Ttalk Tech
Turnbuckle Fix for TD Door
Turnbuckle Fix for TD Door
(Click
on images for enlargement)
The June, 1989 issue of the
NEMGTR's journal, The Sacred Octagon (TSO), contains a Technical Tip by
G.G.Werbizky, member #8635, describing a method for improving the fit
of T Series doors through the use of a turnbuckle. The intent is
to bring the lower front edge of the door closer in to the tub.
This is accomplished by the clever application of some laws of physics
through some cables, eyebolts and a turnbuckle. TSO pages are
copyrighted so I'll have to suggest that you find a copy of the 6/89
issue to read the entire article.
My TD had been suffering from the malady that this technique purports to handle. The need to do something about it became especially obvious in November '03 when my wife came along for a club trip to Martha's Vineyard on Cape Cod. Fortunately, it was a moderately warm day for November in Massachusetts. But, even so, the draft coming in from the lower front edge of the door was not very comfortable. As soon as the trip was over I took the door panel off and applied 'the fix'. Recently, six months to the day after I put it in, I took it out and was amazed at how well it worked. I have been periodically tightening the turnbuckle every few weeks.
Here are some images showing 'the fix' while it was installed. I wish that I had taken some 'before' shots to show the gap at the lower front edge of the door so that I could show the effect of the fix. What I've shown here are some images taken while removing the cable setup. What I chose to do was to reinstall the door's Diagonal Cross Brace before I removed the cables. One of the images shows the change in location of the screw holes in the lower end of the brace as a result of the new shape.
Here's an image of the inside of the door showing the cable system after six months' tightening. You can see the bare wood where the Diagonal Cross Brace would normally be.
This
close up shows
the effect of the fix in the new location of the mounting holes at the
bottom of the Cross Brace.
My TD had been suffering from the malady that this technique purports to handle. The need to do something about it became especially obvious in November '03 when my wife came along for a club trip to Martha's Vineyard on Cape Cod. Fortunately, it was a moderately warm day for November in Massachusetts. But, even so, the draft coming in from the lower front edge of the door was not very comfortable. As soon as the trip was over I took the door panel off and applied 'the fix'. Recently, six months to the day after I put it in, I took it out and was amazed at how well it worked. I have been periodically tightening the turnbuckle every few weeks.
Here are some images showing 'the fix' while it was installed. I wish that I had taken some 'before' shots to show the gap at the lower front edge of the door so that I could show the effect of the fix. What I've shown here are some images taken while removing the cable setup. What I chose to do was to reinstall the door's Diagonal Cross Brace before I removed the cables. One of the images shows the change in location of the screw holes in the lower end of the brace as a result of the new shape.
Here's an image of the inside of the door showing the cable system after six months' tightening. You can see the bare wood where the Diagonal Cross Brace would normally be.
This
close up shows
the effect of the fix in the new location of the mounting holes at the
bottom of the Cross Brace.This shows the Diagonal Cross Brace installed
before removing the cables
Here's the inside of the door with
the Diagonal Cross Brace back in position.
URL:http://www.Ttalk.info/Tech/Door_fix.html
Last Edited May 25, 2004
Last Edited May 25, 2004