Why I Need to Build a New Storm Window

The old storm window did its job for well over 13 years, but it had seen better days. If you look carefully, you can see some of the old felt weatherstrip hanging down behind the glass. I hope the new storm will look very similar, but much less rotten, and with all the weatherstrip still attached.

I took the window down soon after taking that picture. Here's a look at one of the joints once the window was in the shop:

Obviously it needed repair or replacement. Still, I wish I had been so curious about the strength of that joint. Two seconds later, having gently pried it apart with my fingers, it looked like this:

So now you know why I'm desperately working to finish the replacement storm. My "B" plan of using the old window no longer exists, and the weather is getting cold enough that water is puddling on the inside of the leaded glass and cold air radiates from it, as though it were an air conditioner. Happily, I'll be able to re-use the glass, and I'm not worrying that I might break it getting it out of the old window.

So far, the stock has been identified, and ripped to width, but I've run into some challenges, including the fact that the planer I inherited is at least temporarily unable to adjust due, I think, to rust. I'm going to have to surface the stock by hand, which means they probably won't be exactly the same width, which means I have to be more careful than I had planned with how I cut the tenons and saddles for the joints. I think I've figured it out, though, and if it works I'll post about it. And if it doesn't work... I'll still post about it.