After much deliberating we recently bought a new back door to replace a thin 70s monstrosity that had rotted. After looking at all the options we ended up getting a solid oak door off the shelf from UK Oak Doors. They had a sale on at the time but prices were pretty good. It's arriving Thursday so fingers crossed it's ok.
- Thread starter Zebra
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Zebra
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Thanks for that Forge. I've sent them an email query.
A little update.
Door arrived today, extremely heavy.
Glazing frames (which were supposed to be included as the door is unglazed) are entirely missing.
Closer inspection of the glazing 'hole' revealed it looked like it had been chewed out by a beaver or an 11 year old with a blunt chisel in his first woodworking lesson.
And...as if this wasn't bad enough, the door is not solid oak. Well it is all oak, but in a composite structure with the faces laminated onto a slated core. Not particularly well made.
Just to finish of my rant there's a huge unsightly black knot right in the middle of the bottom rail.
Currently composing a strongly worded email and will ring them first thing tomorrow. My advice would be don't!
Door arrived today, extremely heavy.
Glazing frames (which were supposed to be included as the door is unglazed) are entirely missing.
Closer inspection of the glazing 'hole' revealed it looked like it had been chewed out by a beaver or an 11 year old with a blunt chisel in his first woodworking lesson.
And...as if this wasn't bad enough, the door is not solid oak. Well it is all oak, but in a composite structure with the faces laminated onto a slated core. Not particularly well made.
Just to finish of my rant there's a huge unsightly black knot right in the middle of the bottom rail.
Currently composing a strongly worded email and will ring them first thing tomorrow. My advice would be don't!
DJH
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Oh dear...you don't need that..
As an aside, do you still have the forge and bellows there? A friend of mine's grandfather was a smith there years ago and he once showed me a photo of his grandfather standing outside. I'll try and get a copy for you if you are interested.
Doug
As an aside, do you still have the forge and bellows there? A friend of mine's grandfather was a smith there years ago and he once showed me a photo of his grandfather standing outside. I'll try and get a copy for you if you are interested.
Doug
Hello Doug,
Yes there is one remaining forge with twin hearths left, I think there might have been another on the opposite wall in the past but that must have been removed years ago (the chimney is still on the roof, just sitting on a bit of timber)!
The right hand hearth still has it's floor standing leather bellows and beam handle, the other hearth had been adapted to take an electric system.
Was that smith Bill Spinks? I've got a few photos of the forge while it was fully in use and one from about the 1930s with him outside. I'd love to see the one you have if possible.
There's a photo in the village hall of the thatch on fire in 1935 (which destroyed all historic first floor timbers) which mentions Mr Spinks forge!
Years before the Spinks' the forge was run by the Templeman family for nearly a century and the hinges of St Mary's Church have Templeman stamped on them.
According to Ewen Cameron, the chap who owns Dillington, the gates of Vivary Park in Tauntin were made in the forge but I'm not sure if it's true or when or by who they were made.
I'll get a photo of the bellows and post it up.
Back on the subject of the door, I've just noticed it was made in China!
Yes there is one remaining forge with twin hearths left, I think there might have been another on the opposite wall in the past but that must have been removed years ago (the chimney is still on the roof, just sitting on a bit of timber)!
The right hand hearth still has it's floor standing leather bellows and beam handle, the other hearth had been adapted to take an electric system.
Was that smith Bill Spinks? I've got a few photos of the forge while it was fully in use and one from about the 1930s with him outside. I'd love to see the one you have if possible.
There's a photo in the village hall of the thatch on fire in 1935 (which destroyed all historic first floor timbers) which mentions Mr Spinks forge!
Years before the Spinks' the forge was run by the Templeman family for nearly a century and the hinges of St Mary's Church have Templeman stamped on them.
According to Ewen Cameron, the chap who owns Dillington, the gates of Vivary Park in Tauntin were made in the forge but I'm not sure if it's true or when or by who they were made.
I'll get a photo of the bellows and post it up.
Back on the subject of the door, I've just noticed it was made in China!
Zebra
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Oh no! So much for the company supposedly selling a quality product! Their website looks really good, I bet you're very disappointed, as those doors aren't cheap!
DJH
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It could well have been Spinks as it was on his maternal side. I remember the bellows well as I think we used to service the Aga,or was it a Rayburn there years ago.
I have a feeling the gates at Vivary Park are by MacFarlanes. The fountain certainly is...perhaps his Lordship is mixing them up with the Southernmost gates.
The hinges you mention are in the Minster or your parish church? I repaired the tower roof there many years ago. Interesting graffiti as I recall although I saw so much of it on church roofs around I lose track sometimes...
Doug
I have a feeling the gates at Vivary Park are by MacFarlanes. The fountain certainly is...perhaps his Lordship is mixing them up with the Southernmost gates.
The hinges you mention are in the Minster or your parish church? I repaired the tower roof there many years ago. Interesting graffiti as I recall although I saw so much of it on church roofs around I lose track sometimes...
Doug
Those hinges are on Whitelackington parish church, very clearly embossed!
I'll do some more research on the Vivary Park gates.
You don't happen to remember where the kitchen was in the house do you?
The modern one is in a lean to added over the old outside toilet and coal shed in the late 70s, but I've been trying to work out where it was before. If the bellows powered a range I guess it might have been at the back by the forge?
What did the graffiti say?!?
I'll do some more research on the Vivary Park gates.
You don't happen to remember where the kitchen was in the house do you?
The modern one is in a lean to added over the old outside toilet and coal shed in the late 70s, but I've been trying to work out where it was before. If the bellows powered a range I guess it might have been at the back by the forge?
What did the graffiti say?!?
LadyArowana
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Very sorry to hear this. You have my sympathies, it's awful when things like this happen and it involves serious money. I have had a nightmare this trip with some chairs that I ordered. I was told to allow 12 weeks ( made to order ), even though website said 8 - 10. I began e,mailing them around the 12 week mark, could never get a sensible answer. Finally told they were sent from maker in Denmark 23rd Oct, expected in UK about a week later and delivery soon after. Began calling at end October, right person never available, got cross and spoke with owner, delivery promised for yesterday. Got e.mail in afternoon saying they didn't arrive in warehouse, owner didn't know where they were. Today is my last full day here and so after paying them money in July, and waiting 15 weeks, I still don't have what I ordered. I have said I want the money back if they can't fulfill order by end today. It's already caused me to delay my trip by over a week, as I was told they could definately get them to me
wobs
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I recently ordered some nylon sash chord, and arranged for it to be delivered at work.
Unfortunately, someone signed for it, and didn't know who it was for, and got passed to different departments.
To cut a long story short, some of it is now on the site flag pole.
Unfortunately, someone signed for it, and didn't know who it was for, and got passed to different departments.
To cut a long story short, some of it is now on the site flag pole.
DJH
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Not just the story that got cut short then... :lol:
A little bit of research Forge, says that the gates and fountain at Vivary Park were cast by MacFarlane's Saracen Foundry Glasgow. They were prolific founders of all sorts of cast iron goods and both the gates and the fountain feature in their 1896 catalogue. They had quite a monopoly in this field although they lost out on the magnificent gates at Buck House to the Bromsgrove Guild.
I'm tracing that photograph for you. Can't remember what the graffiti was but mostly it was names scratched onto the surface of the lead along with dates and sometimes memorable events. The relief of Mafeking was recorded on the tower of Thurloxton Church tower. Penners remembers that I expect... :lol:
Doug
A little bit of research Forge, says that the gates and fountain at Vivary Park were cast by MacFarlane's Saracen Foundry Glasgow. They were prolific founders of all sorts of cast iron goods and both the gates and the fountain feature in their 1896 catalogue. They had quite a monopoly in this field although they lost out on the magnificent gates at Buck House to the Bromsgrove Guild.
I'm tracing that photograph for you. Can't remember what the graffiti was but mostly it was names scratched onto the surface of the lead along with dates and sometimes memorable events. The relief of Mafeking was recorded on the tower of Thurloxton Church tower. Penners remembers that I expect... :lol:
Doug
DJH
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TheForge said:
It would have been in the mid 70's that I was there and I'm sure we went into the kitchen from the forge but I really can't be certain. It'll come to me one day I expect... :?
Doug
Thanks Doug, very interesting.
I suspect the kitchen must have been where an 1980's bathroom is currently, I've found bricks sticking out perpendicular to the wall above a modern suspended ceiling suggesting their was a chimney breast there in the past.
It had access directly into the forge and the opening remains but it's been crudely bricked up with block work on the house side, possibly a project to reopen in the future.
Back on the door, to UK Oak Doors credit, they sent two oak frames to me today to cover the poorly cut glazing rebate and mount the glazing into and they look fine. Whilst the door is still not a truly solid oak door and not as well crafted as I would have liked I can't fault their customer service.
I suspect the kitchen must have been where an 1980's bathroom is currently, I've found bricks sticking out perpendicular to the wall above a modern suspended ceiling suggesting their was a chimney breast there in the past.
It had access directly into the forge and the opening remains but it's been crudely bricked up with block work on the house side, possibly a project to reopen in the future.
Back on the door, to UK Oak Doors credit, they sent two oak frames to me today to cover the poorly cut glazing rebate and mount the glazing into and they look fine. Whilst the door is still not a truly solid oak door and not as well crafted as I would have liked I can't fault their customer service.
Zebra
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You also said you thought it was really heavy. Do you think it is heavier than a door ought to be? Does that concern you still?
I called UK Oak Doors - the guy didn't know what "Part L compliant" meant, and couldn't give me a U-value for any of their doors, so I reckon they're out. Which of their doors did you get, by the way?
I called UK Oak Doors - the guy didn't know what "Part L compliant" meant, and couldn't give me a U-value for any of their doors, so I reckon they're out. Which of their doors did you get, by the way?
Hi Zebra, it is extremely heavy, it's not too much of a concern as yet, at least I know theres plenty of wood in it - that may change when I attempt to hang it though! I think it will need to two people to lift into position! Hopefully the frame will cope.
We bought the 'Solid Oak external door' with the smaller window of the two they stock. I think it might have been called Ox Bow.
I get the impression they are set up as an importer reselling doors made in Asia from persumably unethically sourced Oak supplies.
We bought the 'Solid Oak external door' with the smaller window of the two they stock. I think it might have been called Ox Bow.
I get the impression they are set up as an importer reselling doors made in Asia from persumably unethically sourced Oak supplies.
Zebra
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They say their stuff is all ethically sourced. The frame being able to cope is something I'd be worried about too, as mine is only a softwood frame, screwed into blockwork.