Resizing windows

[Vala]

Over the years I collected some old windows out of other houses and unfortunately not one of them is of a correct size to fit any of my windows. I have some where the height is correct but the width is too wide, would it be feasable to have them made less wide to fit my window openings? If so is this something that anyone with woodworking skills can do, or a mill has to do or what exactly?

Most of my window openings are 71" x 28" or 69" x 28" I have some sashes that would fit in 69" x 32" wanting to make them less wide.

[heartwood]

i'm going to say you are out of luck with sash that are 4" too wide....

[Mick_VT]

It would require skills and tools akin to building new ones Vala. It could be done, but it would involve as much work as making one from scratch.

You would have to disassemble the sash reduce the length of the horizontal rails by removing the same amount from each end, recut the tenons (including the shoulder which is shaped the same as the glass retaining profile (could be done with a router table if you could find the exact same bit, or hand coped if you are really good at that), reassembled with new draw bore peg holes and pegs. The thing you would be saving over making a new sash from scratch would be the price of the wood. You would have extra effort for routing the rabbets and profile, but that would be way less than the disassembly.

[Vala]

That's what I was afraid of. I need about 35 windows replaced in wood. Was trying to find a way to minimize that. Its like $350 from Hoffmeyer's per sash (got some for my bedroom ordered so far) thats not even counting the price of getting restoration glass.

I wish someone out there had some in the size I need or at least close enough to shave some off.

[Mick_VT]

thats not even counting the price of getting restoration glass.

Don't the salvage sashes you have have old glass in them? I have a stack of old sashes I use for the wavy glass.

[Vala]

thats not even counting the price of getting restoration glass.

Don't the salvage sashes you have have old glass in them? I have a stack of old sashes I use for the wavy glass.

Some do, some don't. Depends on how careful the person removing the windows was.

[Casey]

The $350 per sash is really high, unless they come primed and glazed w/antique glass. We were getting raw sash for $150/pair from our window guy (a Mennonite) in Spanish Cedar.
Casey

[Vala]

The $350 per sash is really high, unless they come primed and glazed w/antique glass. We were getting raw sash for $150/pair from our window guy (a Mennonite) in Spanish Cedar.
Casey

No $350 is the price for raw. I did ask for Mahogany but I was told the price if it was pine would have been $250. Does your window guy take orders? Because that sounds alot more reasonable.

[phil]

I think it could be done, Yes it would require removing and re-cutting the glass. The difficulty might be when you carefully examine the old windows you will see that the profile runs right through the frame and yea it's hard to do it like that, as said the setup of the male and female profile comes into play you need the same cutters the original window maker used..

So what if you were to run a router with say, a 1/2" bit and take a deep cut right through into both pieces, using a simple guide to keep it straight.. make the cut the 6 inches that you want to shorten the piece plus maybe 3 inches into either side so about 12 inches..
Groove every part that runs horizantally, ( except the sill) then cut them apart, remove the section ( on a table saw with a good blade, and then use this groove to help mate up and add strength to the joint.. It is possible, and the joinery could be glued up with waterproof glue so it is plenty strong. a 1/2 x 3/4 strip to help tie the pieces structurally.. and keep the parts in alignment. - a dutchman. the size of the groove could be whatever works out structurally..

this is one place I'd use epoxy so the joint won't fail due to moisture.

whether or not it is worthwhile depends on the person doing it , their skills, their tools, their financial position, how much they value their free time. maybe they really want to use that frame because the profile is just right or for whatever reason..
To a guy who is laid off with some woodworking skills and no money then yes it is practical , to a tradesman who is busy trying to get on top of all the work he has, it isn't practical.

there are many ways to cut the groove, I suggested a router, it could be all done on a tablesaw router table , shaper , tennoner, or by other means depending on what is available.

[mattswabb]

Will they be painted? Single pane of glass? Paint can hide splices. Maybe cut the amount you need out and use a dowel jig to assemble it back together. Sand and paint and I bet it would be difficult to tell.

I did a basement window like that. I had a rotted bottom sash and replaced the bottom with a much longer one I cut down. I can't remember how I spliced it in the middle. I did reuse the mortise and tenons and used epoxy and some filler. The motives and tennons matched pretty close and I had to work them a bit. It's a window that I may only open a few times ever and no one will probably get close enough to see that the inside profiles aren't exactly the same.