bi fold windows with servery top

[charlsie]

the better half saw a set of windows that she would like going from the kitchen to outside, no worries i thought :U a few square frames with glass put in a bigger square frame a couple of pivots and some guide wheels.i chased down the manufacturer of the hardware.no change out of $1000 for some hinges and pivots ,a bit of aluminium track and guide wheels plus some weather seal:o so i did some research and $153 dollars later and a stop at the big green shed and a timber door maker i had the all the hardware.being a part time sawmiller the timber was in the yard,so all should be pretty easy:no:.i now have a new found appreciation of what has to be done on these projects.the whole window isn't that big unlike some projects here but the amount of time put in so far is pretty big so far .When i finish putting it in i'll post some more pics, i'm currently wating for the insect blind so once that arrives i'll fit it then put the whole lot in

[mikm]

G'day Charlsie,
Dont suppose the hardware manufacturer was Centor by any chance? I looked at their stuff when I built my kitchen a couple of years ago. Quality was very good and the integrated roll down flyscreen was nice, but I also found the minimal change from 1 gorilla to buy just the door hanging hardware a bit much to swallow. I cant remember now, but the flyscreen may have been almost as much again, and you still havent built the window yet.
I just decided to fix the outer two sashes to the reveal and hang the inner two with $10 worth of hinges. A 99% discount was too good to refuse. To open, the inner sashes swing in 180 degrees against the fixed sections, still leaving plenty of access to the bar/servery outside.
Unable to come up with better looking lockable drop bolts, I did use the Centor stuff, though. From memory, they might have been about $55 each and the custom router bit to fit them was about the same.
For future reference, I would be most interested to know what hardware you used to make a bifold work at such a reasonable price.

[orraloon]

Charlsie,
My brother has been looking for something similar. He got a quote to have it built that would have been able to bail out Ford and GM together. Any chance of a pick of the track and hardware. I may have to come up with plan B for him.
Regards
John

[charlsie]

mickm the hardware i was quoted was from hendersons adelaide ,and pricey at that.john i'll get some pics up tommorrow of the track.It can be bought from bunnings no prob but it is used for bi-fold hollow core doors so the weight needs to be considered.all up though i think i've done allright but wait till i fit them and i'll let you know what problems i have so you blokes can avoid them (learn by others mistakes):doh:

[mikm]

Back a couple of years when I was looking into it, Hendersons only had weather rated stuff for full size doors and didnt do weather rated servery window hardware for external walls.

Hendersons Adelaide is a long way from the Yarra Valley, isnt it?

[charlsie]

mick you can look them up, their web page is pretty good. the pics below should explain better than i can .the bottom pivot that is recessed, will be covered by a bit of stainless plate . the track was cut out for easy removal of windows (4 screws hold the front timber cover on) and the track code is TT 320 .the only prob i had with the double bogie wheels was they kept on undoing, but a bit of super glue fixed that. On the whole i'm pretty happy with everything but if i was using them everyday i'd definitely upgrade the pivots and my ability to join timber as well. yes adelaide is a long way from the valley:2tsup:

[mikm]

sounds interesting. do you have the company name or webpage?
thanks,
mick

[charlsie]

didn't mean to cofuse you, it was hendersons i was saying youb could look up.The hardware i used was Cowdroy track and wheels easily got at bunnings same for th weather seal. with the weather seal i just scribed a small chanel for it to sit in and i'm guessing down the track i might have to glue it in ( i don't think the self adhesive backing on the seal is very strong)

[mikm]

No worries. I have had the self adhesive foam type seal along the hinge stile and top rail and the brush type along the bottom rail (where it sweeps the bar top) of my windows for the past 2.5 years and they are showing no signs of failing, so I suspect you should be right with yours for a while.
Mick

[orraloon]

Charlsie,
Thanks for the picks of the track. I think it looks workable.
Regards
John