THIS 4TH WINDOW from the bimah (3rd from the lobby) is a matter of concern.
For a brief analysis of its condition, see after the jump break.…
Like many of its companions, this window is sagging outwardly at the bottom (compare the superimposed straight red line). As noted HERE, as lead is oxidized over time, it loses its stiffness. Softened lead will tend to make a window sag, unless it has sufficient bracing.
What seems unusual about this pane is that its outer lead strip is dropping out of the metal window frame (see the superimposed red circle; click for closer view).
The problem is even more apparent from the inside:
And what’s alarming is the accelerating speed at which this pane may be separating from its frame. Compare the above photo to one taken just 7 months earlier, on Dec. 15th:
The viewing angle is not exactly the same, but it seems that the gap back then was not yet so large that it extended outwardly beyond the frame. Indeed, the separation seems to have been relatively stable in recent decades, for it was already apparent in 2003. The pane in question was labeled “B” in the Historic Structure Report, which noted:
Condition Observed: B & C are loose set and daylight can be seen through the edges of the panels, one cracked piece in the blue border of B, noticeable deflection in both B & C.
Its companion panel “C” has not gotten worse in the same way. Presumably that’s because in the intervening years it was held in place by a protective clear outer pane — until 3/31/22, when it fell out. (I would assume that “B” likewise had a matching outer pane that disappeared some years ago.)
For background on our stained-glass windows in general, see:
https://mishkonbuildingandgrounds.blogspot.com/2022/03/stained-glass-windows-restoration-and.html
No comments:
Post a Comment