Joann Robertson of Playground Medic is an expert on playground safety (cool, right?!), and she sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photos. They're from a retail store that sells patio accessories, plants, and gifts. Any theories about the motivation behind this fix?
Many deadbolts are able to accommodate either a 2 3/8-inch or 2 3/4-inch backset right out of the box. This "fix" is another option. Thank you to Peter Piecewicz of Ace Locksmith & Security Systems, who submitted today's Fixed-it Friday photo.
Today's Fixed-it Friday photos were taken by Andrew Stein of Claflen Associates Architects + Planners. They illustrate just how easy it is to defeat an egress door in the name of security.
Kevin Latimer of Allegion sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo, and while this hold-open method gets some points for creativity and cost-effectiveness, it will eventually have a negative impact on the panic hardware.
These Fixed-it Friday photos were posted by Andrew Clark on the Crap Locksmithing Facebook page. I'll give the installer points for creativity, and a bonus point for using all of the parts that came in the box with the deadbolt!
I know that many iDigHardware readers love Fixed-it Friday, but I especially love when I can use Fixed-it Friday to ask for help (there were so many helpful comments last week!). I have another question this week that I hope you will weigh in on.
Today's Fixed-it Friday photos come with some questions...is there a way to make this opening code-compliant? It's obviously not an egress door, but how can building occupants be protected from falling?
Everyone and everything seems to be going green these days...check out this green door closer, sent to me by Eyal Bedrick of Entry Systems Ltd. (Watch the video.) And Happy Fixed-it Friday!
Gary Huizen of Huizen's Locksmith Service sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo. When life gives you lemons - or a rusted-out hollow metal frame - you know what to do.
Sometimes it can be tough to get hardware finishes to match correctly, given the varying base materials and finish processes. Tim Weller of Allegion sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photos, showing a "fix" where someone was obviously paying attention to detail.
Steve Budde of Greenwood Care sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo, taken in an apartment building he was visiting. Although I'm a big fan of instructional signage, does anyone see the 4 little problems here?
Fabricating this protector and welding it to a rated frame to protect the door edge from cart/bed traffic would not be allowed by the frame manufacturer's listings - at least not any listings that I've ever seen. WWYD?
Geometry wasn't my favorite subject in high school, but I learned enough to know that this closer mounting is not optimal for reliable operation of the door. Thank you to Chuck Gulla of Allegion for today's Fixed-it Friday photo!
Some hardware applications are tough to explain with photos, and a video can be really helpful. In case any of you ever need to explain how overhead stops work, I made you a video! :-)
Timmy Jackson posted today's Fixed-it Friday photo on the Crap Locksmithing Facebook page. I think it's about time to upgrade to the 2021 model, don't you?
For many exterior doors, a door position switch (DPS) is an important part of the security system; the switch can alert a security station that a door has been opened. I wonder how long this creative fix will continue functioning.
For years, I have loved the locks on the restroom stall doors in one of my favorite restaurants, but I don't think I've shared them here before. (I know...it's a weird thing to love.)
The Fixed-it Friday fun never ends! I received today's photos from Paul Linder of Hill's Bros. Lock & Safe, Inc., who had nothing to do with the original installation but was called in to fix the problem.
Following up on Wednesday's restroom post...any theories on the situation in this restroom? It's Fixed-it Friday but I'm not sure what they were fixing with this application. Thanks to Charles Anderson for the photos!
Take a look at these Fixed-it Friday photos, sent to me by Eyal Bedrik of Entry Systems Ltd. I think I've hit the wall, because I just keep shaking my head at the photos arriving in my inbox and I can't think of any more ways to say, "Don't do this, people."
These doors would be nearly impossible to open in an emergency...they require special knowledge and effort, coordination and dexterity, and the hardware is far above the allowable range. #wordless
Jason Albert posted this classic Fixed-it Friday fix on the Crap Locksmithing Facebook page. Seems pretty secure, no? I'm wondering why the installer didn't just mount the new device closer to the lock edge.
Do you see what I see in these Fixed-it Friday photos? It's hard to know whether this was done to secure these doors against intruders or to prevent elopement of young students, but either way it's a problem.
This elementary school fire door "fix" is one way to keep the wedges from disappearing but might be tough to explain when the fire marshal shows up for an inspection.
I can see some of you looking at today's Fixed-it Friday photo and shaking your head. I guess this is one way in when you get locked out. Thanks to Rob Greathouse of Superior Lock & Safe for sending the photo!
When I saw this photo, I had flashbacks to all of the times architects asked me to specify doors with other materials attached to them - wood planks, decorative plates, even brick (that was a hard no). What do you think about this application?
This is a creative closer mounting that you won't find in the catalog. The closer is installed on an exterior door of an apartment building...I wonder how well it's controlling the door.
Beautiful doors and hard cider...two of my favorite things. But being who I am, I wondered whether the doors were code-compliant, since the model codes allow sliding doors to be used in a means of egress when the occupant load is 10 people or less.
When the automatic operator stops working, today's Fixed-it Friday photo illustrates one way to fix it without bringing in an auto operator expert or waiting for replacement components.
Sometimes when you have a change in level of more than 1/4-inch, you just have to wing it and solve the problem using what you've got on hand! I wonder how long this gasketing extrusion could survive as a threshold substitution.
Normally, a pneumatic power transfer would be used to supply air to the pneumatic auto operator. This would have been concealed in the edge of the door and the frame rabbet, protecting it from damage. Unfortunately, the installer had other ideas...
I saw this video posted on the BANG Forcible Entry Facebook page and I thought of y'all. I'm sure you'll quickly spot the problem with this training video on how to defeat a door with panic hardware. :D
...Another propped-open fire door. When are people going to learn?? If you don't know why this is a problem, click the link to watch a video that will teach you all about fire door assemblies.
In the category of "Repairs My Husband Would Make", here's today's Fixed-it Friday photo which was posted on the Crap Locksmithing Facebook page by Randy Lahey.
Anyone else see the problem with this Fixed-it Friday photo? Note: The photo was sent to me by an AHJ, and the situation has since been corrected.
The facility's request was to automate this 4-foot x 9-foot sliding door, but I think that's a "fix" that may not be feasible. What do you think?
Maybe I should go into door forensics in my retirement years (someday). I think it's so interesting to look at a door opening and try to figure out what happened.
What is it with museums? Other than antique stores, they have to be one of the most common sites for non-code-compliant exits.
This door has an arched top so the standard closer mountings won't work, but there is an alternative - a special template from LCN!
Harry Porosky of Integrated Openings Solutions sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo. This looks like it's going to be a pretty expensive fix.
I can't say for sure that is a fire door assembly, but I've seen this Fixed-it Friday application on fire doors many times in school gymnasiums.
Jennifer Schaffer posted today's Fixed-it Friday photo on the Crap Locksmithing Facebook page, and it seems like an appropriate "fix" for a Friday...
Fire door assemblies aren't just something you read about in NFPA 80 - they have an important role in the passive fire protection of a building. Here's another fire door win!
I'm curious about this "self-cleaning" wrap installed on a door pull at a restaurant entrance. Do any of you have experience with this technology?
Not too many people would be walking down a hospital corridor and notice the problem shown in today's Fixed-it Friday photo. Can you see it?
It still amazes me that people with seemingly no understanding of the code requirements will make modifications to their doors that could result in injury or even death.
This was the result of a school maintenance manager’s attempt to unlock a door that was not on the key system. I think I would have broken the glass, but whatever works.
If you see any situations like this, I'd love a photo to help share ideas for Fixed-it Friday "fixes" that ensure all safety requirements are met.
If your fire exit hardware shows up on the job-site without the dogging feature, there's a good reason for that. Homemade dogging is not a valid fix!
Leave it to NFPA to come up with a new type of dogging that is guaranteed to keep a door with panic hardware unlocked indefinitely.
