STEP 2 DOORS AND WINDOWS

Next I turned my attention to the doors and windows. As before, I used a template and cut the openings. I taped the templates to each wall panel, traced the outlines for each opening, and shaded the openings to make them easier to see once the templates had been removed ❶.

Before making the cuts, I placed each window and door casting on top of their respective locations to make sure that my markings were accurate and slightly smaller than the castings themselves.

Once I was satisfied that everything was properly sized and aligned, I began cutting the holes using Nos. 17 and 18 chisel blades. Holding the flat side to the outside of the cut, I rocked the blade back and forth. The pressure applied will pierce the styrene, causing minimal damage to the areas around the cut ❷. Once each cut was completed, I moved the blade and repeated the process until all of the rough openings were cut.

Since I cut the openings slightly smaller than the castings, I went back and enlarged each location with a chisel blade and file. This is an excellent way to maintain control over the work. Working slowly and continually test-fitting the castings ensured that the holes didn’t wind up oversized ❸.

Then I press-fit each door and window casting into its respective hole to verify the vertical and horizontal alignment was correct. After making some minor adjustments, I taped each casting in place from inside of the wall with painter’s tape.

One issue we sometimes encounter on projects is a lack of parts that fit our specific build. In this instance I used two A-Line Thermo King reefer units for the building’s climate control system. I removed the exhaust stack from each casting and turned the units upside down.

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