On 12/28/2010 11:46 PM, Finn Lassen wrote:

Looking to design and build hangar doors.

I kinda fancy vertical harmonica doors.
/\/\/\/\/\
The inner points carried by wheels in groove in concrete slab.
Wheels able to pivot in bottom of door frames.
Top supported by rollers in a steel U-channel, able to pivot in top of door frames.
I figure 3 feet wide sections hinged at edges.
The thinner the better, but will have to be able to withstand wind pressure without deforming.

10 feet tall.
>>

snipped>>

Sanity check appreciated.

Finn

Hi Finn,


Random Thoughts:

Bottom tracks/rollers could be a maintenance nightmare, especially in the sand down there, and the track will either fill up with sand/dirt, or if you use a raised track, be a pain to pull a plane over. Give it some thought.

110 mph wind survival is likely to be tough to achieve with a 2" thick door that big. What are the odds of seeing that load, even in FL, since you're so far from the coast? Also, my thought is that only moderate survival strength is needed when open, since if they are left open I'm much more concerned about hangar contents than the doors.

Accordion doors take up space in the opening of the hangar.

Thickness isn't really a factor, if the door is hung outside the hangar & there's a small lip at the top to shelter it.

More panels = more (expensive: hinge/roller) parts = more complexity = more build time + more money + higher maintenance.

More panels = more time/hassle to open/close the doors.

 The lazy among us just copy what's been proven to work. My neighbor has a 4-panel vertical hinge setup (commercially produced kit) that hangs from a track; bottom edge is pinned to the floor when closed. Works fine, but he does have to 'pin' the outer edges to the ground when they are open. The existing pins at the 'break point' of each door pair (required to hold the door shut) are also used when open. Another neighbor has a product known as 'Ultimate Door' that's a kit of track, rollers, cable, etc. The owner supplies wood (mostly 2x4 & 1x4 stock) & the covering of choice. It opens like an old style one-piece garage door. the cables lift the door at vertical the center line (only 5 feet is cantilevered above/below  the lift line) & the door is guided by the track to open and partially retract into the hangar. Mine (a one-piece, 30' wide design for the shop side of my hangar) is built from 6" aluminum irrigation tubing that I bought cheap. It's hinged at the top & has a single counterweight so it swings up with only a ~30 lb push.

I haven't built the door for the big 40+foot opening yet. I'm seriously considering steel 'purlins', the stuff you see spanning between the beams of metal buildings. 6-8 inch thick purlins can easily span 40-50 feet on 5 foot centers and take full snow/wind loads, so I'm pretty confident that they can handle door loads.

The bi-folds and one piece top-hinged doors have simplicity on their side, and they make a nice shaded ramp area when open if you want to pull the plain out in the breeze while doing maintenance.

FWIW,

Charlie