Pocket doors

[Edgar]

So where does the door knob go, or is this only for one of those push/pull doors?

[HVS]

On 03 Aug 2007, Edgar wrote

I think the old ones I've seen either worked a hand-hold into the moulding or used a smallish, relatively unobtrusive knob. (The rear knob would fit into the recess, of course.)

It's been a number of years since I saw the 1960s' version, but I seem to recall it used a flush ring-pull handle.

[Michael Bulatovich]

Actually, I do, and thus I speak from experience.

[Michael Bulatovich]

You used to just tilt a proximate bust of Aristotle to operate them in either direction.

[++]

Problem is, there are real crafts/men/women out there. But in order to get them, sometimes you have to put a language communications preference for the fore/man/woman into the contract in order to get the quality details communicated to the crafts/man/woman.

[++]

I've seen it done as nice panelled pocket doors in an apparently paneled wall, and I've seen pocket paneled door. With tightly recessed bottom and top tracks or channels, panels can, depending on how they are constructed, truly cut off some noise. Sometimes there has to be redundancy in the supplies and returns, depending how large the divided space, or what is being concealed..

[Michael Bulatovich]

With things the way they are, these people are busy, no matter what language they speak..

[HVS]

On 03 Aug 2007, Michael Bulatovich wrote

And interestingly -- at least in the UK -- the top sub-contracting artisans -- stonework, joiners, paint specialists -- don't actually charge ridiculous prices.

It's a very small world, but the really good ones seem to charge

*reasonable* prices. That rules them out of competitive tenders, but invariably the lead consultants have to hire them anyway, and there's not a lot of competition. (When there are only a handful of people who can do the job, the issue comes down to "When you can fit this in?" rather than "Can you beat their price?")

[Michael Bulatovich]

Indeed. When I was doing really expensive residential work in the late 90's we had painters who used to work in Manhattan and elsewhere in 'the north-east' and the schedule revolved around when they could fit it in. They were worth waiting for.....the things they could do with paint!

On one job we had them paint dirt and smoke stains between the dentils on the gleaming new plaster cornices around some principal rooms....in others they used a combing technique that required incredibly steady hands and made the walls look like they were corduroy.....unbelievable craftsmen. I could have watched them for hours.

[Kris Krieger]

"Michael Bulatovich" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Thanks - I have the site up now - I like his work :) Even in the things that look "simple", there are all sorts of little details that a subtle but elegant - and I definitely hesitated using that word, because it's become so cliche'd, but it does apply, and I can't think of a better one.

Those curved dovetail joints really catch me. THe "logo tabe" is also striking.

I also like that his work is "contemporary" (clean lines) without having that sterile, hard, cold feel I get from so much of what is called contemporary, and so much of what shows up in, er, "catalogues".

Actually, to be honest, I usually might like a couple things by aperson, but it's rare for me to like so much of a person's work. I like the way he can combine the curve/arch with clean lines, while still, at the risk of sounding corny, "hold true to the warmth of the wood".

Now, if I could take the feel of his work, and combine it with some rough Stone structural elements, and/or maybe a few ancient-feeling artifacts, well, *wow*...

At any rate, I'm really enjoying his gallery - this is a keeper, thanks for the link!

- Kris

[Kris Krieger]

"Don" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Well, the last sentence unfortunatley holds all too true...

[Michael Bulatovich]

Pass it around....I'm sure he could always use more work.