Some projects require lever designs for locksets and panic hardware that are beyond the selection of standard "vanilla" levers offered by all of the commercial manufacturers. In some cases, even the "European" designs don't fill the bill, especially when special finishes are desired. I've often run into this with museum projects I've specified.
If you regularly check this site to find out what's new and exciting in the world of doors and hardware, you may have occasionally experienced a server error. Yesterday I asked the web hosting company to move the site to a more stable server to avoid these errors, which they agreed to do at midnight. I was very surprised to go to the site this morning and see the website for the Philanthropy Advisors of New York at our URL! Everything seems to be working now, so thank you for your patience.
The 2009 edition of the International Building Code (IBC) contains an important change that's easy to miss if you're not looking for it. I stumbled across it a few months ago when someone asked me about the exception for cross-corridor doors without positive latching in I-2 occupancies.
Name: Michelle C. "Shelley" Hudson, CCPR
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 is installed.
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 not a CSI member, email Shelley Hudson. Here are the particulars:
If you haven't seen the new Schlage AD Series Electronic Lock, you can check it out at Schlage.com - just click any of the graphics on this post. Don't you think it's time for me to go on another road trip? I can take an AD Series lock with me this time. :-)
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 the entire project. Ingersoll Rand Integration is involved with the security and access control as well.
A couple of weeks ago, one of our specwriters called to ask me this question and I knew the answer immediately. Then...hmmm...I thought about it, and talked to myself for a while as he sat on the other end of the phone waiting for both of my selves to come to an agreement.
Honestly, I do NOT have a bathroom obsession. It's just a coincidence that once again, a code question came up regarding a bathroom door.
During Chip Falcon's Road Trip we visited Colonial Williamsburg, and you may have seen my slideshow of the doors and hardware there. I received quite a few questions from readers about the hardware at CW, so I sent an email to the Architectural Research Department there and I got a return email from Mr. Kenneth Schwarz, whose title is Blacksmith, Master of the Shop. Ken has been a wonderful source of information about the hardware at CW, and I'm looking forward to meeting him and hopefully getting a behind-the-scenes tour the next time I'm there.
When this photo arrived in my inbox, I immediately thought the panic was mounted in that position to be operated by someone's foot. I couldn't quite wrap my brain around the latching/unlatching situation...I really think it's just being used as a pull bar and that there's no strike installed. On my next road trip maybe I'll swing through Alabama so I can check it out.
One of our specwriters recently received a memo from an acoustical consultant regarding a school project that he was working on. The memo referenced a standard called ANSI-ASA S12.60 - Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements, and Guidelines for Schools.
I'm not normally the type of person who would ask for fans...what if I didn't have any?? That would stink.
In a post about opening force a while back, I wrote that fire doors do not have to meet the opening force requirements of the accessibility codes and standards. While that IS true, someone recently asked me a question that led to this further explanation.
Just a reminder that the 2009 amendments to the 2005 Connecticut State Building Code and the Connecticut State Fire Safety Code went into effect on August 1, 2009. Connecticut will continue to use the 2003 International Building Code as the basis for their state codes.
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 door, but it seems to be a universal reaction unless you hang out with other hardware people.
When I started working in the door and hardware industry, we regularly installed fusible link louvers in fire-rated doors, as allowed by various door manufacturers' listings. Although fusible link louvers are still available, their use is limited by current codes:
I received this photo the other day and I knew it was the perfect opportunity to talk about application-specific closers vs. universal closers.
During Chip's Road Trip I gave you two opportunities to join in by answering a trivia question. Thanks to everyone who participated! The two grand prize winners are listed below, and will receive a little something from the IR Prize Vault.
One of my (non-hardware industry) friends commented recently that she's been reading this blog and can't believe how complicated doors and hardware are. It's true! There are a thousand ways to screw up a door and I've made my share of mistakes over the years, but at this point I often spot problems from across the room while "regular" people continue to walk through the doors without noticing.
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 the car for one more mile.
We're on our way home today, and barring any surprises we'll arrive tomorrow. For the first time we're hitting the road without knowing where we'll be sleeping tonight, but I'm sure we'll find a hotel and if not, I'll be calling my Mid-Atlantic or Metro New York SSC buddies to see who has room at the inn.
Yesterday we decided that there was still too much to see so we can't go home just yet. We haven't run out of clean clothes, so why not? We spent the entire day taking in the sights of Colonial Williamsburg, without a thrill ride or water slide in sight. I saw so many interesting doors that I made them into a short slide show for your viewing pleasure:
If there weren't a lot of doors at Busch Gardens, there were even less at Water Country, where we spent the day today. For me, a day without hardware is like a day without sunshine, but I survived. Since I don't have any funky applications from today, I'll answer a question from the mailbag. Debbie asked whether my husband is along on this road trip, since I haven't mentioned him. I actually have mentioned him...not as often as I've mentioned Chip, but I did give him credit for spotting the Falcon bumper sticker the other day. In fact, I've mentioned him 5 times during our trip so yes, he is with me, but he refuses to pose for photos with hardware or even doors. Go figure.
Several people have commented that I'm supposed to be on vacation, I should be relaxing, enjoying quality family time, etc. Well, I just returned from 10 HOURS at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia and I am SO TIRED. But I know I won't be able to sleep if I don't post something for you to look at with your morning coffee tomorrow.
Today we drove from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to Williamsburg, Virginia. It was a long day in the car but Chip insisted that we stop in FALCON, North Carolina to buy some personalized souvenirs for him. We had no luck with the FALCON souvenirs...Falcon is a VERY small town without even a general store, but as I'm trying to teach my kids, there is something interesting about any place you go. At first glance, Falcon had a lot of tobacco fields, an old folks' home, and a water tower guarded by one feisty donkey, but it is also the location of the Falcon Children's Home, which just celebrated 100 years of helping children who needed a place to live - about 20,000 kids to date!
We're in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the good news is that the specwriter Chip and I came to see has agreed to include Falcon exit devices in his specifications! Yippee!
Today we headed north toward Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and on the way we passed through Waldo, Florida. Apparently Waldo's claim to fame is that it is one of two official speed traps designated by AAA. The other is just up the road in Lawtey. Lucky for us, the Waldo police were at Dunkin Donuts and there was a billboard warning of the speed trap in Lawtey (rumor has it the billboards were purchased by AAA), so we made it through unticketed.
...Another funky hardware application.
It's true! The new Falcon 24/25 device has a 10-year mechanical warranty (1-year electrical).
There are almost 600 Cracker Barrel restaurants in the United States and I've been to most of them. Well...not most, but a bunch. The kids like the food and there's a lot of miscellaneous stuff on the walls that we can use to play, "Who can find the _______?" When you drop a whole cup of milk on the floor (like this morning) they don't bat an eye. At least you always know what to expect...every Cracker Barrel has basically the same menu, the same "country store" selling stuff my kids can't live without, the same rocking chairs and checker boards on the porch, and the same entrance doors.
For all of you loyal late Friday afternoon and weekend blog readers, here's another opportunity to win something from the Ingersoll Rand prize vault. This morning, Chip visited the statue at left - where are we? If you think you know, click here and scroll down to leave a comment with the answer. I will hold all of the answers until the end of Chip's Road Trip and then choose one lucky winner from all of the correct entries. If you need a hint, the statue is located at the end of a bridge that leads to a set of *keys*. Hey wait! Is that a FALCON on his arm patch?? ;-)
When Chip heard that we'd be passing through Atlanta he insisted on visiting the Georgia Dome, home of the Atlanta Falcons. We stopped for a look around, and he gawked at the banks of multiple exit doors, all equipped with Von Duprin 99 devices. It was a proud moment for Chip, especially since the Falcon 24/25 and Von Duprin 98/99 were designed by the same engineers and share the Ingersoll Rand name.
We interrupt this road trip to announce that this website has received visitors from 50 different countries!!
Yesterday we drove from Front Royal, Virginia to Grassy Cove, Tennessee, which is a VERY long drive. We usually plan on stopping somewhere for the kids to burn off some energy, and yesterday's stop was at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke. I can find an interesting (to me) hardware application just about anywhere, and the most interesting hardware I found was in the President's One train car, which was built in 1916. There were double-acting spring hinges, a sliding door on a curved track, and some double-acting deadlatches - all still in working condition. Pretty cool. Click any of the thumbnails below if you're interested in seeing larger views of the photos.
We continued our road trip yesterday with a visit to the zoo and a drive through Amish Country. A stop in Paradise confirmed that they could use some Falcon 24/25 exit devices out there, and Chip's up to the challenge. As I've said before, I'm very picky about which products I specify, and after taking this new device apart and learning more about it I would be comfortable specifying it for a school project, especially when the budget is tight.
I guess it's only fair. If my family welcomes the new Falcon exit device along on our summer road trip, it should have a name that's a little easier for the kids to remember than 25-R-L. The first thing we had to determine was the gender of our device. Although boats and cars are generally female, apparently door hardware is typically male because it was unanimous. Given the fact that the Falcon 24/25 has some similar features to his relative, the Von Duprin 98/99, and considering the absolutely horrendous names chosen by my kids, our device has been christened...Chip. Chip Falcon. Sounds like a character Pierce Brosnan would play.
I really enjoy blogging because I can talk to my fellow door and hardware professionals in a more personal way, without all the corporate-speak that makes my eyes glaze over (no offense, corporate speakers). Well, this conversation is about to get a lot more personal. I'm leaving on a family road trip tomorrow and I'm taking you with me.
I have a lot of pet peeves - just ask my family. One of my pet peeves is when I see a door closer on the "wrong" side of a door. It could be the corridor side of an electric room, the outside of a bathroom, or, like the photo to the left, the weather side of an exterior door. I just don't understand how a closer ends up on the wrong side of the door, especially when many of them (the one at left included) come packed with all of the parts and pieces required to install it three different ways.
Name: Charles J (Chuck) Strauss
I recently received this photo from an architect who wanted to use the Von Duprin Inpact devices pictured here on another museum I'm working on. I've used these several times when an architect wanted the panic device powder coated a similar color to the door. As with LCN closers, Von Duprin panic hardware can be powder coated in a multitude of colors (refer to the Tiger Drylac brochure called RAL Exterior/Interior).
When a delayed egress lock is used on an egress door, the codes require signage instructing the building occupant to "PUSH UNTIL ALARM SOUNDS, DOOR CAN BE OPENED IN 15 SECONDS." When the code official approves a 30-second delay, the signage must reflect that increase. At least the signage on this egress door (yes, there is an exit sign which is not visible in the photo) will keep the person occupied while he or she waits for 30 seconds to pass. ;-)
Name: Zeke Wolfskehl, DAHC EHC
Here's a great list of accessibility code requirements and contacts by state. It lists the accessibility code or standard for each state, as well as the contact information for the state agency that oversees the accessibility requirements. The list was compiled by the United States Access Board, an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. There's a wealth of other information on their website, so check it out!
I love seeing the inventive ways people install door hardware, and it seems like the product with the most creative installations is the door closer. LCN thought their stick-on installation templates would take the creativity out of door closer installation, but there are still plenty of inventive installations out there.
