Window wood advice

[guethary]

That is very helpful and if I need someone to make it maybe you can help...

 

[Logger]

Would be happy to help. I could always plane and thickness timber for you if you decide not to buy planed all round.

 

[Logger]

Btw, i am north of bath near j18 of m4. If you want to chat, feel free to call me. I am in France at on hols, but happy to take call. My number is 07557858229.

Cheers

Nick

 

[guethary]

Hi Nick,
Thanks for your advice. In first instance i will take a look at the D/F in Box that you suggested. My view on the wood is that so long as the opening window has been made with a rubber weather shield in a groove it should stop any wind etc and make up for any movement in the wood. Does that sound right to you? I don't want to interrupt your holiday! Awaiting my Irish P/port in case trips to France which I used to make often (wife is French) become problematic!

 

[Logger]

With regards weatherstrips, i use aquamac 63 which you can get from axminster tools. You can get a router cutter that makes the right profile from Axminster as well. It then just slots in the groove made and is done. The DF is kiln dried, so i have never had a problem with movement. It may a little, but not that has resulted in a problem.

I personally am not a fan of accoya. I agree with other comments that it machines well, but when fitting it, it is brittle and the slightest knock and bits chip off.

I have some plans and templates for casement windows which may help as well, which you can have a copy when i get back. Don't worry if you want to call at some point.

I love France, everyone is so relaxed, it is an easy place to be able to chill out.

Nick

 

[guethary]

Thanks Nick. Have to drop wife in Bath am tomorrow for 2 hours so will go to Box.
Excellent advice for weatherstrips and router part. I will get the 'bits' together.
I just drew my own plans for windows so far! Novice but they worked.
Wife is from Lille...we used to go (years back) to Med where p/law had a mobile home in the hills nr St Tropez....
Love the SW nr Biarritz...indeed as you say France generally. At Euro match with son in Lens...English fans I was talking to suddenly burst for with Brexit chants...they were having a great time. On leaving I asked them whether they liked it 'here' in France...love it was response...so why Brexit I asked...we sped off pretty quickly...has become the topic like religion used to be ...not to be discussed..
PS Wife's nephew's opened his own boulangerie in the Loire

 

[guethary]

Hi Nick,
Went to Box and saw the D Fir....5x2 in 8 foot lengths ...sounds right to me. £20.24 for 8 foot. Sounds good to me...
They can plane it for me on 3 sides. Saves you the hassle...
How long are you in France?

 

[Logger]

Hi,

Glad it was successful. I forgot that they plane it there, but if it is not pricey, worth it.

What i do is have a plan of first cuts, and mark onto timber and mark frame head, frame jambs, sill etc, making sure to allow extra to plane and thickness each part.

I am not back until 1st august. I am back to a job for 10 windows, so can help with bits you may need help or advice with.

My email address is [email protected] if easier to contact.

Cheers

Nick

 

[guethary]

Bought the DFir today. It's quite daunting in a way as unprepared wood looks pretty awful. However I chose planks that had no defects though couple had a knot but it I cut it down to size and lost them seems good wood to me.
It's a big window...replacing UPVC beast of 2 sections. One is large sealed unit and next to it a casement. Seems unbalanced so aiming for 3 panels. Two sealed units and one casement. Will scratch my head and make a drawing. ...will email you. Enjoy France.

 

[Logger]

Excellent, a quick run through planer transforms it.

In Nantes now and stopping in Rouen on way back.

Cheers

Nick

 

[guethary]

Better stock up on Chablis if you aren't returning to France before Brexit! (And I chambered the edges ever so slightly which makes it feel better)

 

[yetloh]

I haven't used accoya but, if I had to make a winow frame it would be my choice, But, a word of caution, I was talking to a guy who runs high-end bespoke kitchen business who nade some exterior frames form it. Both the guys doing the job developed quite nasty allergic reactions to it. Maybe not quite so benign as they suggest. So use it with all the precautions you would when working with, say, iroko.

Jim

 

[mr rusty]

Seconded. I didn't get an allergic reaction, but do use a good face mask when machining.

 

[guethary]

I opted for Douglas Fir...it has been used for years. Accoya is guaranteed 60 years yet I have renovated Victorian sashes that are over 200 years old and the wood when sanded is ready for another 100 I would think!

 

[guethary]

This one https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb579 ... 230v/15774
As a planer it's pretty c**p, but I extended the thicknesser bed by bolting in a length of 18mm ply, removed the stupid plastic chip deflector and disabled the safety interlock (!!!), then made a plywood guard so the chips could just spit out - it makes loads and I didn't have a vacuum capable of handling the chip output!!

However, it has now processed a grand and half's worth of accoya into nicely PAR stock without changing a belt or blade.

I'd make your window in one piece. The largest sash window I have just made is around 2m H x 1.2m W

Having said all that, making a decent window takes planning. If you are using DG units, you also need to be thinking about draught seals, which are easily bought, but require planning in your sections. (no point having DG if your casements have gaps!) Similarly, how will you install DG units? I used dry glazing clips from reddiseals, and internal beads - everything is available, but much of the challenge is drawing up your sections. How will you machine them? It'll be a challenge IMHO without a router table, but certainly do-able, even with hand tools if you take your time. (but having just made a house full of windows, even with a domino for joints, decent router table, all the cutters for slotting out for seals, scribed joints etc, it's a work-out!)

For one window that is going to comply with building regs, the tools and/or time required are not insignificant. You need to work to quite tight tolerances. Anally I attempted to work to 0.2mm, and can fairly honestly say I achieved +/- 0.5mm in all my dimensions. (there is a certain satisfaction when you lay the laser measure over a large window frame, and get the same measurements top/bottom side/side to the mm)

But, if you can do it, you can make something as good or better than commercial products, and to a style and dimension as you want it!

With regard to douglas fir, the shrinkage when drying is quite high http://www.wood-database.com/douglas-fir/ which means that unless what you buy is fully seasoned and dry, it may move about a fair bit if it continues to dry, and/or is allowed to become wet again. Compare that to the shrinkage % of accoya between wet and dried https://www.accoya.com/wp-content/uploa ... N_2016.pdf and you see why accoya is such a good choice for doors and windows.

Thanks. Have bought DF which is good quality (dried, American etc)
MMMM...no I don't have a router table. To date, on 2 sealed units and 2 smaller windows with casements I have used a table saw to make the profile. So I am assuming you would suggest for accuracy I should use router to cut out. I bought one a couple of years back-never having used one. I haven't used it...bought a smaller one which I do use,a Makita palm router. But I don't know if I would be able to cut deepish rebates up to 50mm, for the sealed units.
Up to now I have been pretty confident and dived in at the deep end but this is a beast, 2 metres wide by 1 height (approx). I was going to make 3 sections and one would accomodate a casement window.
Its replacing a UPVC monster which has been inserted from the outside, to avoid knocking out internal plaster I believe but I intend to do it from the inside...
Someone on here has offered to help if I get stuck...I may well need it

 

[Logger]

Hope it is going to plan. I am back from hols, so if you need any assistance, feel free to get in touch.

Cheers

Nick

 

[guethary]

Thanks Nick. Will do. Have drawn a profile of frame and bought a better saw blade for table saw to cut it on a spare piece of wood. May do today or tomorrow and get back...I don't have a bench router hence saw for profile.