old timber window frame in stone wall

[Haldeman1773 (WavyGlass)]

Then, I ran into some trouble. I couldn't figure out how to get the old stonework out without doing more damage than I wanted, nor how to set the new window frame into the opening. So, I consulted a mason. Local masons seem to deal with this issue very frequently (lots of colonial era houses in these parts), and this one convinced me I was making this job harder than it should be.

The solution: Cut the wing tenons off, and set this frame in the opening using large tap-con's to hold it in place. So, that's what was done. As is just about always the case with me, I have plenty of "before" photos, but no "after" photos. There's a 13-month old asleep in that room right now, so no chance at the moment. Will have to take some photos tomorrow, to finish this story.

[Haldeman1773 (WavyGlass)]

Oh... one thing I can post now. I am frustrated that past carpenters to work on this house haven't done a perfect job of matching the original moldings. So, I have started building a shaper and router bit collection of custom-ground molding profiles, taken from the original moldings around the house. Here's the new moldings I made for this window, 100% perfectly matched to the oldest casings I can find on this part of the house. I can't say for sure if they're original to the 1773 build of the house, the 1820's renovation, or even when these windows were last replaced (early 1900's?)... but I do suspect they may be to the 1770's build date.

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