If you can roll the doors at all, pull it out to beyond the halfway point of the doorway. Then check for obstructions such as plaster that has fallen off the back of the walls and perhaps loose electrical wires. You will need a flashlight and vacuum cleaner.

Next look for points of contact at the top of the jamb. Multiple layers of paint and door warpage may cause contact. A little paste wax applied to the jamb will alleviate the friction.

The rollers under the door are called sheaves and are still manufactured today. (Hettich makes them) If you have a broken axle you will need to replace it. Removal of the pocket door is as easy as lifting it up 1/2" and tilting it out. Good to have a second person.

Posted by: southslope at September 26, 2007 11:13 AM in response to Fixing pocket doors

Best?

Probably genuine Honduras Mahogany because it is very stable, very resistant to decay and has a decent hardness. Most mahoganies sold today are not genuine Honduras mahogany as "genuine" is very expensive. Spanish cedar looks like mahogany and resists decay and is very stable, however it is soft. Most common of mahoganies are Santos, Philippino, and African. Stay away from species that are prone to fungus or decay when exposed to the elements, such as poplar.

White oak is very hard and looks very different than mahogany but is very durable and water resistant, however is harder to stain.

Eastern white pine is very soft and very stable.

I suppose it depends on use and method of construction. A solid soft wood will work well on a single family dwelling and a hard wood staved core would be the best choice for a multi-family residence.

Posted by: southslope at October 2, 2007 10:49 PM in response to Entry Door

Many original doors have a 7/8" tongue for the glass with a 3/4" glass stop nailed to it which holds the glass against the exterior molding of the door. If this is the case with your door- you can modify the glass stop and install an insulated glass unit. Insulated glass units can be made as thin as 1/2". However, as the space between the two pieces of glass increases the unit becomes more efficient. All glass should be installed with a generous bead of clear silicone and it shouldn't be loose.

Insulated glass reduces the conductive heat loss in an entry door, but more heat loss occurs due to convection. Check around the door such as the casings for airflow. Air enters into the house through any opening in the enframement and then through any gap in the casings. Low expansion foam will stop this type of heat loss.

Posted by: southslope at October 16, 2007 11:28 AM in response to Insulating weatherproofing brownstone doors

Most species of wood will expand and contract at a rate of (plus or minus) two to one at a tangential to radial length(soft woods more than hard woods). When the wood is heated the moisture content of that wood changes. What this translates to is that a 4" strip of quarter sawn white oak will grow .022" with a 15% change in humidity while a flat sawn piece of the exact same wood will grow .043". This may not seem like much but on a 12' wide room this expansion is enough to make the flat sawn floor buckle. Engineered flooring is man-made material like MDF and is very stable. But any species of wood can be quarter sawn and usually looks better that way.

Here is a wood movement calculator if you care to compare different species of wood:

http://justwoodworking.com/software/wood_move.php

Posted by: southslope at October 18, 2007 12:10 AM in response to radient (sp?) heat

Laminated or "safety" glass consists of two pieces of 1/8" glass laminated to a clear sheet of plastic, just like a cars windshield. You can not tell the difference between regular plate glass and laminated glass until you break it (save for the marking on the corner of the sheet of glass).

If you plan on replacing the existing glass (1/8") in a double hung window you will need to adjust the sash weights to compensate for the extra weight of the glass.

Posted by: southslope at October 30, 2007 10:49 AM in response to Laminate Security Windows?

Try Eli at Sign Select (246.1144).His shop is located b/t 2nd and 3rd on 9th Street. He can paint gold leaf but it more practical for you to have the letters cut on gold foil with a black vinyl outline. You can adhere them to the glass easily- I do it all the time.

Posted by: southslope at November 1, 2007 5:25 PM in response to house numbers

If you are just replacing the door it is advisable to get the landmarks permit- it won't cost you anything now, perhaps an hour of your time to snap a few photos and fill out a simple form. However, if you incur a violation on your building- you will have to correct it before DOB will issue you a permit for work, which you may need down the road.

Landmarks tells you six weeks but it depends which day you submit paperwork. I have had it go through in less than two.

Posted by: southslope at November 2, 2007 10:09 AM in response to Do I really need a permit for a new door?

Most Home Depot stores and Lowes sell Baldwin brass kick plates. Brass is easy to cut as it is non-ferrous.

Posted by: southslope at November 30, 2007 11:32 AM in response to brass kick plates?

Another vote here for oil on woodwork. Fine Paints of Europe, who makes great oil paints, is now producing an water born oil paint called ECO. It has the same VOC content as latex paints.

Painting is all about prep-work and sanding between coats. The best paint in the world won't remedy poor application.

BTW- solvent waste should be consolidated into a solid with sawdust, cement, ect.

Posted by: southslope at March 21, 2008 11:05 AM in response to Anyone still use oil-based paint?

Old oil paints were glossy due to their high heavy metal (lead) content. Almost all paints begin as a high gloss. Silica is added to reduce the sheen, which softens the finish. High gloss is a superior finish, the sheen will die down over the first several weeks or can be dulled with "0000" steel wool. Most paint and varnish makers recommend applying the high gloss first followed by a lower sheen for the maximum durability.

10:12- By mixing your solvent waste with old plaster, Portland cement, or grout you are converting it to a solid so they don't find their way in to the water.

Posted by: southslope at March 21, 2008 3:32 PM in response to Anyone still use oil-based paint?

It's two phase with higher amperage that you want. Oh, and it's Con-Ed, so of course they haven't returned your call.

Posted by: Smokychimp at August 18, 2008 11:24 PM in response to 3 Phase Electric

I think three-phase is only available to industrial customers, and at commercial rates.

Posted by: Steve at August 19, 2008 1:35 AM in response to 3 Phase Electric

I'm really curious: what are you doing that you might need 3-phase? How big is the house?

Posted by: cmu at August 19, 2008 12:07 PM in response to 3 Phase Electric

Maybe he renovating a drawbridge into a residence?

Posted by: Steve at August 19, 2008 12:48 PM in response to 3 Phase Electric

I need the 3 phase for 2 purposes. First is central AC. The system I want is more cost efficient in the 3 phase configuration. Second is an elevator. I own my place as a commercial enterprise, so Con Ed should not have an issue.

Does anyone know a cost?

Posted by: NewOwner08 at August 19, 2008 1:17 PM in response to 3 Phase Electric

Most people seem to miss the point here. No one is asking that the planes fly over other neighborhoods. The people who are fighting this, for example, http://AirTrafficParkSlope.org, make the point that this INCREASE in air traffic is a result of the FAA redesign of the air space that took effect July 31, 2008. You may have noticed that since that date, 85% of the traffic into LGA is flying over Park Slope. Before this date, the air traffic was fairly rotated over WestChester and Rockland counties as well as Connecticut and Long Island. This increased air traffic has been redirected down from activist communities in these communities. Senator Dodd of Connecticut has threatened to cut the FAA funding over complaints from his constituents. Would that Senators Schumer or Clinton be so inclined. In any case, if you want to help fight this, sign the petition at http://AirTrafficParkSlope.org and/or contact them to help fight for a more fair rotation pattern.

Posted by: artsyogaman at August 20, 2008 5:49 PM in response to Commerical Airplane flying over Prospect Park

I would second southslope's recommendation of 2B Thai on Beverly Rd. We go there probably once a month. The place itself is very plain, but delicious food at great prices. Old Brick Cafe on Church Ave seems decent as well. I think there are more places on Ft. Hamilton Parkway, but we haven't checked them out as we live farther south.

Posted by: lj12345 at August 25, 2008 4:10 PM in response to Kensington

Ft Hamilton has Thia Tony's which is great and just recently a sushi place opened which is great -- and last a new coffee shop just opened a few days ago that seems to have a nice breakfast and lunch menu -- but have not tried it yet.

Posted by: AnnieJ at August 25, 2008 9:20 PM in response to Kensington

Ortov Electric on Union St. between 4th & 3rd has a lot of misc. LeeDan parts - I'd ask there first.

Posted by: Arkady at August 26, 2008 5:02 PM in response to Intercom backplate

Thanks for your help, everyone

Posted by: Melissa809 at August 26, 2008 10:28 PM in response to Intercom backplate