Robert Macy wrote:
On Feb 7, 12:20 pm, wrote:
On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 8:48:46 AM UTC-5, Robert Macy wrote:
Will try now that EVERYBODY seems to be bashing me about the head
and shoulders for NOT trying.
Good. It's about time.
Maybe you can provide some insight into this: Why do people always
come up with the most complicated, contrived, nonsensical,
physics-bending, expensive solutions to simple problems?
You've got an extremely simple problem that has two simple
inexpensive solutions:
1. Bend the effing tab.
2. Replace the effing weatherstripping.
You've spent more time analyzing and coming up wacky reasons why
this happened and wacky ways to fix it than it would've taken to
implement either of these common, accepted, solutions to a common
problem.
For some reason it starts with a simple leaky door seal and the
solution escalates and escalates and escalates until you're knocking
down the house with a bulldozer and building new! All over a simple
leaky door seal!
Please, can you explain your thought process and how you come to the
conclusion that your convoluted solutions are better than the simple
solutions offered by this group?
Thought process was based upon having too many horrible experiences
where in solving a problem, I moved from Point A to Point B, but
destroyed Point A and therefore could not move back after Point B
displayed 'unforseen' problems, or worse, failed for some reason.
I have had horrible experiences putting in weather stripping. Just
does not work out well for some reason, so I 'preferred' to keep the
original weather stripping that came from the factory with the door,
rather than muck around with it. Also, never found anything that
looked similar at HD [only store that I have real access to, and
Walmart doesn't count]
For some reason I envisioned bending the tab causing the cheap metal
that is supplied in parts these days to simply crumble off, breaking
away as I try to bend it. Thus, I was VERY reluctant to embark on a
solution that so detroyed Point A, there would be NO way back. As I
said, the tab looked like it was in there for another prupose, AND if
I had bent the tab, the tab would only apply pressure to the bolt at
the end of the bolt, near the end of that soft nylon strip I saw on
the bolt. Again, the tab would quickly wear into that plastic - so
again, I was very reluctant to try a solution that may have unforeseen
problems later AND Point A had been destroyed when I implemented the
solution. Plus, with the bent tab only applying pressure at the tip of
the bolt means the door could close, appear to be closed, but the bolt
has only moved out to be touching the tab, because the door was NOT
pulled shut enabling the bolt to catch the bent tab. That means
everytime I use the door I must manually pull it closed to make sure
the bolt engages the tighter closing bent tab. Again reluctant to
pursue Point B when Point B looked like it had a new, different
failure/problem.
I know the explanation of my thought process is wordy, but this is my
mental process. But, you asked and deserve an answer, and the help
here is excellent, perhaps others have wondered why, so I took time to
explain. So, people understand that my brain goes through a series of
what if? what if? what if? All this flashes through my brain when
pursuing a solution to a problem. Similar to the motto, "Measure
twice. Cut once.", which probably is more defensible than my long
series of envisioning consequences of an action..
There is nothing wrong with considering potential consequences of an action.
It's a good thing, actually, as it helps people determine which of several
possible solutions will be easiest and/or work best.
The problem comes when people give too much weight to or exaggerate the
possible negative consequences. Consider the tab...
Most people have bent a piece of steel and know that it doesn't break
without a lot of back and forth bending. But suppose it did break. So
what? You would be no worse off than you were originally relative to the
door closing. And strikes are a common item, easily replaceable, available
at any hardware store.
As to the purpose of the tab, what could it be *other* than adjustment?
Security against intruders? How? A more solid latching? Many strike
plates have no tab. For that matter, you don't even need a strike plate to
securely close the door (but you would have to first turn the knob to
retract the bolt); the main purpose of the strike plate lies in the portion
on the outside of the door; the part bent toward the jamb...it gradually
engages the bolt as the door is closed and pushes it in.
Regarding the nylon on the bolt, I have not seen such. The bolts on my
doors have a small, steel, sort of half round rod along the flat side of the
bolt. It moves with the bolt but can be pushed in independently of the
bolt. I thought it might have something to do with the locking of the door
but apparently not. I do not know its purpose.
-------------------
I now understand its purpose. I took about 60 seconds to see what it does
(you could have done the same). Normally, it either does not enter the
strike at all or very slightly when the door is normally closed. If one
pulls the door harder, it will enter a bit more. Consequently, its purpose
is to provide a "finagle factor". If the door bolt and strike are perfectly
aligned, it does nothing; if the bolt is a bit loose in the strike, it can
enter the strike slightly thus removing rattle from the closed door.
In your case, it gives you another way to tighten the door; namely, by
filing a taper on the outside edge; being tapered, it will more fully enter
the strike plate. (Note that neither that nor bending the tab will tighten
the door if you now have to exert much manual force to do so. All either
will do is let the bolt or rod enter more fully and the force from that is
no more than that exerted by the spring pushing on the bolt). I wouldn't
worry about it being nylon either. Nylon is quite resilient and wears well
too; even if it does wear, that wear would just let it penetrate more deeply
into the strike. The only thing about it that remains surprising to me is
the fact that one of my doors - all exterior - does not have it even though
all the locks were purchased at the same time and are (supposedly) the same
model.
________________
Regarding the weather strip, much of the factory applied has a semi-rigid,
barbed portion that fits into a slot on the jambs. Sometimes they also put
in a couple of staples or small nails but lacking those it just pulls out.
Handy when you want to paint. Putting it back can be a bit harder since the
insert part is only semi-rigid; for stubborn sections, I lay a piece of 2x4
on it and whack the 2x4 with a hammer. Goes right in.
If you browse via Google, you can probably find an exact or almost exact
replacement. All you really need is a hollow vinyl shape close to the
proper dimensions or a bit over. It should be hollow (or closed cell foam)
for the insulation properties of trapped air and so that it will compress a
bit if necessary. You don't want it to compress a lot as it can then
prevent the closing of the door; compression also diminishes the
effectiveness of the insulation.
Even though you probably can't find an exact replacement at HD/Lowes, they
will have something that can be used. If you need one with the barb, they
have one shaped sort of like this: ¬/ The lazy "L" is semi-rigid with the
horizontal leg barbed, the "slash" is a thin piece of foam wrapped with
vinyl. If you don't need a barb, all manner of self adhesive ones are
available, both in "D" and "P" profiles. Flat foam too but the profiles are
better.
________________
Robert, I don't mean any of this post as a condemnation of the way you
think. A lot of people - me included - have difficulty seeing the forest
because of the trees; i.e., they get bogged down in the details. A fertile
mind sees many ways of arriving at the same place or accomplishing a desired
goal. Which of those ways is best? Which will lead to disaster? In most
cases, the answer to both questions is: none. There is almost always a
better way of doing something and nothing any of us has ever done has led to
the end of the world. Realizing that, the trick is to do SOMETHING. The
difference between success and failure is action.
--
dadiOH
____________________________
Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out...
http://www.floridaloghouse.net