On Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:45:41 -0600, Jon Elson wrote:

Stormin Mormon wrote:

As I make this "new post", I realize I'm way short of details. I'll rely
on you all to ask a lot of questions, and I'll get the details as we go.

I volunteer at a non profit agency. They have a couple doors which do not
have windows, but they would like them to have windows. Metal doors, 36
inch wide, heavy. Fitted for full mortise lock.

If the window is available separately, looks like a case of drill the
corners of the hole I need. use my electric nibbler to remove the
rectangle shaped piece of heavy sheet metal. Put the two halves of the
window up, and tighten some screws.

Anyone done this? Tips, cautions, etc?
My experience with a couple metal doors is that they use the hardest
stuff imagineable. Something like a cross between safe metal and the
stuff bedframe rails are made of. REALLY hard on cutting tools. You
can drill it with Cobalt drills, but typical sawzall blades will go dull
in about an inch of cutting, I think.

Jon

When I was running the alarm company..I did a number of them. The doors
are soft as butter or armor plate. Best thing Ive found is a die grinder
and the 3" cut off wheels held really really firmly. Cuts pretty quickly
though. Do a shallow pass all the way around, which helps the next deep
pass stay lined up.

Hint..measure from one edge of the door..the same edge on both sides
when laying out the window. Nothing worse than having one side 3/16"
offset from the other.

I typically would cut out one side, use a corner square to mark the
inside of the other side..G..and then center punch the proper places,
then go to the other side of the door, and make the window markings on
that side, using the center punchmarks which are now little pimples on
your side. Seems to help keep everything squared up quickly.

You really cant use a sawzall..because the blades are too long, so you
have to cut them off and then cut. And do NOT try to cut both sides at
the same time with a sawzall. Aint happening. That blade will slant out
one way or another inside the door and screw you up big time.

Measure, marke well and then cut.

Now..if you have a plasma cutter..shrug..might work..but some of those
doors have cardboard or even asbestos inside for sound deadening. If it
was asbestos..your golden. Cardboard..with a plasma cutter..and you have
a door on fire inside. Screws up the paint and makes a nasty stink

Gunner


Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch