Hi all...

Here's the dilema. I just moved into a different house that has a
sliding glass door out back. I need to install a pet door. I did the
obvious, and ordered a panel (insert) that goes in the track between
the actual door and door jamb.

I went to install it today, and there's three problems:

1. the panel is huge (it has to be, the dog is also huge) therefore
only allowing me to fit through when I turn slightly sideways.

2. there's a gap that starts small up top and opens up to about 3/8"
at the bottom, between the door and the panel.

3. there's not what I feel is a good way to lock the door. Instead,
there's simply a small pin/latch mechanism that mounts at the bottom
on the track to keep the door from opening.

So, after analyzing the construction of the door, I feel I could make
my own if I had some long pieces of the aluminum stock that makes up
the frame. I could utilize the latch mechanism from the original
door, and have the bottom section of the door solid (probably
plywood), with the pet door installed in that, and the top half of the
door would be glass. Furthermore, I'd actually be able to open and
close the whole thing as a single unit, allowing full and easy access
to the patio.

So has anyone tackled this before or does anyone know where to get the
supplies to make my own?

Thanks in advance.

~jp

On Jun 30, 7:08 pm, "Jon R. Pickens" wrote:
Hi all...

Here's the dilema. I just moved into a different house that has a
sliding glass door out back. I need to install a pet door. I did the
obvious, and ordered a panel (insert) that goes in the track between
the actual door and door jamb.

I went to install it today, and there's three problems:

1. the panel is huge (it has to be, the dog is also huge) therefore
only allowing me to fit through when I turn slightly sideways.

2. there's a gap that starts small up top and opens up to about 3/8"
at the bottom, between the door and the panel.

3. there's not what I feel is a good way to lock the door. Instead,
there's simply a small pin/latch mechanism that mounts at the bottom
on the track to keep the door from opening.

So, after analyzing the construction of the door, I feel I could make
my own if I had some long pieces of the aluminum stock that makes up
the frame. I could utilize the latch mechanism from the original
door, and have the bottom section of the door solid (probably
plywood), with the pet door installed in that, and the top half of the
door would be glass. Furthermore, I'd actually be able to open and
close the whole thing as a single unit, allowing full and easy access
to the patio.

So has anyone tackled this before or does anyone know where to get the
supplies to make my own?

Thanks in advance.

~jp

Do you have to put the pet door in the door opening? What about a
through-the-wall type like these examples:

http://www.petdoors.com/endura_flap_wall_mount.htm
http://www.dogdoors.com/cgi/smart.cg...oup&group=best

Google wall mount pet doors (or similair). There's many, many styles
out there.

On Jun 30, 11:24 pm, DerbyDad03 wrote:
Do you have to put the pet door in the door opening? What about a
through-the-wall type like these examples:

http://www.petdoors.com/endura_flap_...&type=group&gr...

Google wall mount pet doors (or similair). There's many, many styles
out there.

Unfortunately, yes... the house is a rental.

~jp

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 20:24:40 -0700, DerbyDad03
wrote:



Do you have to put the pet door in the door opening? What about a
through-the-wall type like these examples:

http://www.petdoors.com/endura_flap_wall_mount.htm
http://www.dogdoors.com/cgi/smart.cg...oup&group=best

Google wall mount pet doors (or similair). There's many, many styles
out there.

I like the one where the dog wears an RFID and the door only opens for
him. I like the door that goes up like an overhead garage door. It
might be worth getting a dog just so I could get a door like that.

On Jul 1, 3:08 am, "Jon R. Pickens" wrote:
On Jun 30, 11:24 pm, DerbyDad03 wrote:

Do you have to put the pet door in the door opening? What about a
through-the-wall type like these examples:

http://www.petdoors.com/endura_flap_...//www.dogdoors......

Google wall mount pet doors (or similair). There's many, many styles
out there.

- Unfortunately, yes... the house is a rental.

Save the cutout and put it back when your lease is up. They'll never
notice.

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:08:42 -0700, "Jon R. Pickens"
wrote:

Hi all...

Here's the dilema. I just moved into a different house that has a
sliding glass door out back. I need to install a pet door. I did the
obvious, and ordered a panel (insert) that goes in the track between
the actual door and door jamb.

I went to install it today, and there's three problems:

1. the panel is huge (it has to be, the dog is also huge) therefore
only allowing me to fit through when I turn slightly sideways.

I can't follow this. Are you saying that when you open the sgd all
the way, there is still only room if you turn sideways? Unless the
dogdoor is wider than it has to be, don't think there is any solution
to that.

2. there's a gap that starts small up top and opens up to about 3/8"
at the bottom, between the door and the panel.

3. there's not what I feel is a good way to lock the door. Instead,
there's simply a small pin/latch mechanism that mounts at the bottom
on the track to keep the door from opening.

GEt a piece of 2x2 or even 2x4, cut it to the length desired and put
it in the channel where you don't want the door to be. Or a metal
pipe. I have two lengths of metal conduit, one for when I'm away that
is full length, and one for when I'm home but I leave the door open
all night.

So, after analyzing the construction of the door, I feel I could make
my own if I had some long pieces of the aluminum stock that makes up
the frame. I could utilize the latch mechanism from the original
door, and have the bottom section of the door solid (probably
plywood), with the pet door installed in that, and the top half of the
door would be glass.

You keep saying the door, when I think you mean the door opening,
unless you plan to attach the plywood and glass to the sliding part.

Furthermore, I'd actually be able to open and
close the whole thing as a single unit, allowing full and easy access
to the patio.

So has anyone tackled this before or does anyone know where to get the
supplies to make my own?

I'd call some glass shops with trucks. When they have to replace a
door, they must often have a leftover used door, which they may save
for parts. Or they will if you ask them to. I say this because it
seems you need an additional latch, and maybe a wheel for the part you
add on. You may also end up giving them the business of cutting the
top glass.

Thanks in advance.

~jp

On Jul 1, 4:02 am, mm wrote:
I can't follow this. Are you saying that when you open the sgd all
the way, there is still only room if you turn sideways? Unless the
dogdoor is wider than it has to be, don't think there is any solution
to that.

The dog door panel is close to 20" wide. That part stays put in the
door frame. Here's what I have, maybe you can visualize it better:

http://tinyurl.com/3ath3c

Mine is however, not for a cat, it's for my 90lb dog, so the opening
is about 15" wide by 20" tall.

GEt a piece of 2x2 or even 2x4, cut it to the length desired and put
it in the channel where you don't want the door to be. Or a metal
pipe. I have two lengths of metal conduit, one for when I'm away that
is full length, and one for when I'm home but I leave the door open
all night.

Yeah, I already know that trick. Normally most folks I know get a
broom handle and cut it to length. It works great, except on the rare
occasion when the sliding door is on the outside and the fixed glass
section is on the inside.

Unfortunately, that's the case at my house. However, someone playing
a prank could use the same technique to lock us in ;-)

You keep saying the door, when I think you mean the door opening,
unless you plan to attach the plywood and glass to the sliding part.

No... I mean door. I want to make a new door that will replace my
current sliding glass door. It would be the same size, except the
bottom half would be solid--not glass.

I'd call some glass shops with trucks. When they have to replace a
door, they must often have a leftover used door, which they may save
for parts. Or they will if you ask them to. I say this because it
seems you need an additional latch, and maybe a wheel for the part you
add on. You may also end up giving them the business of cutting the
top glass.

The glass will be the easy part. Although, I think you may be right.
I may need to just find a door that had the glass busted out, and then
fill the bottom section with a plywood panel and make some sort of
transition between that and the glass part.

~jp

On Sun, 01 Jul 2007 08:46:42 -0700, "Jon R. Pickens"
wrote:


You keep saying the door, when I think you mean the door opening,
unless you plan to attach the plywood and glass to the sliding part.

No... I mean door. I want to make a new door that will replace my
current sliding glass door. It would be the same size, except the
bottom half would be solid--not glass.

OK, I missed that entirely. I get it now.

I'd call some glass shops with trucks. When they have to replace a
door, they must often have a leftover used door, which they may save
for parts. Or they will if you ask them to. I say this because it
seems you need an additional latch, and maybe a wheel for the part you
add on. You may also end up giving them the business of cutting the
top glass.

The glass will be the easy part. Although, I think you may be right.

I only brought up the glass as a reason the glass shop would be
cooperative, even if they thought they couldn't charge much for the
broken frame, because they might be getting some glass business too.

I may need to just find a door that had the glass busted out, and then
fill the bottom section with a plywood panel and make some sort of
transition between that and the glass part.

Then you could save the original door and put it back in when you move
out. This would be useful even if you owned, but for sure if you
rent. (It's because you rent that I thought you were just trying to
add some inches onto the existing door.)

Hmmm. That url you gave, that I basically snipped, says "Collar tag
must touch the bottom of the pet door in order to activate. This is
not a proximity sensing model." I know you're not insisting on this
model, but how does this model work. How can the tag touch the bottom
of the pet door if it is on the cat's neck? Isn't the cat's head in
the way?

And in the green box it says "A safety break-away collar/tag comes
with the door." Is this like, In Case of Fire, Break Glass. ?

~jp

On Jul 1, 4:42 pm, mm wrote:
I only brought up the glass as a reason the glass shop would be
cooperative, even if they thought they couldn't charge much for the
broken frame, because they might be getting some glass business too.

Well, it is a good idea... worth exploring.

Then you could save the original door and put it back in when you move
out. This would be useful even if you owned, but for sure if you
rent. (It's because you rent that I thought you were just trying to
add some inches onto the existing door.)

That's kind of the idea. The next house may have a similar door. The
main point is to make any modifications to the property quickly and
easily reversable, as not to upset the landlord.

Hmmm. That url you gave, that I basically snipped, says "Collar tag
must touch the bottom of the pet door in order to activate. This is
not a proximity sensing model." I know you're not insisting on this
model, but how does this model work. How can the tag touch the bottom
of the pet door if it is on the cat's neck? Isn't the cat's head in
the way?

And in the green box it says "A safety break-away collar/tag comes
with the door." Is this like, In Case of Fire, Break Glass. ?

Hmm.... not sure. I only used that link because it was the first one
I came to that showed something similar to what I have. Good question
about the collar and tag. My dog doors are fairly simple, just heavy
plastic sheeting that the dogs muscle through. The only additional
features included are a magnetic strip at the bottom to keep the wind
from blowing it open, and a slide-in insert for locking it when you're
away or don't want the pets coming in and out (convenient when you're
bringing in groceries or cleaning house).

~jp

On Sun, 01 Jul 2007 14:29:17 -0700, "Jon R. Pickens"
wrote:


Then you could save the original door and put it back in when you move
out. This would be useful even if you owned, but for sure if you
rent. (It's because you rent that I thought you were just trying to
add some inches onto the existing door.)

That's kind of the idea. The next house may have a similar door. The
main point is to make any modifications to the property quickly and
easily reversable, as not to upset the landlord.

BTW, I forget how wide your door is, but mine are alumininum frame
with two-glass windows, one narrower than th eother and I considered
both of them quite heavy. Afraid they would fall over backwards, or
knock me over, or I would hold it but the bottom would slide out away
from me. And I just had to put each door a few feet to the side while
I did something (forget what). I didn't have to carry one to the
baement or garage or anything. I think you absolutely need a helper
and not a 140 pound woman.

On Jul 1, 6:01 pm, mm wrote:
BTW, I forget how wide your door is, but mine are alumininum frame
with two-glass windows, one narrower than th eother and I considered
both of them quite heavy. Afraid they would fall over backwards, or
knock me over, or I would hold it but the bottom would slide out away
from me. And I just had to put each door a few feet to the side while
I did something (forget what). I didn't have to carry one to the
baement or garage or anything. I think you absolutely need a helper
and not a 140 pound woman.

Well, last night I did figure out why the gap was there. Apparently
one of the rollers had come off the bottom of the door, also making it
hard to open and close. So I'm going to have to remove the door
anyway just to get to the underside. I'll probably pull both off and
replace them, and in the meantime look for door parts to make a 'new'
one.

~jp

In article .com,
"Jon R. Pickens" wrote:

On Jul 1, 6:01 pm, mm wrote:
BTW, I forget how wide your door is, but mine are alumininum frame
with two-glass windows, one narrower than th eother and I considered
both of them quite heavy. Afraid they would fall over backwards, or
knock me over, or I would hold it but the bottom would slide out away
from me. And I just had to put each door a few feet to the side while
I did something (forget what). I didn't have to carry one to the
baement or garage or anything. I think you absolutely need a helper
and not a 140 pound woman.

Well, last night I did figure out why the gap was there. Apparently
one of the rollers had come off the bottom of the door, also making it
hard to open and close. So I'm going to have to remove the door
anyway just to get to the underside. I'll probably pull both off and
replace them, and in the meantime look for door parts to make a 'new'
one.

~jp

Maybe a long shot but you could google "stock aluminum extrusion" (w/o
quotes) and see whether you find a match to what your frame is. There
are lots of companies that make aluminum extrusions, and thousands of
stock profiles available.

On Jul 2, 9:24 am, Smitty Two wrote:
Maybe a long shot but you could google "stock aluminum extrusion" (w/o
quotes) and see whether you find a match to what your frame is. There
are lots of companies that make aluminum extrusions, and thousands of
stock profiles available.

Good idea, thanks...

~jp

snip
Yeah, I already know that trick. Normally most folks I know get a
broom handle and cut it to length. It works great, except on the rare
occasion when the sliding door is on the outside and the fixed glass
section is on the inside.

Unfortunately, that's the case at my house. However, someone playing
a prank could use the same technique to lock us in ;-)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why does it sound like your sliding door is assembled "inside out"?
Can you dissasemble the door and put the slider on the inside track
where it (usually) belongs?

If it's the typical slider, it was assembled onsite, so it should be
able to be disassembled and "fixed" onsite as well.

HTH,
Mark

"Mark Sparge" wrote in message
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why does it sound like your sliding door is assembled "inside out"?
Can you dissasemble the door and put the slider on the inside track
where it (usually) belongs?

If it's the typical slider, it was assembled onsite, so it should be
able to be disassembled and "fixed" onsite as well.

HTH,
Mark


Then the lock would be on the outside. Some doors, Pella is one, have the
sliding portion on the outside. Their reasoning is that in a wind, the air
pressure is pushing hte door closed tighter, not causing leaks.

On Jul 3, 12:56 pm, Mark Sparge wrote:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why does it sound like your sliding door is assembled "inside out"?
Can you dissasemble the door and put the slider on the inside track
where it (usually) belongs?

If it's the typical slider, it was assembled onsite, so it should be
able to be disassembled and "fixed" onsite as well.

HTH,
Mark

It was designed that way unfortunately. The fixed section (inside) is
not on a track, it's secured, and the two tracks are for the sliding
(glass) door and sliding screen door.

Believe me, that was one of the first things I checked, and my first
thought was "I can reverse this..." Nope :-(

~jp

On Jul 3, 12:47 pm, "Jon R. Pickens" wrote:
On Jul 3, 12:56 pm, Mark Sparge wrote:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------*-------------
Why does it sound like your sliding door is assembled "inside out"?
Can you dissasemble the door and put the slider on the inside track
where it (usually) belongs?

If it's the typical slider, it was assembled onsite, so it should be
able to be disassembled and "fixed" onsite as well.

HTH,
Mark

It was designed that way unfortunately. The fixed section (inside) is
not on a track, it's secured, and the two tracks are for the sliding
(glass) door and sliding screen door.

Believe me, that was one of the first things I checked, and my first
thought was "I can reverse this..." Nope :-(

~jp
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, I guess I learned something new today!

Thanks,
Mark