Quillian Craftsman, LLC

Cutting a Perfect Radius

2011-08-12T09:35:00.000-05:00

Wood Window Makeover quoted in the New York Times

2011-07-27T20:51:00.002-05:00

One Way Painters Ruin Historic Windows

2011-07-23T10:11:00.001-05:00

Please notice how the paint lines have been cut with a razor blade. The seal between the paint and the wood has been compromised. They used blue tape and got a little carried away with their knife. Consider this painters. You spend mucho dinero on this blue tape, then pay someone to tape it to the windows. Then you pay someone to paint the windows. Then you pay someone to remove the blue tape from the windows. Then you still have to pay someone to clean up where the blue tape didn't do what you were hoping it would.

How much does blue tape really cost?

20 rolls of blue tape - enough to do a house. 20x7 = $140.
Labor to install the tape - 40 hours @ $10 per hour - $400
Labor to paint the windows - 40 hours @ $12 per hour - $480
Labor to remove the tape - 40 hours @ $10 per hour - $400
Labor to clean up the mess - 20 hours @ $12 per hour - $280
(Taxes and insurance not included)
Total cost (and this is conservative) $1700

Cost without tape -
Labor to paint the windows - 40 hours @ $20 per hour - $800

Total savings - $900

Painters, what are you thinking?

Jalousie Removal and Replacement Completed

2011-07-02T04:31:00.000-05:00

A little over a month ago we started a job by removing some jalousie windows from and front porch that was converted to living space. We finished up early last week and they turned out great. Here are photos that show somewhat of a progression.

Window frame scribed to the siding

Window frame scribed around the tapered corner post

Completed opening with old jalousie in the background.

We framed in the window by first making and fitting the frames on site. There really wasn't another way to do it. Porches by their nature have a slope to them and space between the posts was out of square about two inches, so it was definitely a custom install. These weren't the kind of windows we could make in the shop and just come pop in. Every piece had to be custom fit to the opening.

Israel the Artisan

Yenier cutting in the hinges

Windows fit to the opening

Sash removed, Israel starts his prep work so he can paint.

Once the sash fit the opening it was time for the detail work to begin.

Yenier shaves a hair off the sash with a filister plane

Yenier adjusting a hinge

Israel beginning his priming.

Danny installing the weatherstripping


Israel and Danny clean the glass and start the punch out.

Antique wavy glass for every lite in the sash

An old school crank operator.

All in all it was a very satisfying job to complete. We love doing things like removing windows that are in appropriate for the house and adding something more period and aesthetically pleasing. The client was well pleased, being sure to let us know how happy he was with the work we completed. We appreciate the opportunity to show off what we can do - and this was the perfect opportunity.

Finishing Touches at the Historic Lutz School

2011-06-23T15:57:00.000-05:00

Steve Quillian reporting in for Wood Window Makeover

2011-06-17T11:01:00.000-05:00

Take a moment to learn about one reason window glazing fails prematurely....

Yenier assembles sash

2011-06-04T14:06:00.000-05:00

We removed some jalousie windows from a house in Tampa's Seminole Heights. They were added to a side porch decades ago. We're making something a little more appropriate.

A pair of windows at the Historic Lutz School in northern Hillsborough County, FL

2011-06-02T21:59:00.000-05:00

Fellow craftsman Yenier helps remove sash to be reatored from... on Twitpic

2011-06-02T21:37:00.000-05:00

Fellow craftsman Yenier helps remove sash to be reatored from... on Twitpic

Historic homes TLC focus of free workshop | TBO.com

2011-05-15T11:41:00.000-05:00

Wood Window Makeover is the newspaper this week. The article is about a historic home workshop we are participating in next weekend with some of the city's top names in preservation.

Historic homes TLC focus of free workshop | TBO.com

Taylor Cabinet Door Mock Ups

2011-05-06T14:35:00.001-05:00

The top photo shows a thinner muntin rail in the middle. The bottom photo has a thicker one. Which do you think looks better?

Putting on some finishing touches.

2011-04-15T21:42:00.000-05:00

Here is a little video showing some windows were were finishing up today...

I traded in my Grandma

2011-04-04T21:32:00.001-05:00

The other day I met up with a friend on his front porch. He'd been taking care of his grandmother for a few months and called me over to talk about the latest development.

I walked up the steps to his 1925 bungalow front porch and was going to sit in the rocking chair next to the porch swing and and in front of the new vinyl windows to enjoy a glass of ice tea as was our custom. Uncomfortable at the scene I couldn't help but ask, "What's that big ol' grandma looking doll doing in the rocking chair?"

"Oh," my friend piped with a witty smile, "I traded in my Grandma the other day. What d'ya think?"

Beside myself, speechless and confused, "What?" I was like a dog that heard a weird sound. I didn't know how to interpret it.

"She was getting inefficient, difficult to maintain and was costing quite a bit of money. I traded here in for this here Grandma Replica, made right here in the USA."

He had to be making this up. "C'mon, where is she?"

"I'm not lying, I got rid of her, and besides, my Grandma Replica came with a 15 year guarantee not to fade or rot, so she could sit in that rocking chair indefinitely."

Not knowing whether to call the loony bin or the police, I was trying to figure all this out. "So how did all this happen? Where did she go?"

"Oh, it was easy, I just called the company who came out and gave me an estimate. I signed a waiver and a contract and three weeks later they came and got her."

"They came and got her?" I was getting angry now.

"Yea, she was sitting in that chair right there when they came. Grandma looked at me and asked what was going on. I told her not to worry as they were professionals and did this sort of thing all the time."

"What sort of thing are you talking about?"

"Well, they just came and got her and put this Grandma Replica in her place."

"Where did they take her?"

"How do I know? And what does it matter? Probably the same place they took all those old drafty windows that I replaced last month. Imagine all the money I'll save. No more drafty windows, no more grumpy Grandma. I think my energy bill has already dropped 10%." He was still smiling.

I knew the friend was the type to replace his windows, but I never thought he'd replace his Grandma. "Well, what if you change your mind? What if you want her back?"

"Not to worry. I signed a waiver for that."

Not knowing what to say, what to do or who to call, I shook my head, walked off the porch and down the stairs to the sidewalk and left. Some things I'll just never understand.

Installing double hung windows

2011-03-30T23:07:00.002-05:00

Here's a shot of some windows we are making and installing for a house in Seminole Heights.

Addressing Glazing Failures on an Historic Window

2011-03-15T20:38:00.000-05:00

Steve Quillian from Wood Window Makeover explains why the glazing is failing on a particular window....

Assembling sash in the shop.

2011-03-08T20:29:00.000-05:00

This video shows Yenier assembling a one lite sash for a project we're doing in Seminole Heights - an historic Tampa neighborhood. A 1920's bungalow, someone at some point stripped the original windows out and put some small aluminum ones in. These are going to replace the replacements.

Cutting Mortises with a Router

2011-03-01T11:39:00.000-05:00

Steve shows Yenier cutting mortises with a plunge router for some casement windows we are making.

Aluminum Window Gotta Go!

2011-02-28T16:45:00.001-05:00

Steve shows Wood Window Makeover removing ugly aluminum windows from historic window frames and replacing them with true wood sash, complete with ropes, pulleys and weights.

Short tour of some restored windows

2011-02-14T23:04:00.000-05:00

Here's a little clip showing some windows newly restored by Wood Window Makeover. This house is in St. Petersburg, Florida in a neighborhood known as Old Northeast. We removed the windows before the contractor did his initial demolition and started working on restoring them. By the time we were done, they were ready to be re-installed into the new openings that were created. The client was concerned that putting new windows in the front of the home would look completely erroneous, and so sought and obtained permission to re-use the existing windows. So we did. And this is how it came out.

Historic Window Paint Failure.

2011-02-12T08:27:00.001-05:00

Steve and Josh are working on some historic windows in Seminole Heights. They are chipping away failing paint and glazing so they can reseal the windows by installing new glazing and paint. Perhaps the biggest reason for most historic window paint failures is poor maintenance coupled with a poor paint job. Properly loved and maintained, the windows can last another lifetime. .

Paint Failure Video

2011-02-03T18:11:00.000-05:00

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Josh has his eye on you....

2011-01-27T21:20:00.001-05:00

From January/February project 2011

"Lead Safe Containment" on the job at Wood Window Makeover

2011-01-27T17:32:00.001-05:00

Here's an example of how we quarantine our workspace with plastic before we start working....

2011-01-18T10:51:00.001-05:00

And so it begins.

2011-01-18T09:16:00.001-05:00

Some more historic downtown Tampa windows.

2011-01-18T09:07:00.001-05:00

Some downtown Tampa windows.

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2011-01-13T14:46:00.001-05:00

Making 27 screens at the shop today.

2011-01-12T15:58:00.001-05:00

Here is one of the many new expenses Wood Window Makeover with recent passing of RRP laws.

2011-01-11T10:38:00.001-05:00

Diamond lites looking good.

2011-01-07T15:55:00.001-05:00

Israel installing a diamond lite.

2011-01-07T12:56:00.001-05:00

Here is where the diamond lites go.

2011-01-06T14:39:00.001-05:00

Yenier.

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2011-01-06T14:37:00.001-05:00

Israel

2011-01-06T14:35:00.001-05:00

Here is Carlos.

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2011-01-06T14:31:00.001-05:00

Painting the diamond lites.

2011-01-04T14:51:00.001-05:00

This picture shows how a lead test works. If its red, there is lead.

2011-01-04T13:49:00.001-05:00

Everyone's working on the diamond lites.

2010-12-31T14:06:00.001-05:00

So the big question is, how much to strip, stain and clearcoat four of these jokers both sides.

2010-12-31T11:03:00.001-05:00

Our PVC window in the shower. Gotta love it.

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2010-12-30T16:57:00.001-05:00

The same window being primed on the other side.

2010-12-30T16:51:00.001-05:00

Priming the diamond lite

FWD: New Message

2010-12-30T12:43:00.001-05:00

Closeup of lock

FWD: New Message

2010-12-30T12:40:00.001-05:00

First ones with hardware. St. Pete job.

2010-12-30T10:22:00.001-05:00

And me, I am landlocked at the shop as the field crew took the Historic Preservation Unit to St. Pete to finish some painting. Guess we'd better spring for another company vehicle no?

2010-12-30T10:18:00.001-05:00

Yenier assembling the diamond portion of the sash.

2010-12-30T10:14:00.001-05:00

Getting the stain package ready. Sash is sanded and ready to go.

2010-12-28T12:08:00.001-05:00

Wondering if you can see the painting overspray in this picture.

2010-12-23T17:08:00.001-05:00

Wavy glass on the outside, Israel installing hardware on the inside.

FWD:

2010-12-23T16:44:00.001-05:00

The hoodie Shelley got the company for Christmas.

2010-12-23T16:27:00.001-05:00

Another try at getting a wavy glass shot

2010-12-22T13:44:00.001-05:00

Still prepping the windows.

2010-12-21T15:55:00.001-05:00

Yenier's latest creation. A custom daimond lite casement sash.

FWD:

2010-12-20T16:06:00.001-05:00

Closing up shop for the day. Aminta from Tampa Preservation came by today to tell us our work looked good and that we should have told the ARC what we were up to. I said I did not know we had to let the city know we were repairing a window or two. She said any time we remove a window we have to tell the city. I pointed out that we did not remove the window. She said we still have to tell the city.

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2010-12-19T09:57:00.001-05:00

The windows we stripped yesterday.

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2010-12-19T09:56:00.000-05:00

Another angle of the quarantine today.

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2010-12-19T09:46:00.001-05:00

The quarantine continues...

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2010-12-18T09:10:00.001-05:00

The quarantine begins.

2010-12-16T14:49:00.001-05:00

We keep nibbling away at the windows until they are done.

2010-12-15T13:06:00.001-05:00

We have about 10 of these in like or worse condition. Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!!!

2010-12-15T10:30:00.001-05:00

St. Pete again today putting some finishing touches on the windows.

2010-12-14T16:48:00.000-05:00

Another wavy glass picture attempt.

2010-12-14T16:45:00.001-05:00

Our PVC replica matches exactly the other windows.

2010-12-14T16:42:00.001-05:00

Our historic window replicated in PVC for a shower.

2010-12-13T15:27:00.001-05:00

Danny cleaning the newly restored windows. Three windows in three days special thanks to the weekend to let the glazing skin over.

2010-12-11T13:00:00.001-05:00

Hhcincorp.com

2010-12-11T11:21:00.001-05:00

The public notice is on a barely visible side street.

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2010-12-11T11:18:00.001-05:00

The historic Italian Club in Ybor City is petitioning to change out their windows.

2010-12-10T10:24:00.001-05:00

Primed sash waiting to dry before we install the glass. It may take a little longer seeing that its a super cold 60 degrres outside.

2010-12-10T09:47:00.001-05:00

Josh priming the frames. Second day on three windows.

2010-12-10T09:44:00.001-05:00

Carlos priming the sash.

2010-12-10T09:30:00.001-05:00

Prepping the sash.

2010-12-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

Closing up shop for the day.

2010-12-09T14:21:00.000-05:00

Lock detail

2010-12-09T13:48:00.001-05:00

Punching out a stain grade installation.

2010-12-09T11:37:00.001-05:00

Danny and Josh stripping the paint from the frames.

2010-12-09T11:34:00.001-05:00

Israel removing the paint from the sash.

2010-12-09T11:32:00.001-05:00

Carlos de-glazing a three lite sash.

2010-12-09T10:15:00.001-05:00

Inside the plastic partition.

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2010-12-09T10:07:00.001-05:00

Setting up the plastic dust barrier on the inside.

2010-12-09T10:03:00.001-05:00

Setting up to restore three windows in south Tampa. Plastic and blue tape is the name of the game.

2010-12-08T15:00:00.001-05:00

When you break an upper sash loose and half of it is left behind due to termite damage you know you have some work to do.

2010-12-07T13:01:00.001-05:00

Capturing the peculiarities in antique wavy glass can be challenging, especially on a camara phone. Lets see how I did.

2010-12-06T15:47:00.001-05:00

Almost done installing a stained window we made.

2010-12-04T19:24:00.001-05:00

Another pic I forgot to post. These are some sidelites we made and installed. Josh is the one pictured.

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2010-12-04T19:01:00.001-05:00

A rotten window I forgot to post. We fixed it earlier this week.

2010-12-03T09:37:00.001-05:00

Just thought you might want to share my pain.

2010-12-02T17:23:00.001-05:00

Windows drying in the stairwell to my office. No dogs allowed.

2010-12-02T14:24:00.001-05:00

Ok, so the lady at the counter reads my visor then asks "wood window makeover- do you do floors?"

2010-12-02T13:14:00.001-05:00

Kitchen window all back together.

2010-12-02T10:23:00.001-05:00

Well, sometimes you uncover some pretty good termite damage. Thought you might like to see.

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2010-12-01T12:22:00.001-05:00

Yenier cutting the profile on a stile.

2010-12-01T12:20:00.001-05:00

Another angle of Josh cutting the lines.

2010-12-01T12:17:00.001-05:00

Josh putting the oil on the inside of this sidelite.

2010-12-01T10:06:00.001-05:00

Replacing a leg on the window frame.

2010-11-29T13:35:00.001-05:00

Josh installing the glass in a sidelight we made.

2010-11-29T10:20:00.001-05:00

We are at it again!

2010-11-29T09:30:00.001-05:00

Going to bring these windows and 5 others back to life this week.

How "Cars" Promotes Preservation and Restoration

2010-11-26T22:25:00.002-05:00

Sometimes inspiration comes when you aren't looking.

My Mom and Grandmother were here from Texas for Thanksgiving Day and once the festivities ended we put on a movie - The Disney/Pixar now classic Cars. My mom had never seen it, my boys love it and I just think it contains a great message. So this time as I watched it for probably the 100th time - I saw something new.

If you've seen it you know the theme. A hot shot race car named Lightning McQueen gets lost on his way to the other side of the country and finds new friends that change his perspective and give him a new take on life - a better take. He starts off self absorbed but discovers that relationships mean more than winning a race.

Another theme though is the restoration and preservation of what is lost through progress.

Lightning finds his way to an almost forgotten and disappearing town called Radiator Springs. There are signs everywhere that once upon a time the town was full of life. Vacant buildings where businesses once thrived appear weathered and beaten down - mere skeletons of the life that was once there.

Cut to a scene late in the movie, a friend, Sally, shows lightning what happened to the town. She takes him to a bluff that over looks the valley where the town sits and shows him the old Route 66 rolling and turning with the land and then then interstate cutting straight through the hills bypassing the old highway. Sally explains that life before the interstate was much different - that cars drove for the experience, not to make better time. Using pictures and music, the movie shows the way life used to thrive in Radiator Springs and how the town believed the new interstate going through would bring in even more people to the town. But the town was wrong. The progress of interstate left Radiator Springs behind. Dried up, desolate and alone, all that remained of the town were a few good friends and old memories - until Lightning showed up.

The highlight of the movie is close to the end when Lightning has a change of heart and helps restore the way of life as it once was for the entire town. He restores the main strip and gives everyone the opportunity to see their town again as it once was. It's one of the most enjoyable scenes in the whole movie.

Cars communicates very well the idea that most of us know that something bigger is missing and we all long for something more than just progress. I think we all want progress, but at the same time we don't want to lose that deep sense of connection that we have with one another and our past. Sometimes when an interstate cuts through to make life easier and faster, we don't see what we are trading until its too late. Sometimes what we trade is bigger and more important that what we seek to gain.

In my line of work, windows - but more importantly, craftsmanship - there is a lot that's being traded in the name of progress. I am hanging on to all I can, not to the past, but to the way things were done in the past when people poured themselves into the buildings they built as well as the people around them. Cars reminded me of that. I think the movie will do the same for you. I recommend watching it with a mindset of restoration and preserving not just the architecture of the past, but the presence and soul of what made it so great to begin with.

2010-11-25T12:18:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving is the best possible day off from work. Nothing like frying a turkey, watching the boys play and waiting for over 30 people to show up.

2010-11-24T11:34:00.001-05:00

Touching up the paint about 25 feet up.