Yesterday as I was leaving a meeting on The University of South Dakota campus, I happened upon a crew installing new windows in an old house on the edge of campus. The house was built around the same time as ours (1916). Despite its being retrofitted into faculty offices, it shares some architectural similarities with our place. I couldn't resist asking what was to become of the old sash windows the guys were piling into their truck. "We've got a huge dumpster back at the shop," was the reply. Gasp!
The old wavy window glass was full of imperfections. Perfect! Exactly what an old house restoration nut job would look for. I had to persist. "Mind if I relieve you from having to pitch some of these?" "Help yourself. Take all you like." With all deliberate haste I backed the wagon around and loaded every one of them. They now sit safely rescued in the garage along with some other divided light panels of an earlier vintage that I rescued a couple of weeks ago. Who said I couldn't get an architectural salvage operation going in Vermillion?
Some of this vintage glass will be put to use when I replace the many cracked panes on the interior French doors between the dining room and reading nook. Other pieces will come in handy when I replicate a multi-light window that was lost owing to a window air conditioner being installed in its stead on the second floor. And those are just the projects I can think of today!
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On a sash replacement job, what to do with the old window weights is always something to ponder. I have a stash saved for when the boys and I build a trebuchet this spring. But there's got to be something else to use them for...
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