Opening the copula

[jrmaple]

What type of pulley or how do you guys open and close your copula's? My copula is 24' up so its not easy to get to and there will be four 2x4 windows that are designed to swing open like a traditional copula, any hints or how do you guys open yours?

[maple maniac65]

Have one for looks. Steam pipes through the roof work very well.

[wnybassman]

I used a pair of boat trailer cable winches, one on each side of the shack, and a series of pulleys to get the cable to the cupola door. The winch on one side of the shack controls the door on the other side. I fabricated a spring to get the door to open several inches when first starting to open, so gravity can take over.

I know I have a better picture somewhere, but this is the winch mounted on the wall.

15271

[Mark-NH]

Keep it simple. A couple pullies and some cable or rope.

[johnallin]

Our doors are designed to tip out from the top. They always want to be in a closed position, and opening is a simple pull on a line led to a cleat on the wall.
They are hinged on a 1" pipe, about 1/3 down from the top on the inside of the door, which extends past the door into pillow blocks mounted on the framework of the opening. Work very well and keep rain and snow out if it's nasty outside.

15272

[Bucket Head]

Mine hinge at the top also. But I can go into my loft- I designed a prop system to hold mine out. But cables and pulleys would have still worked if the props could not be used.

[johnpma]

Couple of small pulleys and parachute cord from TSC worked fine

[Big_Eddy]

My doors hinge at the bottom. I have a hook eye in the center of each, and a double pulley on the ridge beam between the 2 openings. Each door has a rope which runs over one of the sheaves, then the ropes are tied together and I run a single line to a cleat on the wall. In the fully closed position my doors are not quite vertical, so as soon as the rope is released, gravity opens them.
To close - it takes a bit of a pull to get the doors off the roof, then they come up easily and I cleat the rope to hold them closed.

If I fiddle with it - I can just open one door in cases where the prevailing wind is driving rain in. It takes a bit of playing with the ropes and a stick to push one while holding the other. A 2 rope system like Johnpma's simplifies that. Doesn't happen often, but occasionally it's useful.

[slammer3364]

cant agree enough our copula doors are set up on hinges ropes and pulleys. WORKS GREAT

[maple flats]

Mine are very similar to Big_Eddy's except they need help to open. I made a lever that pivots when I pull a rope to give them the nudge they need.
When I open my cupola I need to attach the close rope on a "boat cleat"at a specific knot in the rope before I pull the opener rope or the doors lay down so far on the roof that it is hard to pull them closed. That know leaves enough rope to hold the doors about 4" up off the roof (hinged at bottom) so they close easily by pulling the lift rope which runs thru a double pulley at the peak, one each side, and then both are connected to one the rest of the length. If someone helps open the doors for me and does not tie off the rope at that knot, I just need to pull about 4-5x as hard to start them lifting, but it still does.

[jrmaple]

15279 15280

I like idea of the doors swinging out, what type of hinge did you use to make them pivot above center? The peak of my copula is 6' above the peak of the the roof which is at 23.5' above the floor, so reaching up with something to give them a nudge is tough.

[johnallin]

I used a piece of 1" pipe that extends about 6" past the door on each side. It's then fitted into a pillow block on the framing for the cupola. The pipe is about 1/4 of the way down from the top, so the doors are "bottom" heavy - they want to close if not held open. The pipe is held in place on the doors with a simple pipe wall clamp.
It's a slick system as we can adjust either door depending on prevailing winds etc and they automatically keep rain and snow out when open. I'll try to find pictures.

[johnallin]

I found this picture. Not too clear but if you look closely you can see the door opening at the bottom.
Post number 5 in this thread has a drawing with more detail. Good luck with your project. John

15282

[Mike Van]

These pics are what I did, 4 widows are hinged on the top and open inward with a length of 1/4" rope & one pulley each in the peak. the rope end slips over a nail to hold each one open, when close a screen door catch holds it shut. End of season, there's a latch also.153291533015331

[johnallin]

I found a better picture of our cupola doors. If you zoom in; you'll see the pipe going across the door. This is the hinge, it sits inside a pillow block on either side of the opening. We can adjust ea door independently based on wind and how steam is exiting. At times I only open one side a bit, which creates a natural draft and really draws the steam out. Adjustment is 3/8" line tied off on cleats on the wall down below. To close, we just ease the line out - but have to be careful or they'll just slam shut.

The design was from Scott Carlson at Sweet Grass Joinery - the fellow who designed, cut and erected the timber frame work. I just built the doors.

15385

[johnallin]

Some more pictures showing the pipe held in place with pillow blocks and the line used to open/close and adjust.

154001540115402