theworkshop: Security bars to my workshop door.

The object of this exercise: Fit a new workshop door, Fit internal door security bars, all materials to be used has to be recycled.

Recycled Materials:

1. Upvc double glazed door.
2. Timber from old workshop door.
3. Threaded rod M10 and the upvc plastic sleeving left over from our new conservatory build.

I recently fitted my old upvc double glazed door to my workshop I kept the old kitchen door when we had new double glazing fitted at the same time as the conservatory was being built. I fitted this door for several reasons first and foremost the six-point locking device which operates at the turn of a handle and only requires one key to secure for the night. Secondly, the added light it allows into my workshop now is excellent, however, security hmm, the door consisting of two glassed panels this is where the threaded rod the upvc sleeving plus the old workshop door comes in to use, For the internal framing to house the security bars.

First I gently took apart the old framed ledge and braced door to salvage as much of the timber as I could, then fed it all through my planer thickness-er to remove all the old stain, I was limited by the sizes of this finished timber to make the new frames from in the best way that I could.

I wanted vertical bars as well as horizontal bars, having no welding equipment I couldn't straight butt the threaded vertical and horizontal bars together for welding purposes, this meant they had to criss-cross each other one behind the other as close as possible without touching each other, without them being welded or fixed to each other it left me with to much movement in the vertical bars which in the case of the glass being smashed the bars could be bent apart, this had to be solved, so I made these blocks from the stock of the old wooden door, the hole drill in the face of the block is for the vertical bars to pass through but not the plastic sleeving, the hole in the edge grain is for the horizontal threaded bar to pass through again not the plastic sleeving, all sleeving butts up-to-the surface of the woodblocks and the surface of the framing as well.

Once I had worked out the internal framing sizes I could then start cutting stock up to sizes for the frame plus, the threaded bars and upvc sleeving.

I first tried a dummy run sliding some of the bars and blocks together after I was satisfied with the fitting I then machined all the strengthening block.

Next was to design and build the framework to house the security bars, bear in mind I am using an old door the timber came from the braces on the back of the framed ledge and brace, so the timber braces are not very thick. Using the two brace I split these in two equal part down the width of the face, then I machined down the top middle and bottom rails to the same thickness, I then ripped them also down to the width of the braces I had previously machined this gave me enough timber to make up the unusual frame that was required to cover both pains of glass and not interfere with the operation of the lever handle.

After a lot of thought I decided to make both frames separate from each other mainly due to the length of the old braces being used, but, The top frame had no bottom rail to it, so I used the threaded rod to tie both frames together adding extra strength to both frames and filling the space left between the upper and lower frame with security bars as I felt if the glass was smashed a small person could still get through that space.

The first fitting to the door was just with screws for the first night only, I was one length of threaded bar short Grr, I had to buy a 1m length of M10 bar this meaning it had to come down again on Monday morning to fit it but, overnight in the wee small hours of Sunday morning mulling thing over in the back of your mind as you do, I decided to Drill M10 coach bolts through the door and frame just for that added security and total peace of mind, I bought eight of them, so not all recycled as I had hoped for but at a cost for 1m threaded bar and eight bolt £8.40 cheap door and security bars. I think you will agree.

Here is the door fitted into the workshop showing the security bars from both sides.