Quote:
Originally Posted by
jgold47 
I think we need a home improvement thread. Any and all home improvement questions, comments, etc... belong here.
All advice given is to be taken at your own risk.
I will start.
Has anyone ever taken apart a window to replace a broken sash cord. is it as easy as it looks on the videos?
Just did that. It's like anything else you do with your hands - the first time, you're probably not going to like the results. You're not going to even know what questions to ask or what can possibly happen when you touch something. Instructions don't help because the examples they're using don't exactly match what's in front of you. Instructions also leave out basic points that you're not going to think of until it's too late. If somebody tries to explain it to you, there's a good chance you won't even know what they're talking about. You go back and forth from the hardware store, buying the wrong supplies, tools, etc. So you do an amateur job and if you actually finish it, you're discouraged by the poor results.
You know you did something wrong, but you don't know what.
Then, if you're not completely discouraged, maybe you watch somebody who has some experience attack the same problem. You still might not understand what he's doing.
Or, you watch a video example or read about it and see some instructional photos.
But then, if you attack the problem again, it will make sense and you'll be able to do it. Everything you've done and now the new information you've watched will come together.
That's what happened to me. First window attempt didn't turn out well at all. It sort of worked, but not well, and it looked terrible. It ended up being replaced.
I was not interested in attempting it again, but I really wanted to save some original wooden windows. I had contractors helping me renovate. I begged them to save the windows. They refused. All contractors will refuse, it's easier for them to use new materials. They don't want to fix things, they just want to install crappy new stuff made out of plastic. What do they care, it's not their house. Besides, they're not paying for the plastic junk they're installing, you are.
Finally I told them I wasn't going to pay for all new windows, just some of them. So they replaced 5 windows and did put some time into fixing 5 of the originals. They didn't finish fixing them, they just started on it. I watched them. One of the contractors nearly finished one of the windows completely. I used that one as an example. After they were gone, I finished repairing the rest of them. They all work now and look far better than they did before.
I recommend not using new nylon or plastic rope to replace a sash cord. You need to use the same kind of cotton or wool rope that was there originally. The nylon rope will not stay inside the track of the rollers. It will slip off, maybe even the first time you lift the window, which means the weights will no longer function. So all your work will be for nothing.
You should also clean all the paint off any moving parts, especially the rollers. Unscrew them and take them completely out of the wall so you can do a good job. When you put them back in, clean, they'll work the way they're supposed to.
I don't understand why people think it's ok to paint moving parts. News flash: it's not ok. It prevents that part from moving, making the whole thing, whatever it is, inoperable. And it looks terrible. If it's a vintage item, the paint is probably covering up meticulous artwork as well.
