barn doors to dutch doors conversion

[markmitch]

Has anyone here actually done this and completed it? I searched and found starting topics but never a finished project anywhere. So if you have done this and completed it I have some questions for you so please contact me. Thanks Mark

[akforceten]

there was a time ago I started with doing a barn door to dutch door swap but I stopped cause there were some parts that I would have to cut out and weld back in from the dutch door side of things. for me, it was too much work at the time for me

[markmitch]

yeah I tried to find a post of one that was done and even on other sites it seems people started and never finished the swap at least with how to or what problems they encountered was not posted. I guess one guy did do it on the sister site but he did not post his work on the site.

[gavio]

What you seek is buried in this thread:

https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.p ... oors+crazy

See the link in this post, it takes you to a power point document that goes step by step from beginning to end:

i plan on doing the same thing. i found this a while back. looks very simple. http://www.schoolbusdriver.org/Installi ... 0Doors.ppt

[AstroWill]

What you seek is buried in this thread:

https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.p ... oors+crazy

See the link in this post, it takes you to a power point document that goes step by step from beginning to end:

i plan on doing the same thing. i found this a while back. looks very simple. http://www.schoolbusdriver.org/Installi ... 0Doors.ppt

Great links Gavio! Searching is hard :)

[gavio]

That link in particular would be hard to find just searching, but as luck would have it, I remembered the name of that thread from way back before I bought my van, I had been wondering about the pros and cons of getting a van with barn doors and swapping them....

[AstroWill]

I would like to ditch my dutch doors and go with barn doors.... I know of a place with a $100 donor, but at least one of the rear doors would require some repair.

[markmitch]

what app or program did you use to open the http://www.schoolbusdriver.org/Installi ... 0Doors.ppt link because when i tried it loaded onto my laptop but I can not open it? Thanks Mark

[AstroWill]

https://www.google.com/search?&q=.ppt

[markmitch]

Thanks for the info I found a free app that opened it called file viewer plus 3 so tomorrow I will go to the mail store downtown and print it for my book. I try to make hard copies for anything I am going to do mechanically for the first time. Then put them in my binder for future reference. If after I get the copies anyone needs a copy I can do that too.

[ASTROJOE LT1]

I did the conversion on the back doors and finished it 12 years ago What you need to know

[markmitch]

I was wondering things like specific size holes to drill for the hinges on the roof and what type of silicone is best for the hinges when bolting them on. But I found a free trial app to open the file posted earlier and then basically filmed it with my cell phones camera so I think I have what I need. I can't do the swap till winter is over so if I need more info can I email you or send a PM through this site? Thanks Mark

[AstroWill]

I was wondering things like specific size holes to drill for the hinges on the roof and what type of silicone is best for the hinges when bolting them on.

Seriously?

But I found a free trial app to open the file posted earlier and then basically filmed it with my cell phones camera so I think I have what I need. I can't do the swap till winter is over so if I need more info can I email you or send a PM through this site? Thanks Mark

Why not just extract the images directly?

[markmitch]

No idea how to extract the images directly as you put it, I can do many things with a computer but learned by doing it or being shown how but I have never had to do that. I do not own a printer simply because it cost more to buy the replacement ink then to just keep buying new printers from my experience, add that to the fact that last printer I bought the damn ink dried out before I even used it a second time.

[AstroWill]

No idea how to extract the images directly as you put it, I can do many things with a computer but learned by doing it or being shown how but I have never had to do that.

Ahh, thank goodness for google eh.

I do not own a printer simply because it cost more to buy the replacement ink then to just keep buying new printers from my experience,

That is false in my experience. While I really hate inkjet printers, usually the cartridges that come with a new printer contain less ink than a standard replacement cartridge. There are also printers out there that you can easily refill the ink on your own for extremely cheap, though those models are most often sold outside of the USA.

add that to the fact that last printer I bought the damn ink dried out before I even used it a second time.

Laser printers don't suffer from such problems. I have a few black only lasers and a color laser as well, the toner is a powder so nothing to dry up.


Libraries as well as Staples and other office type shops offer printing at a really great price if you rarely print, I mostly use them for large format printing.

[markmitch]

I live in a small town in the foothills the closest staples is 40 miles from me, the library is open like 8 hours a week but there is a mail depot in town that does printing which is where we go when we need to print things. LOL I used an app I found with google it had a 15 day free trial. That is why I copied it with my cell phone camera. If someone else needs the info I can send the link or even go down town and print it for others. I can also open it on my old windows 8 pc in the garage and save it to my external hard drive for future use if I feel like it. But This will be my last Astro so i doubt it. Once this one is done I am doing an old truck I found. Its a 58 Chevy stepside Body only, I plan on building it on a 4x4 newer chevy frame. But that's just a dream at this time. The body is on a farm in the boonies and the owner told me to come get it whenever I am ready.

[Sparkydog]

If you use Chrome to browse the link it will automatically open that PowerPoint file without having to goof around with an app.

[Leeann_93]

I have a monster black laser printer; it's an old HP LaserJet 5si and will duplex letter, legal or tabloid sheets. Costs me almost nothing to run and I built a Raspberry Pi to be a CUPS and AirPrint server for it, so I can print from any device.

I also have an HP OfficeJet Pro my boss gave me for Christmas 2 years ago that prints color whenever I need it, has wireless, AirPrint and duplexing built in, plus scanner/copier/fax capabilities, and the ink doesn't dry up, no matter how long it's been since I last printed. My old inkjets always dried up, but a drop of isopropyl alcohol on the printheads fixed that until the next time.

However, for cheap laser printing with wireless built in, you can't beat a little Brother laser printer. $90 or less, wireless and duplexing built in, each high-yield toner cartridge can print something like 2,500 pages and the cartridges are about $50. Regular-yield cartridges are about $35 and can print about 1,200 pages. My goddaughter has one and the TCO is really, really low.


As for a PowerPoint (.ppt or .pptx) file, get OpenOffice for free and open it any time, no trial required:
http://www.openoffice.org

[AstroWill]

Costs me almost nothing to run and I built a Raspberry Pi to be a CUPS and AirPrint server for it, so I can print from any device.

I totally forgot about doing that, even have an older RPi sitting around here not doing anything. Thanks!

As for a PowerPoint (.ppt or .pptx) file, get OpenOffice for free and open it any time, no trial required:
http://www.openoffice.org

I used to run OOo, switched to https://www.libreoffice.org/ when it came out, seems that it sees a TON more development than OOo these days.

[markmitch]

I clicked on the file using chrome it did not open, I went to google and it did not open all I got was "unable to open this file" Try microsoft search to find a program to open it so I did and got a free trial thing for 15 days I opened it and looked it over and then used my cell phone to capture it no big deal. I don't feel as though buying a printer for one file is worth the hassle to drive to walmart 45 miles to buy a printer that I may use one more time unless I buy another home or property which won't be for at least 6 months . I appreciate all the comments though. Apparently my laptop just does not have the program for opening that type of file, again not a big deal. Mark