Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/795

 Making Storm- Sashes from Shutter-Frames

THE owner of an old-fashioned house which presented several examples of architecture of a past age found a way to convert the shutters into a modern con- venience.

He removed the slats, leaving the frame of each pair intact. These frames he fastened together at the meeting rails with long wire finishing nails to each piece. To further stiffen the frame, so as to keep it in line, i in. of the lower rail was sawed off and the space filled with two J^- i n. strips nailed on at the top and bottom. All the blind hardware was removed. The scars re- sulting there- from were sm oothed over with a scraper and sand paper, and touched up w i t h a priming coat of paint, after which all screw holes were puttied and blocks were fitted in- to the notches made to re- ceive the end of the lifting rod when the shutter slats were closed.

This comjjleted the frame except that there was no rebate to support the glass. Strips ^i in. wide and J4 in. thick were procured and cut to the proper lengths. These were fastened with brads around the inside of each opening for the glass to rest on when put in place. They were given a pri-ii'ig coat of paint so that the putty would adhere. The glass was ordi- nary single strength, known as "B" grade. This glass is not perfect, but it admits as much light as any other grade and it is inexpensiv'e. For the ordinary window, four lights about 12 by 28 to 14 by 30 in. are required The latter size has 1 7 lights to the box; the smaller size, 20 lights.

��Popular Science Monthly Old

��781

��Old-fashioned shutter-frames used for storm-windows by substituting single strength glass for the shutter slats

��It will be necessary to cut these lights in almost every case, as the openings in the shutters are usually not made to glass sizes. For this purpose the or- dinary steel six-wheel glass-cutter will be foiuid satisfactory.

To cut the glass lay it on a flat-top table, large enough to support it with a margin all around. Pad the table sur- face with 3 or 4 thicknesses of newspaper, and on top of this put a sheet of stout wrapping paper, on which draw two strong pencil lines at exactly right angles. The lines form the gage. One corner of

the glass is placed in the angle and two sides are made to agree exactly with these two lines. The opening should be measured in each case, and the meas- urement laid off on the pa- per so as to be seen through the glass. This should be done for each panel, as they may vary slightly in size. Cut about 1/16 to 3-^ in. scant of each meas- urement to prevent the glass from bind- ing in the frames.

Use a strip of wood not less than } 2 in. thick for a straight edge and have it long enough to gage the longest dimen- sion without shifting. Measure the thickness of the cutter-block carrying the wheels. Put the plain side against the straight edge and allow for the thickness of the cutter-block. Di|) the cutter-wheel into turpentine and make a quick stroke from end to end of the glass. Never run over the cut a second time. A piece of cardboard should be provided having a thickness equal to that of the glass. It should be placed at the end of the cut to prevent break-

��� �