A couple of weeks ago I shared an LCN special template for a closer installed on a door with rescue hardware. Paul Goldense of Goldense Building Products (one of the most creative door opening engineers I know) sent me today’s Fixed-it Friday photo of a modification he installed in 2018.
Under normal operation the restroom door opens in, and the wheel rides along the face of the door, along the closer arm to compress the springs inside the closer body; the springs then push the door closed. When the door is opened out to allow access if someone falls or barricades themself inside the restroom, the door is not physically connected to the closer.
Cool idea, right?*
*I know that this installation could affect the closer warranty, the opening force/closing speed adjustments, wear and tear on the wheel or the top of the door, etc., etc., but it has stood the test of time! It’s not a fire door so I’m not going to lose sleep over it!
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Paul is one of the people I have always admired and looked up to, and he is certainly an incredibly knowledgeable person in many regards.
Brilliant!
Ignoring knee-jerk reactionary feelings… (haha) I love the simplicity used to solve a challenge here.
I wonder if I would have had the creativity and engineering mindset needed to come up with this.
I’m at a place in my DFH journey where I’m afraid to come up with creative solutions.
I have some great people near me steering my path, and I want to sponge that up.
I need to learn just a bit more before I feel comfortable enough to color outside the lines.
Maybe one day, I will have the confidence to go a bit rogue, but I do not want to be like some and throw care to the wind.
Keep educating us, Lori! I love your Posts.
Thanks Shaun!
We do need to be a little careful with creative solutions – for example, modifications can affect warranties and listings or may not work as one had hoped. And doors and hardware are expensive! But I do appreciate some creativity – especially when it works!
– Lori