No ... not Jim Morrison ...

Here's one of those head bangers I run into. This building is very well built - but it was designed to be a shed. Overbuilt for a shed - but put into use with simple fixtures, gate latches, barn doors. The doors were very heavy treated planking. But they were not designed for 1). Weather 2). Insects 3). Security ... or 4). Daily Usage.

In the interest of just moving along ... I could:

1). Hire a contractor ... who's first step is to rip off these existing doors - and then complain that the rough opening is not the correct size, true, square, etc., etc. Suggesting that I order a commercial custom unit to be built in a factory and installed later here.
2). Pay some Lowes Subcontractor to come install a $1,500 set of commercial doors - for another probably $900 install - and listen to them complain that nothing is correct. Of course, the rough opening will not match anything standard. The metal sheathing is cut and fitted to this opening. So; it's custom "thinking" and "figuring" work. Nobody wants to do that.
3). Cobb together some plywood skin for these doors. Caulk and weather strip. Hang a padlock on a hasp. Fight it every day I use it. Hate the very look of it. Been there - for too long. Not this time.
4). Find some Gary to correct it. Hang out at the local diner - look for gravy stains on tee shirts!
5). Fix it myself. Upgrade after the determination that the materials were sound, heavy, and the potential for a good unit was there.



Here's what I did. New Hinges - applied so that the fasteners are not accessible from the outside. Batten stripes - applied to one board only to allow for expansion/shrinkage. New door stop all around. Cross planks to secure. Z braces outside. Quality lock set of door knob AND dead bolt WITH custom tamper resistant stainless steel gaurd outside.



A real door knob to use fifty times a day instead of a gate latch to bust knuckles on.



Not a power tool in the lot when it comes to fitting and making it all work well. Therefore; nobody under 40 can use these items. hahaha The cord is for the light to see with!



The unit closes like a bank vault. Tight against weather, insects, and honest neighbors. A pleasure to open and close.



Best solution I could come up with. Processed as fast as I could do it. Done for the next fifty years if nothing destroys it.



Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2013 03:42AM by barnespneumatic.

yup... that will outlive us all. i've been using those screws myself until i borrowed a nail gun and compressor. now thats a fun tool to have.
good work Gary

Oughta last through the next hurricane at least, looks solid. I'm going through a lot of those stardrive screws around here too; so far they seem to be holding up corrosion-wise, but we'll see. Between SE AK and the Florida panhandle I guess we'll have the long-term rust testing covered.

Those framing-size nail guns are dangerous for remodeling work, they make it WAY much fun driving big 'ol nails. They're so much easier than hammering by hand that you just automatically want to pop in a half-dozen 16d nails when a pair would do. You stand there looking at it thinking "now THAT is good and tight, it's NEVER gonna come off". Of course, that's right before you notice that although you measured it right and cut it perfectly to size, you just used that shiny new nail gun to install it... upside-down and backwards.

And you've split, cracked, and dinged up the wood. Not to mention when you bounce a bit and it hiccups and puts one or two extra ones sticking halfway in right beside it.

Of, I love the things. Have about a dozen of 'em now and started in about 1974. Funny, back then a simple pinner cost about $600us. Now I see them in fliers all the time for about $16 us.

Previous owner here had a couple, it's clear. Hey, why use a 4 penny finish nail when five 16 penny spikes will do? Haha.

I use them a bunch but for many things I love the self drill star drives.

Gary

Cool stuff

If you want super corrosion resistance, I think McFeely's sells star-drive, heat treated stainless screws....

The coated deck screws seem to work pretty well - I've repaired gates at my parent's house ( quarter mile from ocean) with them and still good after 10 years..

Impressive and solid looking work Gary...

Have you tried an air powered palm nailer yet? I finally sprung for one to do the nails that go into galvanized framing plates and they're VERY convenient, compact too, they go places you'd never get a bit ol framing nailer tucked into.

I Sean,
No - don't own one. Surely I must NEED one though.
Glad you have broken the ice and recommended them.
Gary

Wait, a tool Gary doesn't have?!!! Giveit a minute and a new project demanding that tool will appear!

I think I paid maybe sixty bucks for one at Home Despot on sale. I'm sure that I've done AT LEAST twenty bucks worth of work with it by now...but it sure was fun.

You can always crack walnuts with it. Should be great for parties.

Used one on my deck, had lots of tight spots with no space to swing a hammer.
The palm nailer worked great.

Joe