Waiting Area Double Door Project

Been wanting to do this for a long time so bigger stuff could go in the waiting area.  The main thing taking up the most room in the back is the Articulating 525 that I really wanted up front.  

I had 2 of these hardwood doors since the building was built in 1997.  One went to the waiting area, the other was on a storage closet.  They were on clearance at Lowes, someone had special ordered them and never picked them up.  They had been there a long time and I offered the Manager $100 for both and he took it, not bad for exterior hardwood doors and were cheaper than the interior hollow core doors at the time.  When I built the addition on the back the storage closet was removed and of course being the pack rat I am I kept the door, shelves, etc.  

That brings me to now, it was time to put that 29 year old door back to use again.  It was really nice that the doors were right and left handed or this would have been a lot more of a pain to do.  The 1st pic of the door was taken Tuesday March 3rd after digging it out of the 4 car garage, the rest of the pics are the beginning of this when I started on it Sat before last, they were taken on Sat March 14.  A lot of wiring and switches plus 1 outlet had to be moved.  Everything was made in USA, switch boxes, switches, outlet, wiring, and all, don't see that anymore.  The wiring is all 12 gauge.  Things were a lot cheaper 29 years ago and overdoing it was the way to go.  

Will post more tomorrow, it's getting late again...

 

These pics are from March 17-20, more of getting ready for when Kevin came up last Sat inbetween work and spending time with the C-121 restore peeps last Friday.  Everything is going wireless like I did when we built dad's new barn.  The transmitters go in a magnetic wall plate so they can be removed or changed around any time.  They can also be mounted to the wall anywhere, or just put on the wall or anywhere else with double stick tape or Velcro like I've done with some.  The new wireless receivers and boxes will be mounted on the shop side to the left of the tan door once it's moved over to the left under an access panel in case I need to get to anything later.  The old switches, outlet, and wall plates are all Leviton Made in USA.  They still work perfect after 29 years so they are going in the back in my hoarding or pack rat collection.  I don't think you can buy stuff like that anywhere anymore...  

 

I had mentioned this in the "What's everybody doing" topic but some peeps shouldn't be allowed to use a coil framing nail gun, like me.  How can so many nails go in such a small area?  One thing for sure, it wasn't gonna move...   I had a lot of nail removal to do to reuse some of these, I never waste anything.  

Kevin showed up last Sat and we got the main framing and doors in.  Trying to line up basically 4 doors in one area was a real pain but it's done minus a little tweaking I had to do.  He left around 1:15AM and I was out of here a little before 2AM but the hardest part was over.     We prob would have been done sooner but it's harder to think straight after so many hours on a project in one day.  

 

There was a pretty good mess to clean up on Monday but that happens when Kevin + I do things that take a long time.  He has over an hour drive time to get home and it's usually close to or after my bed time and I still have to close up the shop...  On a good note at least things are getting done.  

It took more time but we decided to make an entirely new top door frame instead of piecing it.  Neither of us are into doing things halfway.  The doors lined up really good but not perfect but we decided I find the problem and mess with that this week when I got time.  I was pretty sure it was at the top in the framing somewhere.  

These pics are from last Monday.  I got the 2x4s cleaned up and decided to get the trim cut down and back up on the waiting area side.  The wireless switch boxes were also put where they were going to be mounted.  I needed to get most of this stuff finished and out of the way so there's more room to do tractor work.  

I looked into long barrel bolts last Sunday for the tan door which will stay closed most of the time.  I can't believe they were around $40 for some made in China garbage so I thought I could make a better one out of stuff laying around the shop for free.  I've been thinking that way a lot more here lately, no use in spending money or supporting China when I can make most anything here out of leftover pieces.  I grabbed a loose piece of 1/8" steel from the back, punched some holes in it, then got 3 used deck arm spacers that I have hundreds of out of a Fastenal drawer in the back.  The bolt was just used to line everything up for welding.   It took all of about 15 mins to make and is way better than anything I could buy.  I also found a pin (in the last pic) in the back from I have no idea what, but it made a nice latch pin that can be easily pulled up with my foot, no bending over even.  

I still have to make something on it to hold the pin up when opening, and paint it, but at least the door is anchored now.  

 

These pics are from last Tuesday.  I came out early and found the problem with the bulge in the wall on the waiting area side.  It was late and I guess we didn't notice the seam in the waiting area wall there along with the split in the header.  I took it all back apart, shimmed the center to get it straight, then ran a 2x2 from end to end.  There was a 2x4 in there but it didn't go completely to the frame on each side.  Then it got a 2x2 to fill the gap on the left, some upright 2x4s on the right and a small 2x4 above that in the center to bridge the 2 in the center of the doors.  Everything was straight and really solid after that.  I needed the other stuff in the back to fasten the J channel to as well.  All the lumber was stuff previously used in the wall before, that's why everything was denailed, so it could be used again.  I'm not so ODC that I care about the old nail holes.  

After that the electrical boxes were mounted and another 2x4 put in the wall on the left side of them.  Everything was done with an impact driver and exterior screws from the new pallets I took apart from the new Dollar Store last year.  There's plenty of them here and it makes things easier to get tight, or take apart if need be, plus they were free...    

 

The panel covers were made last Wed, and the outlet was done last Sat.  Only doing a little when time allows but it's getting there.  

I started looking for double blank metal box covers and they were around $9 each, I thought again, peeps have lost their minds.  Another $36.00 saved by making them here out of an old piece of steel cut out of my portable fan for a filter grille.  The piece was squared up on the iron worker then 4 covers made.  About 15 mins on the iron worker and we have free covers...  

I should really give up looking for things and think of making it here first before even looking...  

The covers are made and on, and the original outlet that was in the way was relocated and moved up.  That was the outlet used mostly for the vacuum cleaner.  It is higher so it's easier to get to now.  A piece of 2x4 was put in the wall for a guide so it could be marked, removed, then the box put on it and screwed back into the wall.  A lot quicker and easier than trying to nail it in such a tight space.

 

These pics are from last Sat.  When we started this 2 weeks ago tomorrow and removed the Amazon Firestick and the TV over for the doors they were both very warm.  I knew there was always phantom power in a lot of things but these were drawing quite a bit to be warm like they were.  Since we did the doors and saw this the plan was to put a 4th box in the back and run the TV and Firestick through another wireless switch, that's why 4 box covers were made.  The TV outlet behind the TV was fed through the outlet that was just moved up and were at the end of the line so it was pretty easy.  They don't get used often, mostly if there's a bad storm to watch the weather, or if a wife or kids show up when someone brings or picks up a tractor the family has something to watch.  A different type of switch was used that I had for awhile that mounted to the wall.  It's the one right below the TV.  

The J channel was then put back around the doors with a new piece at the top to get ready for metal and finally finish the shop side of this little project.  After that I made a 1/8" steel plate and used some of the leftover small 2x4 pieces to protect the light and fan switch wires and keep them further back in the wall.  Only thing left was the cutting the metal to fit and making the access panel.  The end was finally in sight...  

And no the holes in the plate punched on the iron worker aren't exact, but since they're covered up in the wall Mr OCD can still sleep at night...  

 

Since it's Monday these pics are from Sat before last (March 28) like the last post.  It was just cutting and putting the metal back up on the shop side.  Everything was done except the access panel for the switches.  The access panel was done last Monday (March 30).  There are 2 phillips screws where the green and white meet that once they come out the panel slides down a little then out to get to everything.  The J channel holds the top in place.   

Took a little time Monday to make and put the final piece of trim on the top of waiting area side so I could put the miter saw and stand away.  It wasn't done before because the door frame protrudes on both sides and the last trim piece had to be routered to fit the door frame and go up against the wall so it took a little more time.  

Yesterday morning I made a plate to mount the wireless switches on.  It was made from what was left of an old computer case cover sitting in misc metal on a cart in the back.  The edges were trimmed keeping the straight fold over on one end (top of the pic).  The other end was folded on the finger brake to make it look nice and add strength also.  Then it had some holes drilled in it to mount it, blasted, and painted with some paint in the back from an outdoor project about 15 years ago that was a real close match to the wall.  It pays to keep and use everything, sometimes...    

A lot of other work to do but trying to do a little bit every day or two.  I'll be glad when it's all done.