Another product that has disappeared from our shops

[adzeman]

One of the things that tends to frustrate and annoy me is when you go to a shop to purchase an item you have bought many times before only to find its no longer manufactured.

This occurred recently when I completed my garden security gate and needed to gaze its observation window. The plan was to insert a Bulls Eye pane of glass only to be informed by my local glazier these are no longer available and had to reluctantly settle for plain glass. I decided that the next time I went home (where I originate from) I would enquire there.

It was confirmed that this type of glazing is no longer manufactured not even by the Chinese, who are supposed to make everything. But he did have a number of second hand ones in stock which he let me have for free. He offered to cut it for me but I could not remember the size and any way the opening I had made was a bit small for a Bulls Eye as to fit would have meant cutting into the actual Bulls Eye.

So the first job on returning home was to enlarge the opening and manufacture a frame. The sill and head were out of 95 x 20 mm softwood and the stiles from 70 x 20 mm.
As this was a small quantity of stock only 250mm long machining a 500 long length was not practical so I used one of my wooden plough planes to make the rebates and grooves.

The plan

The end result

The rains have been coming down putting a halt to applying a protective stain but at the first dry spell will finish the job.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yeah, same happened to me. I went to buy a new blunderbuss and couldn't find one anywhere.

 

[bussy]

Hi
I believe bulls eye windows were banned because when used in front doors they could concentrate the sun light and cause a fire, could be wrong, usually am.

 

[MMUK]

http://www.leorec.co.uk/windows__stained_glass.htm

Leominster Architectural Salvage have loads in stock

 

[adzeman]

Bussy says

believe bulls eye windows were banned because when used in front doors they could concentrate the sun light and cause a fire,

The only EEC regulation I can find relating to bulls eye glass is regarding its lead content. Genuine Bulls eyes were formed (in the days of Blunderbusses) by blowing large globes of glass and the bit where the blowing pipe was waste. This glass had a high lead content. Glass was expensive and the wealthy had all their windows with clear glass. The end bits were sold to the less well off people who had to take a number into the glazing. Poor people had no glass at all. Modern Bulls eyes are cast with EEC ok glass.

MMUK says
Leominster Architectural Salvage have them in stock

The Architectural salvage yards in my area have a supply of salvaged Bulls eyes in stock the only problem with old glass is cutting it. It tends to break and at £25.00 a pane can be expensive. The one I was given was old glass and to avoid cutting it was one of the reasons I altered the opening to fit. Its just annoying when having bought them in the past now find you cant buy from new.

 

[Halo Jones]

Is there any chance of showing a full picture of the gate? I have to make a gate for our garden I like the small part I can see your picture.

Thanks,

H.

 

[n0legs]

:?:

 

[adzeman]

Halo Jones said

Is there any chance of showing a full picture of the gate?

Thank you for the interest I did a work in progress in September with pictures

n0legs Said

I'll speak to my supplier and ask him where they get them.

I would be grateful for this information and look forward to your post.

Regards

 

[devonwoody]

I think that glass had a fire risk problem I recall some years ago. (like magnified glass)
might be the reason for its demise?

 

[MMUK]

Probably another EU nanny state rule. I know you can still buy them in USA and China. However, as always, it's minimum orders, freight shipping, Customs, etc.

 

[adzeman]

Halo Jones said

Is there any chance of showing a full picture of the gate?

If you have any queries I would be pleased to try and answer them The subject was "New Security Gate"

 

[Jacob]

I think they've gone out of the shops because nobody wants them. They are a bit naff, those imitation bulls-eye blisters. I refused to fit them when I was into windows!

 

[iNewbie]

They're available if you look up Bullion Glass, too.

Here

Here

 

[Halo Jones]

Adzeman,

I didn't recognise the gate from your WIP because it now has those metal studs on it. They look great and make the gate look really sturdy. Are they just decorative or are they holding things together? Where did you get them?

Cheers,

H.

 

[adzeman]

They are purely decorative. I purchased them from a small ironmongery shop I discovered on the edge of the Ashdown Forest (Poo Bear country) he has a great range of door furniture both modern and antique. Most of what he sells you can obtain off the internet but looking and feeling the difference between the cheaper stuff and the more expensive is educational. I bought from the mid range. There is a difference between the cast spray painted gear and the forged nail with a black wax finish. The pewter ironmongery makes a real statement but costs an arm and a leg.
The cost to myself in material was £209.75 and estimates to buy a comparable door (which it is a special) ranged from £630.00 to a thousand. Plus VAT so my wife considered it worth while to spend money on the mid range. The ironmonger is called Forge Fast Email [email protected]
He does give a good discount which can cancell out the Vat. I spent £76.91 on the ironmongery for the gate.