Making garage doors...

[Joe "Woody" Woodpecker]

Believe it or not, but one of TOH shows had a bit about doors that looked like they were sliders, but were actually roll up doors. Why not contavt TOH at

or and find out the vender they used.

-- Woody

Check out my Web Page at:

you will find:

******** How My Shop Works ******** 5-21-03

• * * Build a DC Separator Can Lid. 1-14-03

• * * DC Relay Box Building Plans. 1-14-03

• * * The Bad Air Your Breath Everyday.1-14-03

• * * What is a Real Woodworker? 2-8-03

• * * Murphy's Woodworking Definitions. 2-8-03

• * * Murphy's Woodworking Laws. 4-6-03

• * * What is the true meaning of life? 1-14-03

• * * Woodworker Shop Signs. 2-8-03

[Doordoc]

Didn't know you were using double low headroom track, I see it now in one of your later post, but I must have missed that earlier. You won't need more headroom but you will not be able to get a bigger radius on the lower track. The lower track on 2" will be approx 15" & approx 18" on 3" track so this will limit the height of the sections. How much headroom do you have?

I hope you are also aware that if you use the doors by hand the bottom of the door will naturally hang approx 6" below the header if you use the doors by hand. You would either need to prop the doors open manually or would have to use an opener to pull the door fully open.

Depending on the headroom the springs may also need to be mounted in the rear (behind the end of the horizontal tracks) & if they are not located properly the opener arm will run into the springs or shaft before the door gets fully open.

We never use low headroom track unless we have to, but w/ rear mount torsion the doors can be put in w/ 4" of headroom without an opener.

Doordoc

[Doordoc]

You can thank the American Court system for the perceived excessive caution. There has been a number of court cases around the country where the ruling was that those who give advice on changing or winding springs can be held personally liable for the personal injuries to those that don't follow or understand the advice.

Giving a warning along w/ the advice does not relieve the liability. Either the plaintiff claims ignorance & states they were not warned or they claim they can not understand why you would explain how to do something when you obviously knew it was so dangerous. It is a classic can't win (from our side) example.

This is one of the reasons some of us are so adamant and why many dealers will not even sell springs for DYI. It has nothing to do w/ not getting the money for the labor as one mocking website claims. However the main reason is that it truly is dangerous. I equate it to putting your hand near the end of the barrel of a loaded shotgun & pulling the trigger when you don't do it properly & w/ the proper tools. Sometimes you will come out unscathed, other times you may not.

I understand that you can not learn how to do something without someone explaining it. However since there is not an easy way to judge one's mechanical ability and/or their comprehension level in conversation I for one will continue to simply warn people not to do it & offer no advice whatsoever on how to do so. Many of us feel that for the consumers safety, our piece of mind, & our financial well being there can be no gray issues on where we stand.

Thanks for asking! Doordoc (He who has no trouble sleeping at night)

[Austin Franklin]

Hi DD,

I'll use 3" track, per your suggestion...if I can find it. I have 6" of headroom.

They will eventually have a motorized opener...they will be heavy, I am sure...

OK, thanks for the great info, once again.

Wow, I've been told I can't even do it with 6" of clearance, but I refuse to believe that, and you have confirmed that it is possible.

Regards,

Austin

[Jim Wilson]

Interesting! Thanks for the answer.

Jim

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 16:52:04 GMT, Jim Wilson scribbled

On tensioning your own garage door springs, see the thread about a year ago:

DAGS on "Torsion spring for garage door opener"

individual did it on his own & posted how he did it on the web:

"no" with "yk" twice in reply address for real email address

"Man is a tool-using animal. Weak in himself and of small stature, he stands on a basis of some half-square foot, has to straddle out his legs lest the very winds supplant him. Nevertheless, he can use tools, can devise tools: with these the granite mountain melts into light dust before him: seas are his smooth highway, winds and fire his unwearying steeds. Nowhere do you find him without tools. Without tools he is nothing: with tools he is all." Thomas Carlyle

[Jim Wilson]

[Ron Bean]

While we're on the subject, can you tell me why torsion springs are preferred over extension springs?

The house I grew up in had extension springs so I just assumed that's what everyone used.

[Doordoc]

Extension springs work independent of each other. Therefore the door will tend to rock back & forth as it opens & closes & sometimes the door will stay partly open on one side when fully closed. It is also necessary to install the garage door opener dead center & sometimes this is not possible without moving lights, fans, or attic access for some examples.

Torsion springs (except for real old ones that had two separate shafts) work in tandem & the door will always stay level regardless of where you pull up & down on the door. We have installed some openers that are completely outside of the horizontal track when there isn't room over top of the door.

Also most of the older extension springs did not normally have safety cables as a common practice & they fly like missiles when the spring or cable breaks.

There are still some dealers that use extension springs on single car doors, but normally many of them will use torsion springs on double car doors.

In my opinion they all work smoother & better with torsion springs then extension springs, especially as the door ages & parts start to wear.

Good question! Doordoc

[EL]

Check Overhead Door and Wayne-Dalton. I built a couple of garage doors a few years back and bought parts from those folks.

Boden

Aust> Anyone have any information, or know of any resources, for making garage