UPcycled Sash Windows

Found these beauties at HIPPO Hardware in Portland. A truly crazy place with crazy prices. But if you can talk the talk, there is a possibility to whittle them down so they only make a 300% profit.

Beautiful original Stain Grade Fir with the oil separating from the schellac. Most old sash windows have a century of paint caked on them. Not these. Original stain and finish from the early 1900's. Cool little bumps form after the decades have expedited chemical decay--I call it Reptile skin.

The glass was solid--no cracks or chips. So it became a grease board for the office.

Some brass screws in a few beefy wall anchors and a few trim screws angled into the wall on the bottom and this thing is solid.

Phone Charging Station

I found a good use for a beautiful little slab of Walnut that was pulled out of the "to burn" bin at the wood shop.

For too long my wife was charging her phone on the windowsill, leaving the cord dangling across the wall. It bothered me. All these tools in the garage and she has to use the old windowsill? NOT ON MY WATCH! Plus I have a nice little antique phone box for mine . . ..so I felt a wee bit guilty too.

Perfect Perch

 She always likes the wood scraps I bring home from the wood shop--especially the walnut. So, a little Danish Oil, a special finish and a bit of creative mounting hardware and voila!

Operators are standing by. . . :)

I combined toggle anchors, threaded rod and a few small nuts to allow this shelf to slide out a bit so the lady on the go can take her charger with her.

Interstate Fence in N.Portland

After a few re-draws and estimations for design and materials, the client and I came up with something in their price range and my design / build wheelhouse.

3 Gates and 40 feet of area to finally enclose a lovely yard to give the client's some much deserved privacy. 

Flush cutting 1/2" dowels

My first site visit proved encouraging. They most surely needed SOMETHING there to tie in the property. The lovely green lawn abruptly ended and a mixed array of low pet fencing was the only thing preventing the dogs and kids from wandering into the neighbor's wild and neglected yard.

Time to make a wood wall

The client was very wise to paint the pressure treated posts black. This matched the hardware and will serve to protect the wood even more. It also avoids the awful contrast that Cedar and Pressure Treated lumber face after several years of sun and rain. Bright Orange, chemically stained wood and the natural grey patina of Cedar. Painting a square post is quite simple--since they need to stand alone for a few days while the concrete sets up.

What a difference

With 3 gates in the design, the wall would need to be interrupted a few times, with some tricky angles before the property line jogs to the corner of the garage. I opted to mortise in the horizontal supports on the short, angled returns, since they fed into the two large gates that can, if desired, be both opened and a car can be driven through to the detached garage.

Tricky angles, Solid lateral support.

The main entry gate was fitted with my standard magnetic catch and security bolt latch. I added a pull handle to ease the exit for the clients leaving their yard. Everyone seems to agree the force required to pull the magnet open is perfect and feels solid every time.

Building the gate in the wood shop.

JET Carpentry's standard Lap joint gate with 1/2" dowel reinforcement. Light and strong.

1" rare earth magnet set in cup ready for duty. No more annoying latches that always mis-align.

Extra security so you can lock the gate if desired.

Luna putting my work to the real test.

Porch view much improved.