General Info
I have worked long and hard to achieve certifications within the hardware industry, so you can bet your booty they’re printed on my business card. People often ask what they all mean, so here’s a quick run-down. (BTW…I’m still working on some of these, and others require more time and effort than I’m planning to […]
In addition to the DHI courses that our local chapter offers, there are classes held twice annually on a national level. Here’s where to find more information: New England Chapter DHI National If you would like to join DHI, click here.
I don’t know what I was thinking. This should have been the very first post!
Last week I conducted a 3-hour class for the New England Chapter of the Door & Hardware Institute. The class is available to any hardware suppliers, architects, or end users in New England who need to understand code requirements related to doors and hardware, including recent changes to the Massachusetts State Building Code, and the 2006 […]
I readily admit that I get excited about things that wouldn’t excite the average U.S. citizen but that’s part of my charm. 😉 I think this product is very cool. It’s the PLS Frame Set, and it’s a quick and accurate way to verify the alignment of door frames. When a door isn’t functioning properly, […]
When my daughter was in preschool, she told her class that when she grew up she wanted to be a “hard work insultant”, just like her mom. After 20+ years of explaining to people what I do, I can’t blame her for being a little confused. In case you’ve been wondering why anyone would need a hardware […]
There’s a great resource for code information on the Reed Construction Data site. It includes information for all 50 states, major cities, and some counties, and lists contact information for many of the AHJs in each jurisdiction. Check it out!
This article was written by Carl Prinzler, one of the creators of the original exit device, at the end of the 1930’s. I think it’s an interesting insight into the development of the first exit device and the code requirements at that time. How It All Began A rambling story of the birth of Von […]
1008.1.8.6 Delayed egress locks. Approved, listed, delayed egress locks shall be permitted to be installed on doors serving any occupancy except Group A, E and H occupancies in buildings that are equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or an approved automatic smoke or heat detection system installed in accordance […]
I started this website a few months ago as a way to connect with our customers and help them find answers to their code questions. I have been amazed at the response to the site, from all over the United States and 18 other countries (and counting!). It really is a small world. I received an […]
I’ve added a new page to help you find what you’re looking for – the Index tab above. There are already 76 posts (!) and I’ll be adding two new features shortly. One will be a series called Industry Profiles – to help you get to know some of the great people who work in the […]
We had planned to get on the road early yesterday afternoon but we ended up leaving Williamsburg around 5 p.m., about the same time everyone else coming home from everywhere decided to leave. The traffic was terrible, and after 6 hours of driving we had gone as far as Elkton, Maryland and couldn’t stay in […]
Last weekend I opened the door to a sports facility where my son was attending a birthday party, and I saw an interesting (to me) application. My three friends scattered when they saw me whip out the camera…I still don’t know why it’s so embarrassing to be seen with someone taking a picture of a […]
I’m not normally the type of person who would ask for fans…what if I didn’t have any?? That would stink. Well, Friday afternoon I was talking to a colleague about how Colonial Williamsburg found my post about the doors there and posted a link on their Facebook fan page. When I looked at my blog’s statistics, […]
Earlier this week with the 8th anniversary of 9/11 approaching, I wondered what was happening at Ground Zero. I checked in with the Metro-NY office of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies, and learned that their specification department had written the hardware specs for the four new World Trade Center towers, and the retail space that connects […]
At next month’s meeting of the Boston Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), I’ll be doing an update on the 7th edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code. The presentation should be about 45 minutes + time for questions, so relatively painless, and the food is GREAT! If you’d like to attend and you’re […]
One of the Top 10 *issues* I’ve consistently had to deal with over the years is US10B – oil-rubbed bronze finish. This has been the finish of choice when the “antique” or “historic” look is desired, and whenever I’m asked to specify it I make sure that the architect knows what’s going to happen after the hardware […]
I guess it’s a sign of the times. In the old days, if you were lucky enough to get your name in the newspaper, that was a very big event (unless you were in the police blotter). One time I was on TV and I had my whole family standing by to press *record* on […]
It’s been a slow week for posts and I apologize for that, but I’ve got a good excuse. For the 5th straight year, my coworkers, family and friends have provided Christmas gifts for the local family shelter – 48 kids and their parents this year! We also provided some new items for the shelter’s rewards […]
After I posted some pics of my kids during Chip Falcon’s Road Trip, many blog readers commented or emailed me about them. I finally finished our electronic “Happy New Year” card, so feel free to take a look if you want to. If not, come back tomorrow and I’ll post about something more door-like. 🙂 […]
It’s been a while since I’ve given anything away, but it’s a new year and I feel the need to celebrate the upcoming 1-year anniversary of this site and the approaching milestone of hosting visitors from 100 COUNTRIES! It still amazes me that hardware haters (and hardware lovers) worldwide are using this site as a […]
One year ago today I wrote the first post on this blog, regarding panic hardware on electric rooms. I don’t remember why I chose that topic for my first post, but I tried to post answers to some of the most commonly asked questions before I introduced the site to anyone. Since then I have […]
It still amazes me when I see visitors from countries who haven’t visited the site before, and the fact that we are now over 100 countries is so exciting! Here are the most recent countries, which pushed us over the 100-country mark: Armenia, Ghana, Qatar, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belize, Malta, Dominican Republic, and… Nepal, […]
In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a new photo gallery tab at the top of the page. The gallery includes thumbnails of some of the photos I’ve used in previous posts, and when you click on the thumbnail it will take you to the applicable post. (If any of them take you to the wrong […]
Someone emailed me last week to ask if Ingersoll Rand was hiring. Good question – it’s been a really long time since I’ve perused the want ads. Back in 1987, I was laid off from my job as a draftsman for an aluminum storefront supplier and had to go on the hunt for a new […]
As I’ve said before, I often look at my stats and see how people arrived at my blog. I see a lot of people searching for information about fire door inspection and other information about fire doors, when to use panic hardware and various egress questions, and plenty of accessibility questions. Sometimes people arrive searching […]
I’m working on the next post about smoke but this has been an extremely busy week. Here’s something to entertain you while you wait: Apparently firefighters are being asked to deal with rogue bears more frequently these days. I’ll bet this bear woke up with a headache.
Last week I said that as new countries came to visit this site, I’d post a door photo from that country. Sounds like fun, right? Well, it’s not as easy as it looks from where you’re sitting. The most recent new country to visit idighardware.com is Botswana. Believe it or not, I have been to […]
Some of the more attentive ihatehardware readers may have noticed a few little changes with the site lately. For a long time I’ve been thinking about adding another domain name for my blog, indicating my true feelings about doors and hardware. The original domain name, www.iHATEhardware.com, was chosen because almost all of the architects I […]
By now I’m sure some of you are wondering if I’m lying in a ditch somewhere, but I’m not! Our website host has had some problems on the server side which left me unable to log in since last Thursday. 🙁 It looks like things are back up and running so I’ll finally be able […]
There have been lots of changes around here in the last few months…we moved the site to a new server and a new URL, and things seem to be running smoothly. We’ve added an archive in the sidebar, and reformatted the search results pages and the category index pages to match. My coworker, Lindsey Weiss, […]
I’m working on a post for tomorrow that will solve another hardware mystery (regarding closers on classroom doors), but in the meantime, a couple of housekeeping issues… You may have noticed that a “HELP” button was added in the header a while back. If you have a question, I’d really appreciate it if you could […]
The blog has hit the big time! American Express wants to give Idig Hardware a gold card! 🙂
For my subscribers on the west coast…check out the rise of the Supermoon tonight! The rest of you can enjoy the beautiful full moon too, but moonrise in Boston was at 7:16. It was amazing! Yes, I do occasionally take photos of something besides doors.
I don’t ask for much, right? But I need a little help. I’ve been posting on this blog for over 2 years and there are more than 400 posts. I know it can sometimes be hard to find the specific post or topic you’re looking for. You can search by typing something into the search […]
A penny won’t get you too far these days…I have to bribe my kids with at least a dollar to get them to do anything. So I’m going to up the ante. I’m offering a chance to win 10,000 PENNIES! It’s hard to believe, but almost 1,000 comments have been left on this blog. The […]
Anyone who knows me personally, knows that I’m a helper. I like to help. I’m always organizing collection efforts for one thing or another, donating items for our local schools, pitching in when I can. There are so many people in need, and if we all help a little, the world will be a better […]
The kids’ spring break begins tomorrow, so I’ve got my earplugs packed (literally) and we’re headed south on another road trip. We’re planning to stop in DC Sunday morning to burn some energy and so I can check on the United States Institute of Peace. I wrote the hardware spec quite a few years ago […]
I guess the blog’s subscriber system decided to go on vacation too, and I just realized that you weren’t receiving notification emails! There are a couple of posts waiting for you, and I’d also like to announce the winners of the “A Penny for Your Thoughts” contest! The 1,000th comment was left by CDA, a […]
I was pleasantly surprised to open my June issue of the Construction Specifier this morning, and find an article called “Architectural Hardware Specifications,” by Joseph D. Calvert, CSI, CDT, AHC of Calvert Independent Hardware Specifications. The article does a great job of explaining the value of an AHC. Joe describes the coordination that we manage […]
Update: Relay for Life is tomorrow, so if you would like to make a donation, today’s the day! Luminarias in honor, memory, or support of a loved one are available for $10 by following the link below. I’m a little over $100 away from my goal. I appreciate your help! Last week I was grumbling […]
Some interesting stats…if your state isn’t in the Top 10, tell your friends to come visit iDigHardware!
Over the last year, I’ve really started to understand the valuable communication tool that social media has become. Every time I write a blog post, a notification of the post is immediately seen by at least 1500 people. If any of those connections comments, tweets, or “likes” the post, it is then shared with their […]
I’ve been thinking about this post for 2 weeks, and I’m stumped. It’s my 500th post on this blog. It seems like 500 posts should warrant some sort of fanfare…maybe a cake?! (in our office we use any excuse to have cake). I’ve been trying to think of a tie-in to 500 somethings, a related […]
I just got final confirmation that Zeke Wolfskehl and I will be teaching a code class for architects at the 36th annual DHI Conference in New York City! Prior to the adoption of the 2008 NYC Construction Code, the NYC Building Code was almost as old as me(!), so we’re thinking it’s a good time […]
Here are some links to recent door-related social media activity. Enjoy! Check out Ginny Powell‘s blog post about attending an electrified hardware class and putting the information to good use on A Cracked Door. Life Safety Services tweeted this news story about fire door problems and other code violations at Campus Habitat. David Stutzman has […]
Last month I told you that I would be drawing 5 names from my list of connections and subscribers in honor of my 500th post, to win their choice of prizes (an LCN 4040XP closer, a Schlage CO lock, a Schlage residential keypad lock, or a $50 Amazon gift card). Yesterday was my daughter Norah’s […]
Have you ever had a few minutes to spare between meetings or while waiting for someone, and you wondered what was going on over at iDigHardware? Well, now you can find out! If you log into the site from your iPhone, Android, or iPad, you will be automatically directed to the new mobile version of […]
It’s almost impossible to imagine a fire of this magnitude, which began on November 9th, 1872. More than 770 buildings burned in less than 20 hours, most of them commercial buildings that were previously thought to be fire-proof. Several problems contributed to fighting the fire – the flu that had stricken most of the horses […]
I really appreciate all of the comments and suggestions that were left in response to my post called WWYD? Cross-Corridor Pair. I love the collaboration and I know we can all benefit from the experience of others as well as the different points of view. My coworker, Bill Lawliss, and I are creating a new […]
I’m on a mini-vacation with my family for the holidays, but I’ve already spotted some doors of interest for you so I will post those soon. I took a photo of a restaurant exit last night, and my friend’s son asked why. His father said that the next time they pass the restaurant it will […]
It’s official – I have a new job (woohoo!). For the last 3 years while I’ve been getting to know all of you and putting as much code/application information on this site as possible, I have also been managing our specification team for New England. At times it has been a struggle to do both, […]
…Well, one of my most embarrassing professional moments, anyway. I’ve received several email notifications lately regarding the upcoming deadline (March 2nd) to register for the CSI CDT exam. Although sometimes I let friends believe that I’m a member of the Crime Scene Investigators, CSI is the Construction Specifications Institute, and CDT is the certification for […]
With 3 young kids in school and spending a fair amount of time in school buildings, school shootings hit very close to home for me. The most recent shootings in Chardon, Ohio resulting in the death of 3 students are just so senseless and tragic. The raw pain of the victims’ parents is excruciating to […]
Is it my imagination or do most architects wait until the last possible moment to ask for help with their hardware specifications? Why is that?? My theory is that most of them hate hardware so much that they can’t bear to look at it or think about it until it’s almost too late. I feel […]
In the last month there have been almost 8,000 visits to iDigHardware…about a 30% increase over the same period last year. That’s so exciting!! I was helping out with a class today (Preparing for a Fire Door Inspection taught by Jeff Tock of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies), and several people mentioned that they were frequent […]
When I was the editor of CSI’s Boston Chapter newsletter, I was added to the distribution list for Ralph Liebing‘s weekly editorial, Per-SPEC-tives. This week’s was a tribute to product representatives who partner with architects and specifiers (which I know many of us do), so I asked Ralph if I could publish it here. Enjoy! […]
I am frequently asked if I have a photo of a particular application. There are almost 2,500 images on this site, so it’s likely that I do have the photo someone is looking for, but finding it is not easy. As the number of images grows, it will get worse. My man-behind-the-curtain and I are […]
I’m going to be traveling a fair amount over the next couple of months, and if you’ll be where I am I’d love to see you! This afternoon I am headed to our office in Carmel, Indiana, to continue training our newest batch of specwriter apprentices. The door and hardware industry seems to always have […]
It’s time. Today. UPDATE: Click here to download an article about Kris in Bay State Parent! This is a blog about doors, but this post is not about doors. It’s about our ability to join together and change the lives of one family. Last night I went to a PTO meeting at our elementary school. […]
I’m in sunny Phoenix this morning, getting ready to head over to the convention center for the CONSTRUCT show. I know that some of you are here too! Last week at our local CSI meeting, 5 different people came up to me and said, “I HATE HARDWARE!”, usually with a theatrical grimace, a stomp of […]
Last year I published a post about the two common types of smoke detectors – ionization and photo-electric detectors. There was a report on NBC News tonight about this same topic. In case you missed the first post or didn’t get around to checking the detectors in your home, here’s a follow-up: Thanks to Jeff […]
A few weeks ago, Ingersoll Rand announced plans to spin off the combined commercial and residential security businesses into a new standalone publicly held company. I immediately started getting calls and emails from blog readers asking what this meant to me and to our other employees, the brands, and this website. One hardware distributor said, […]
This post was printed in the February 2013 issue of Doors & Hardware [Click here to download the reprint of this article.] I’m guessing you know a lot – about codes! After many requests for a crossword puzzle, I finally sent one to Doors & Hardware magazine and it’s in this month’s issue along with […]
I have quite a few letters after my name. They won’t all fit on my business card, and my email signature looks silly if I include all of them. There are some that I can use just for joining an organization and paying my annual membership fee, which seems too easy. But I proudly display […]
I can hardly believe that it has been 4 years since I wrote the very first post on this site. What’s most amazing to me is that even though I have posted at least 3 times per week, for a total of 759 published posts to date, I still have a long list of topics […]
On Monday I’m headed to ISC-West in Las Vegas for a few days…will I see any of you there? And in a few weeks I’m making my first-ever trip to Missouri AND Kansas! If you’re in the area, I’ll be playing Code Jeopardy with the MO KAN Chapter of DHI on April 25th in Kansas […]
Visit the CONSTRUCT blog for posts from me and other industry bloggers! A few years ago I attended a presentation given by a sports broadcaster and football analyst in his 70’s. As he discussed how important relationships are with our sales force of about 500 people, he said that social media was a threat to […]
On September 24th I’ll be heading down to Nashville for the CONSTRUCT show, and I need some help with a decision! We had planned to offer 2 different classes Wednesday and Thursday of that week, but the schedule was printed with the same topic (codes!) for both sessions. So help me decide…would you prefer 2 […]
It’s hard to believe, but this week was my 19th anniversary with Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies. I started out with the independent manufacturers’ rep, MPS Sales, representing several of the IR product lines, and in 2001 we all joined the company as direct employees. In the coming months we will complete our transition to a […]
I don’t usually post twice in one day, but I wanted to share today’s stats (so far). Zombies are obviously a very popular topic! I love that the spikes represent such a varied group of posts… 10/7/2010 – The day that my daughter had surgery and SO MANY people came to see if I had posted […]
Visit the CONSTRUCT blog for posts from me and other industry bloggers! At this fall’s CONSTRUCT show in Nashville, I was flattered to be asked to join the Bloggers’ Panel and discuss the experience gained from my blog, along with Charles Hendricks, Dave Stutzman, Liz O’Sullivan, and Eric Lussier. The panelists shared our expertise with […]
The big day is finally here! As of December 1st, 2013, the commercial and residential security businesses of Ingersoll Rand have become a new company – Allegion! Quite a few people have asked what this means to iDigHardware (or iHateHardware if you still hate hardware). I don’t foresee any major changes to the site, other than the […]
Almost exactly 7 years ago I began working on one of my most beautiful and challenging projects – the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. I remember the start date because I had just returned from leave after having my youngest daughter. The architect contacted me many months prior and asked me to act as […]
This is not door-related, but consider it a public service announcement that shows how much I care about you. I don’t know how common this is, but I did confirm that a 9-volt battery can be used to start a fire and improper storage has led to several residential fires. If we proactively replace our […]
. And you might be the one getting a birthday present! Wow – time flies when you’re having fun! Who would have thought I would have 5 years’ worth of door-related stuff to write about? Or that so many of you would still be listening?? When I first had the idea to start the site my […]
Photos of the collapsed buildings show what appear to be fire walls between each of the adjoining buildings, which may have provided some protection from the explosion and resulting fire. The term “fire wall” is often misused…
I realize that almost-daily emails from me might be too much for some people, so we Fixed-it. There is now a weekly notification available, which will send you 1 email per week, on Friday afternoon, with a list of that week’s posts…
Have you ever been working on a specification or submittal and needed to find out whether a particular product was certified, or listed for a certain application? Maybe the plans show an oversized fire door and you need to see if your preferred manufacturer has tested a door of the proper size…
When I worked for a hardware distributor back in the 80’s, I had a secret hiding place where I kept my prized possessions…including a small cardboard “book” that contained samples of each of the common finishes used for hardware. I had to keep it hidden, because people were always trying to steal it, or rip out the little metal pieces to send as finish samples…
I receive lots of questions daily. Usually they are code questions, but I also receive questions about our products. To help you find answers to some of the product questions more quickly, I have added links to some Allegion support resources in the right sidebar. –> From the sidebar links under Allegion Support, you can […]
This article by my coworker, Bill Lawliss, appeared in last month’s issue of Doors & Hardware magazine. In case you’re not a subscriber and are interested in BIM, I’m sharing it here (or you can download the reprint here)…
Instead of Wordless Wednesday, I need some help identifying a product. It’s in a detention facility. If you know the manufacturer, model number, and/or purpose, leave a comment!
The new code reference guide is here! Each year, thousands of people receive a hard copy or electronic download of our code reference guide. When a new edition of a code or standard becomes available, I incorporate any necessary changes…
Along with Joe Pulizzi, Robert Rose hosts a weekly podcast called This Old Marketing, and this week’s podcast mentioned iDigHardware and the community we have created here!
I think there really are a thousand ways to screw up a door, but it’s not every day you see a cartoon on the subject. Jim Phillips of SBS Associates sent me this oldie that he found in a file. Anyone know where it originated?
Last week I said that it’s not every day you see a cartoon about doors, and then Kevin Lach of Twin City Hardware sent me another one. I think this might sound familiar to some of you…
This week I’m headed to our office in Carmel, Indiana, and one of the things I’m going to work on is the plan for 2017…
Because these books are long out of print they can be difficult to find, so imagine my excitement when an iDigHardware reader posted links to some of Adon’s books in an online archive!
These introductory videos are great for people who are new to the industry, so use the share/save icon above to share the link with your colleagues!
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of change; I like predictability. I know that might surprise some of you, but I’m more apt to live by the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” In case some of you are change-averse like me, I want to tell you about a change that is happening today.
As I mentioned yesterday, today is my 50th birthday. It seems like a day that I should spend reflecting on my life so far, and planning what to do with the next 50 years. And eating cake…
There are a couple of great resources for finding out more information about the state code requirements as well as the model codes and referenced standards.
For weeks, it feels like I’ve been waking up to bad news. Earthquakes, floods, fires, now yet another mass shooting…
Many people have asked if they can share my content in their newsletters, on their blogs, or in hard copy. In my quest to become irrelevant before I reach retirement age, I say YES!
