OliBuilt wrote:

NineThreeKilo wrote:What motor did you use?

A 60:1 worm gear reducer coupled with a 220v 1.5hp electric motor with automatic brake. Control and limit switch are from a commercial garage door opener. I've uploaded more pics in the link above.

Mine rolls up with 3" cargo straps, 4 of them.

But no kidding with those big doors.

Thank you sir!

http://www.cubmajor.com/Ultimate_Door.html
That is a link to a DIY hangar door design and construction book.

Once upon a time I found a different vendor that offered something similar but I cant find it now.

I understand your OP ref BI-FOLD request, however, for safety, simplicity and ease of construction have you considered sliders? I built several over the years with great success, from two panel (14 high x 21 wide each, steel frame) to four panel made of wood. Track and rollers to hang are standard in the ag industry. Can insulate with closed cell rigid insulation sheets or spray which adds rigidity. Obviously require room to one side or the other to slide open. Can get away with one post for track if you multi parallel track and slide all panels to one side. I only offer the suggestion as by flying an amphib you have demonstrated your willingness to compromise. Kidding! Couldn't resist. TR

Bcone1381 wrote:http://www.cubmajor.com/Ultimate_Door.html
That is a link to a DIY hangar door design and construction book......

A friend of mine built one of those for his airpark hangar/home.
Worked nicely, but it might be a bit flimsy if you're gonna operate it or leave it (partially) open in big winds.
BTW this isn't a bifold door.

I have a home built slider (built before I had the hanger). It works well, but does need occasional tweaking and it does need to be secured if fully or partially closed when its windy, or if some dingleberry forgets which way their plane is pointing.. we have it insulated with 1” foam but it is tough to seal well and still have the door easy to open or close. It would definitely be less expensive than a powered bi-fold, but not as stout or well sealed if you are heating or cooling the hanger 24/7.

Pete

Zzz wrote:My mom was recently telling me about a guy she knew whose adult son was killed by a hangar door that let go. It’s not unheard of.

My door is a Schweiss. But with that said, I'd like some sort of lock or catch mechanism to prevent such an accident. I'll be hosting fly-ins this summer and won't be able to keep people from hanging out under the door.

ZPilot wrote:

Zzz wrote:My mom was recently telling me about a guy she knew whose adult son was killed by a hangar door that let go. It’s not unheard of.

My door is a Schweiss. But with that said, I'd like some sort of lock or catch mechanism to prevent such an accident. I'll be hosting fly-ins this summer and won't be able to keep people from hanging out under the door.

Same. She volunteered this story as I was demoing my new-to-me Schweiss to her.

I’d have gone sliders all day if I could, but it’s snow country and that from experience seems to be a pain in the winter, I really like the cub door but it needs to have near zero internal swing

For the bifold I was thinking of having a extra couple dyneema lines through blocks that I could through over a cleat once open for a safeguard

Also was thinking of materials other than steel that might work to reduce weight/load

And square stock composite that isn’t a fortune, delicate or will turn into a wet noodle?

Not advocating slider over bi-fold, but we are in snow country and it’s a non issue. Personally, I would prefer a bi-fold but the budget says otherwise. Our door slides inside the hanger. I was looking at it today since my interest was peaked through this thread. If you are interested I can grab a couple pictures tomorrow.

Pete

pburns wrote:Not advocating slider over bi-fold, but we are in snow country and it’s a non issue. Personally, I would prefer a bi-fold but the budget says otherwise. Our door slides inside the hanger. I was looking at it today since my interest was peaked through this thread. If you are interested I can grab a couple pictures tomorrow.

Pete

That would be awesome if you could Pete

Thanks!

pburns wrote:Not advocating slider over bi-fold, but we are in snow country and it’s a non issue. Personally, I would prefer a bi-fold but the budget says otherwise. Our door slides inside the hanger. I was looking at it today since my interest was peaked through this thread. If you are interested I can grab a couple pictures tomorrow.

Pete

Both external slider doors described in earlier post are in interior Alaska. 4-panel door hangar is heated full time. It's all in the gaskets and ability to tighten (use turnbuckles). They are as tight as any other. As for snow, yes, the area that the panels roll to when open need to be cleared, a minor issue in my opinion vs the complexity, cost and additional building structural requirements to handle either a bi-fold or single panel up-swing. Nine three Kilo sounds like a handy do it yourself guy, just passing along a cost-effective solution that works well for me in both snow and cold country. TR

Hangar I built at our home in North Pole. 2 panel doors, both slide right requiring only one pole. The wood makes for an easy attachment of the metal skin to match hangar (door frames are 2x2x3/16 angle).Could not buy a commercial door for the money I put in this entire hangar. Sweat equity. I did not heat this hangar as I already had a heated hangar. My objective is only to provide more options for you to choose from. Dialog is good. TR

Alright here are some photos. Before anyone passes judgement on the jankyness of the door or the messy hanger, they need to know the door was built when the Bee Gees were at the height of their popularity and we own the hanger with three other guys, so only 25% of the dirt and junk can be attributed to me.

Main hanger is on the small side 48'W x 40'deep. Door is approx. 40'. Panels are roughly 5.5'x10.5'. The fiberglass roofing is structural and I think is about 30 years old. We will be replacing it this summer. Any suggestions on materials will be accepted. The foam is 3/4" not 1". We do have a furnace but only heat it when we are going to be there. It heats up nicely down to about zero or 5 below, then the furnace struggles to keep up, partly because we really don't have the door sealed tight. We do need to adjust the door height in the winter as the concrete raises up a bit once the ground freezes (Better footings would have prevented this), otherwise it's pretty maintenance free other than greasing once or twice a year.

Outside


Inside


Where it stows when open


Panel


Fixtures








Track corner


Outside panel


Last panel and doorway


Pete

I built one for a hangar we have by the farm with no electricity. Very simple project, the door is about 38' by 11' . Uses old tractor weights for counterweights, so you open and close it by hand. It uses about 600 lbs of weight to balance it.

I don't feel like a properly constructed homebuilt door is any less safe than a purchased one, but that is just me. Lack of maintenance on a 20k door can cause it to fail sooner than a 2k homebuilt.

NineThreeKilo wrote:

daedaluscan wrote:I built mine. It took some figuring out but it has worked flawlessly for 7 years. Less than $1500 in materials with a little scrounging. Counterweight and 12v winch with a boat winch for backup.

Nice!

You wouldn’t happen to have some photos you could share?

Sorry can't take good photos as I'm in Europe for a while. Just some random ones which show a bit of the door.

Basically two panels, upper and lower with the upper being slightly less tall. The lower has rollers that climb the outside of the door posts. Each panel is 2" square tube around the perimeter and in five sections with a two inch post. 1/8" wall I think. Each panel is X braced with 1" angle, and the tin is screwed on with self drilling self tapping screws. I built the panels in my shop in two sections each, 24ft and 16ft long as I didn't have a concrete floor in the hangar at the time. Joined with an internal splice and plug welded.

There is a 2" (or maybe3") angle welded to the header which was a double truss with 1" ply glued and nailed to it. I think six or seven hinges welded to the top panel and then to the angle . welded when it was in place. You really don't need a crane, I think each panel weighed about 250 lbs without the tin. Ropes and pulleys. Then the second panel was welded to the bottom of the first in the same way. Bottom panel has a bit of a truss out of rebar to stop it bending when it is horizontal. The bottom panel has two ears at the bottom which have 4" caster wheels that run up the outside of the door posts as the door opens.

Five cables are attached to the bottom rail at each vertical post. They go up to a pulley then all around another pulley in the corner of the hangar so they now run towards the back. Here they are joined to two cables that go to a counterweight box full of cut up truck springs from the dump. They also join the cable to a 12v 2000lb amazon winch. I can also hook in a boat winch if this fails (and I use the boat winch to pick up the tail of the 170 to work on the engine the rest of the time). Each cable has a turnbuckle at the bottom to equalize the tension. Solar panel on the roof. There are two clamps that hold the middle of the lower panel against the door posts when its closed, and to pegs in the floor.

Honestly I wouldn't do it again, I really did it to prove my mate wrong when he said that "homemade bifolds never work". You lose a lot of opening height also. I think what Jonas did is way better . I also built one of those Ultimate kits for a friend (he insisted we do it out of steel stud framing) and honestly its hokey. Works but only just.

I had to borrow a power supply to run my Miller Mig at the hangar. You could easily build it with a cheap flux core welder.

Looking at the photos it might be 1 1/2” for the perimeter of the frame. Either would work.

The original plan was to have a latching mechanism on the bottom rail for positive hold in the open position. Haven’t done that yet The single winch cable is all that holds it open. Plan accordingly.

pburns wrote:
Outside


Inside


Where it stows when open


Pete

This is really cool.
Maybe I’m an idiot but I don’t remember seeing many sliding doors that remain inside the hangar, I like it. Only downside is lack of a wall for storage but seems like you all have figured that out.

I did as well, and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. But probably not for the same reason you're looking at. I actually think while hangar doors are expensive, none of them are really out of line when you take all the *real* expenses a business has in to building one. Simply quoting the cost of steel is misleading.
Having said that, my 42 x 12 was on par with daed's in cost. I actually didn't set out to make a hangar door, I just procrastinated on having one built, and then had 3 birds in the barn when I needed to leave e the state for a while on work. So, a quick weekend push before I left and I had my temporary bifold hung... 8 years later it still goes up and down and since it runs on a 12v hoist whose battery is solar charged it's a pretty economic deal.
I tend to agree with TR, these things aren't rocket science. I am always amazed that as a collective group, most of us have either built, rebuilt, refurbished or at least contemplated doing one of the above to an airplane... A vessel that has no shortage of ways to eat your lunch. But a couple of panels to close a hole and maybe a motor or rail involved and automatically we are going to get chopped by our own giant home-brewed guillotine

Mine runs on cables... Just like your airplane. Do the math, size (and maintain) accordingly, and the outcome is as predictable as pie. Do not use a winch, or at least just any winch. A hoist has a mechanical brake. Some winches do, but not many. A couple $1.99 limit switches will keep friends or family from running it too far down or up.

Take care, Rob

Imho and from my experience in this journey, for me I’ve learnt pay others well for what they do well and get paid well for what you do well therefore affording the aforementioned. Buy the engineered door.
I have three Diamond Doors, largest 60x15 opening. Extremely happy to push a switch and in two cases a remote and everything works as purchased for last 20 years with minimal maintenance.

Cheers …bkn