A hidden world beneath your feet.

2/17/2016

This is an article I wrote for inclusion in the Building Conservation Directory 2016 (It may take a few seconds to load).

Below is a link to BCD site where you will find a wealth of information on services and products for the conservation of historic buildings and much much more.

http://www.buildingconservation.com/cathcomm.htm

1 Comment

Jess the door closer doctor

2/25/2016 04:06:05 am

Rod/MFS,

very well written!!! I loved what I read!!

as for the sealed floorsprings, if they are repairable, you need special wrenches to get them apart and the factory that made them does not supply the help or the tool to take it apart with. many people like yourself often will resort to fabricating their own tools to work on closers, when its a sealed closer, the home made tool they would make is an end plug remover, if it's an "open" rebuildable type of closer (remove coverplate and you can opt to remove closer from floor or work on it in the floor instead of having to pull it out and put it in a vise to work on.

this is one reason why I like about the Rixsons, if you had to, i am sure it could be worked on as-is in the floor (most of it accept removal of hold open device and pin/shaft as there is a nut on bottom of closer body for that)

as for character of historic buildings, I agree with you there too, when the originals leave and are replaced with something that has a lifespan of maybe 5 years, it really takes away from the character of the building, no matter it be an old church, school or a museum,

same how I felt when I went to sunday services at a church back in 1998 to 1999, they had it set to look like 1960's era most of it was a slim floorspring, and some surface closers and 1 old "lockwood" potbelly in the back of the balcony, which I used to admire it and sit near it (less hands to shake during meet-and-greet your pew neighbor) shake maybe one human's hand and shake it's arm, hehe)

I stopped going due to other things took up my time on sunday mornings (or sleep in) and one day seen renovations going on, and checked the church's website to see they replaced just about all the doors and put in stadium/movie theatre seating (ohh wow, soo cold and not church like at all) I guess they felt it was time to upgrade and along with the old hardware the character of that building.

can help encourage people to get their older closers fixed, but can't force them to decide over the 100 year old relic that is still working like new thanks to you or the 1 year old one thats leaking and worn out due to workmanship and quality of the device performance/materials when assembling.

as I say to you each time I comment on something I like that you write, keep it up with what your doing with fixing them closers,

you and Connor must be doing something right if now your in the BCD.

A hidden world beneath your feet.

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