68 Making traditional and modern windows
HANDMADE COMB JOINTS
Figure 4.14(a)(b)(c)(d)(e): By making short- length
wooden templates of the sectional size and shape
of the stormproof components, comb joints can
easily be marked out and made completely by hand
or by a mixture of hand techniques and machin-
ing facilities. The sash- stuff ’s outline can be: 1)
marked out with square- ended templates (Figures
(a) and (c)) onto par square sections to enable the
comb’s fingers to be set out, gauged and ripped
down prior to rebating and splay- moulding, or: 2)
the par square sections can be rebated and splay-
moulded first, then marked out with rebated and
splay- ended sash (or frame) templates (b) and (d),
to enable the comb’s fingers to be set out, gauged,
ripped down and shouldered, ready for assembly. The
Jointing stormproof casement frames
and sashes
Figures 4.13(h)(i): As mentioned above, because built-
in horns are not required nowadays (one reason being
that their task of securing the frame has been replaced
by advanced fixing devices and screwing techniques),
it is more sensible for this type of frame and sash to be
comb- jointed. Details of this are shown below at (h)
and (i).
Figure 4.14 (d) A sash- stile being marked out for a top
rail with a hand- made, double- ended profile template
(that can be used to mark top- rails or stiles), positioned (by
being slid easily along the glass- rebate) to within 6mm of
the end – or to a sash- height mark, then 6mm added for
crosscutting.Figure 4.13 (h) Part vertical section through sill, showing
a separated view of the comb- jointed jamb and sill; and
(i) a similar view through the bottom sash- rail, showing
the separated sash stile. Note that these joints are usually
reinforced with one aluminium- alloy star dowel, driven off-
centre (to avoid rebates) through each comb joint from the
exterior face. These can be obtained in 38 and 50mm
lengths.
(h) (i)Figure 4.14 (a) A square- ended offcut of sash stuff can
be used as a template for marking out the outline shapes
and comb- joint positions directly onto the par square
sections; and (b) Double- ended profile templates can be
made from sash stuff and used to mark out the outline-
shapes and comb- joint positions directly onto rebated and
splay- moulded components.(a)(b)Figure 4.14 (c) A stormproof sash- stile marked out on a
par component with square- ended templates, showing
the division of the 3 + 2 fingers set out and gauged on
each side of the rebates – and the waste areas roughly
crossed or marked on the end grain to lessen the risk of
ripping the tenons down on the wrong side of the gauge
lines. Note that the left- hand side of the par component
has been marked out with a top- rail/stile template and the
opposite end with a bottom-rail template.outer square- and splay- shoulders can be cut with a
tenon- or fine back- saw and the inner square- and
splay- shoulders can be predrilled near the shoulders
and chisel- finished, or cut near the shoulders with