung window 6 pane I guess you would call it. Which came out of a 1948 home, and there is layers of paint. Most of the paint is crack and coming off with some help. I don't believe that stripping is the answer for these, but maybe scraping to get all that I can off. With a total of 6 panes per sash there is a lot of scraping so I would like to find what would be consider a very good scraper to help with removing paint, caulking, and some of that glazing putty that is hard as rock. But maybe paint stripping would be good for the mullions, but like to find something that will get into those tight places that should have nice crisp edge. Looking for suggestions for that tool or tools and maybe nice paint stripper for those mullions. Thanks for any suggestions on what work for you.

[Tom M King]

Is all the glazing out or look easy to get out? Panes in and if so how are they held in?

I do this a lot.

edited to add: Picture shows tools I use for getting paint off. This was working on 1974 windows a couple of weeks ago.

[Tom M King]

6 panes called a 6-light

[glenn bradley]

I can almost guarantee you that Tom will have your best answer once you answer his questions. It's not like he hasn't one or two of these .

[Carroll Courtney]

We loaded windows laying them down with glazing on bottom. I guess as we hit bumps which broke some of glazing so we loss about 10 plates of glass. It’s not wavy type so hardware store have it. The glazing is very dried which looks like pop out easy. These windows don’t have weights but has spiral balance spring. Which I am researching where buy those, 31” non tilt 9/16 dia and looks gray but maybe white

[Tom M King]

Sash in the jambs for complete window units, or just the sash?

[Tom M King]

Single hung with springs not computing.

[Carroll Courtney]

This what they look like, this one in pic is for tilt out window sash. The ends are color coded for different sash weights, and the dia of the tube is either 3/8 or 9/16. From my research cause this is also new to me is that these do away with the cavity for the weights. These can also be adjusted for the sash weight. It really wasn't my plan to use these but the framing can be little smaller now instead of allowing extra 4" for the weights.
Here is a pic of window with the spiral balance rod.

[Tom M King]

I've never seen anything like that around here.

A heat gun is the fast way to remove paint. The main tool I use with it is a painter's 5N1 tool with the edge sharpened with a file. A couple of weeks ago it took me 20 minutes to completely strip all the paint off of a 1974 window unit on a rental house here.

https://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Sprayt..._dp&th=1&psc=1

You soften a section of the paint, and push it off with the scraper's sharp edge. You can see the paint bubble up. You don't have to heat it a lot to get it to release. If you keep the heat on it more than you need to, it will start to smoke. You need respiratory protection anyway, but no need to make it smoke or turn dark.

You can't let the heat gun get close to the glass though, or the chances of it cracking are Very high. I use the LV little carbide insert scraper to get right next to the glass.

I've been through most types of heat guns made. My current favorite is this top end Wagner. It has an automatic cool down function when you turn the switch off. Make sure the cord end is tied off so it can't come loose while it's heated up or the heating element will be damaged.

I have the whole window redoing process down to a science that works efficiently for me, and my clients love the results. Find the Glazing page on my old website.

If you look closely at the picture in my previous post, I use every tool you see in it.

[Carroll Courtney]

Fantastic Tom and thanks for link. All this is new to me so learning as I go. For life of me I never knew about those springs. But I like the ideal behind it. I did order new springs just like ones come out of. Only thing I’m going to try change is I’m making new Window jambs but going to try turn this jamb into double hung instead like old one which was single. The upper and lower sash both have dados that will accommodate the spirl balances. This is experiment so I may fall flat on my face.

[Tom M King]

For paint removal, I turn the heat on that gun all the way up to 1300 degrees. Be careful with it because at that heat it only takes an instant to get burned, and the 5-N-1 tool gets hot enough to burn you too. You can see in that picture where I scorched one little place on the brick molding.

[Carroll Courtney]

I’ll have check that out Tom, but have another question. These windows came out 1948 Home and few sashes the bottom rail and where joints to styles the wood looks real dried out. I was wondering about using wood hardner instead of boiled linseed oil. What’s your thoughts on this, what you you recommend?

[Tom M King]

I would use epoxy, penetrating epoxy, or thickened epoxy depending on what will go in there. I don't think linseed oil will do much. I never use linseed oil for anything on old windows.

[Carroll Courtney]

Thanks Tom penetrating epoxy it is

[Carroll Courtney]

Tom just one more question. For frame of window my plan is to purchase dried decking 1x6’s. Which decking boards are 5/4 plus being treated, what’s your opinion on materials for making window frame?