Appliance Repair

[cranefly]

Okay, I ended up taking down the old storm door and refitting it with new screen.  I had the proper wheel tool, and thought I had the proper spline (gasket that you roll in to secure the screen), but no, had to buy a thicker one for proper fit.  This is an old full-screen storm door, without removable screen panels.  You just permanently roll in a new screen and you're stuck with it for life.  Also, if your hands are full when exiting through the door, you have to elbow it open against the screen.  Very poor design, and I sort of regret resurrecting it.

Oh, and the hinge screw holes were totally worn out, so I bought 3/8 dowels, cut them to 1 1/2 " length, drilled out the hinge holes with a 3/8 " drill, then pounded in the dowels with lots of glue.  Then I drilled pilot holes in the dowels, propped the storm door precariously on old terra cotta vases (breaking one), climbed a ladder, and after a whole lot of effort got the hinges aligned and rescrewed them in.

All is sort of well with the storm door.  It doesn't quite shut like I'd want, and I really ought to remove it and chisel the hinge spots a bit, but to hell with it.  The storm comes tomorrow and I'm sort of set.  The most distressing little problem is that when I look outside through the screen, I see lizard people.