Narrow Sash Weights?

[ptrudeau]

Hi all - working on an interesting project, 1940s bungalow that had pulley/weight system taken out at some point and a spring balance system put in. Before new owners purchased the house, all of the windows/springs were painted over (and of course painted shut ). They hired me to return a pulley/weight system to the original windows. Purchased pulleys from Kilian and found weights at a local antiques store. Unfortunately, when I started to open pockets/cut new pocket doors, I found the pocket channels to be much more narrow than anticipated. Plus, I believe the walls must have been redone within the past few decades b/c there is plaster bleeding into the channels. So, on top of having to now remove window casings and extra plaster to clear channels, the weights I purchased won't fit. I only have about 1 3/4" of space in these pocket channels.

Has anyone found sash weights in the diameter range of 1" to 1 1/2"? New or old? I'm not sure where to look. Goal is 6 to 7lb weights. The owners are committed to seeing this project through, so could buy new ones online if needed.

Glad to have found this site through Jade, thanks in advance for any help!

[mattswabb]

A simple way is to go to a steel supplier and buy bar stock. Buy the diameter you need and enough length to make all the weights. Then drill and tap the end for a small eyebolt. Here's one I did a few years ago. I beveled the ends so they wouldn't hang up in the pocket.

[Casey]

If it was built post-war, the spring balances were probably original. You can still buy them, either kind (spiral/cylindrical- fit into a round-bottomed rout in the edge of the sash; Tape balances, shaped like window pulleys, mounted to the pulley position, or in the head jamb; for mulled units). For the tiny space you have, you would need a metal that's about 3x the SG of cast iron.
Casey

[ptrudeau]

Fairly confident the spring balances are not original, as sash have rope channels and knot holes. Although the jambs have no evidence of weight pocket doors; thinking the jambs might have been replaced when walls were re-done.

Matt, thanks for the suggestion to contact steel supplier.

[Sashguy]

I run into this quite often, where termite damage has weakened a stud and rather than pulling and replacing the stud, previous workers have piggy backed another stud into the weight well. Before you go through the trouble, insure that you have clearance at the full length of the well. I've used Matt's method, also have stacked fender washers on a rope or filled aluminum tube with lead shot. When all else fails, I revert to Pullman Balances. With tight space, the overhead reel works the best. http://www.pullmanmfg.com/standard.html

[Graywings]

I have sashes with rope channels and knot holes in windows without pockets for weights. My house dates back to 1900, and I suspect that sashes were being mass produced with channels and knot holes.

I was so disappointed yesterday when I removed first a side casing and then the head casing only to find there is no space to add something to help raise the sash.

I wish that a company would make a sash pulley that could be surface mounted at the corners of the head jamb, exposed and in front of the upper sash. It seems so simple, it would just be a matter of reversing some things in the pulley. I can't find anyone willing to do it.

[heartwood]

hey paul--glad you made it to wavyglass!
I like matt's suggestion...to get the pounds you need, you will need long slender weights which may inhibit the sash from opening all the way...always something right?
good luck...
...jade

[Sashguy]

Graywings, Pullman makes these designed to mount in the header.

[Mick_VT]

I have sashes with rope channels and knot holes in windows without pockets for weights. My house dates back to 1900, and I suspect that sashes were being mass produced with channels and knot holes.

Ditto, my house is 1865 with sashes that date from the early C20th when it became fashionable to remove the 6 over 6 to replace with 2 over 2. No weight pockets, but sashes are milled for ropes. The rope channel generally not going as far as the meeting rail - I guess this meant if you didnt want ropes you wouldnt have the (unsightly) hole for them, and if you did want the ropes it would be a relatively simple process to open the channel up fully

[Sashguy]

mick-vt is on target as I run into this quite often. The tattle tale in this process is that with most windows that have had this conversion, you will find that the parting bead has been cut and surface mounted rather than being set in a channel.