FF: Door Holder
Thanks to Kelly Reese of Allegion for today's Fixed-it Friday photo! Hopefully this isn't a fire door!
FF: Restaurant Ingenuity
Sometimes when I see these creative solutions it seems like it would have been easier to use something that has already been invented, but I guess that would take all of the fun out of it.
FF: Top Jamb Closer
This is why I prefer parallel arm door closers over top jamb or regular arm.
FF: Fight Your Way Out
This Fixed-it Friday photo is of an egress door serving a martial arts studio. It's a good thing the students have special skills they can use in an emergency.
FF: Sobriety Test
So many people sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo from Reddit (thanks to all!) that I knew the rest of you would want to see it too. BTW...this is clever, but not code-compliant!
FF: Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
For everyone who has asked, I'm feeling quite a bit better - thanks! The cough is still lingering a bit, but hopefully it will clear up before I head to Carmel next week.
FF: Not Punny
I thought of so many titles for this post that would have been apropos but might have offended someone, so I'll let you come up with your own.
FF: Social Hall
In the US we often take life safety for granted, and non-compliant door openings stick out like a sore thumb. In other countries, stringent codes and enforcement are less common.
FF: WWYD?
What would you do if you were in this situation? It's not always easy to do the right thing, but could you live with yourself if something happened?
FF: Employees Only
How does a building owner or property manager justify locking and partially blocking a door that is clearly marked with an exit sign above it? #wordless
FF: Classic Fix
Fire marshal to restaurant owner: "This door requires panic hardware because the occupant load is over 50 people." Restaurant owner: "Done!"
FF: Put a cork in it.
The accessibility standards require sliding door hardware to be "exposed and usable from both sides" when the door is open. Here's a creative solution...
FF: Steve’s got this.
I don't think there's anything more that needs to be said, except thank you to Ian Baren of Katonah Architectural Hardware for today's Fixed-it Friday photos.
FF: Fragile Door
Don't worry about this fragile door, the "fix" has completely solved the problem. Thank you to Colin Watson of Allegion for today's Fixed-it Friday photos!
FF: Mechanical Ingenuity
This door is on an auto repair shop that was broken into, and it looks like they have taken matters into their own hands...
FF: There, I fixed it.
Most people don't realize how much force the components of a door closer have to withstand. I don't think this repair is going to handle the pressure for long.
FF: Double Closer – Bamburg, Germany
According to Bob Larson of Builders Hardware & Supply Company, these double closers are doing a good job of controlling this 7-foot x 12-foot pair of doors at the Bamburg Cathedral...
FF: It ain’t pretty…
Although this is not one of the most beautiful solutions I've seen, I couldn't think of a code issue as long as the hold-opens are above the minimum clear headroom of 80 inches. What do you think?
FF: Pair Power Transfer
This pair of doors had one of my least favorite applications to begin with, and then access control was added. It's a challenging modification, and something is missing here.
FF: Switched/Sensor Bar
Although electromagnetic locks are easier than some other electrified hardware to retrofit, I try to avoid using them in schools whenever possible. How about you?
FF: Mag-Lock TJ Mount
Top jamb brackets for mag-locks are not the most aesthetically-pleasing application, and this installation has some extra modifications that will definitely affect the strength and durability.
FF: WWYD?
The director of maintenance for some nursing homes in NYC sent me this photo and asked how to avoid this problem in future installations. Any constructive suggestions?
FF: Pocket Pivots
If you can prove to me that you were the detailer for this project (or otherwise responsible for the details), I'll send you something from the iDigHardware prize vault!
FF: KittyKorner
Creative, but I have a few concerns. How about you?
FF: Jacked Up
I love this Fixed-it Friday photo - it reminds me of my husband's efforts to secure one of our doors.
FF: Louvers
One more photo from our time in Asheville...this is not how I would have handled the need for additional airflow at this church entrance.
FF: Hospital Latch Extension
Is it just me, or does this seem questionable on several levels (encroachment, projection into the clear opening width, potential for damage)? Is this an actual product or a creative modification?
FF: Surface-Mortise
I saw this photo posted by Stephen Connor on the Crap Locksmithing Facebook page, and it left me Wordless even though it's Fixed-it Friday.
FF: Pool Access
I'm curious about what age children are prevented access by the 54-inch mounting height, and whether that jives with the age of children who can read the sign and enter the code.
FF: Don’t let the door hit ya…
While this may seem like a great idea at first glance - a wireless actuator mounted on the door to open the door automatically - this does not meet the recommended guidelines for actuator location.
FF: Falling Off
What do you think the wood strapping is for?
FF: Teacher Ingenuity
Let's do a better job of planning. Teachers should not have to resort to this.
FF: Fail Safe Failure
There is a lesson behind today's Fixed-it Friday photo. Upon first glance you see an exterior door locked with padlocks and a chain attached to the lever on an adjacent door. But why?
FF: Found Fasteners
No screw pack in the box? No problem!
FF: Positive Latching
As hopefully most of you know by now, corridor doors in health care facilities are required by NFPA 101 to have positive-latching hardware. Lance Werner of Allegion sent me this photo of a pair of fire doors in a nursing home, leading to a linen storage room. A Schlage LM9200 would have been a much better solution.
FF: 172 Degrees
This is not the first time I've seen this problem, but this is a pretty labor-intensive solution. Hopefully this wall is not a fire barrier.
FF: Foolproof Dogging
Before someone else says it...at least this isn't a fire door.
FF: Definitely Not an Exit
#Wordless Friday from Gregory Kelly of Allegion...
FF: Threat Extinguisher
This product isn't door-related, but I'm curious what y'all think...
FF: Double Bolts
I recently ran across a Facebook page that could supply us with Fixed-it Friday photos until the end of time (or until I retire).
FF: Repurposed
It is just me, or does it seem like antique stores often have creative ways of deterring egress?
FF: Zip It
Colin Watson of Allegion sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo of a surface bolt. Zip-tied for extra security. In a school. I guess they don't want anyone using that leaf.
FF: To exit, push the button…
Yes, there is an exit sign above this door.
FF: Latch Retraction
Where have you seen this type of "fix"? What was the cause and what would have been a better solution (that didn't involve tape and cardboard)?
FF: College Entrance
It's too bad someone at this facility didn't ask for help BEFORE coming up with these locking "solutions." :(
FF: File-it Friday
This is a classic. Gary Huizen of Huizen’s Locksmith Service posted today's Fixed-it Friday photo on iDigHardware's Facebook page, and I love it...
FF: State to City College: Uninstall 1,000 Fire Code-Defying ‘Barricade Devices’
Yesterday, I read an article about a college in California that purchased and installed 1,000 barricade devices at a cost of more than $200,000, as recommended by the local police chief. The college later removed the devices, as they are not compliant with the building code and fire code in California, or with the ADA.
FF: Panic Protector
Jon Millsap posted this Fixed-it Friday photo on his Facebook page (Locksmith's Journal), and he gave me permission to share it here. What do you think? Yea or nay, and why or why not?
FF: Special Knowledge?
Looking at the signage, the unfamiliar locks, and the exposed wiring, I wondered if the average person would instinctively know how to exit, or whether an AHJ might think this opening requires "special knowledge"...
FF: Branching Out
Howard Krutzler of Mr. K's Lock and Key sent me this photo of a panic hardware modification he found. For the record, panic hardware is UL listed and can not be modified except as allowed by the listings.