How do I remove these sashes?

(Hope this is OK. Posted long ago without pictures and was too hard for me to describe. Too much burden on reader. Better to start fresh with pics?)

Can’t figure out how to remove sashes from my double hung 1960’s Morgan windows. Don’t know much about windows. Were these windows assembled wrong ? I can hardly believe that. I must be missing something? See following pics:

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/r...hproblem-a.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/r...hproblem-b.jpg


The only thing I can figure is that while the window was being assembled and before the sill was put on, the bottom sash was slid down past where the sill fastens . Then the wire from the sash spring balance was fastened to the side jamb through the aluminum channel. Then the sash was slid up in the channel and the sill then nailed to the bottom of the window. (Ok laugh. Impossible - so I’m clueless about windows.)

Result : you can slide the bottom sash all the way up to the top jamb or all the way down to the sill, but you can’t expose the screw holding the spring balance wire to the side jamb. I slid a hacksaw blade between the aluminum channel and jamb and sawed of the screw/(or nail in some cases) and then was able to remove both sashes and aluminum channel as a unit? In doing so I broke the tab for the screw at the end of the wire but used a washer as a new tab and was able to reinstall the sashes and channel. But that can’t be the right way- can it ? I thought you were always supposed to be able to just remove screws holding the channel to the jamb and then remove the sashes and channel as a unit.

(Maybe the answer is embarrassingly simple. I’ll gladly take the embarrassment to solve this puzzle.)

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

 

I'd guess that sometime in the past (or initially) the wrong screws were used? I noticed on the one with the exposed screws, it has 2 diff heads.

Normally, you'd pull the side stop, as you indicated you did, pull the head stop if required, remove any staples or screws on the jamb liners, and pull both sashes and liners as a unit. The few I've done worked that way, maybe someone else has other experiences.

EDIT
Hmmm..when you took the stop off, couldn't you have tilted the sash forward and taken the attachment off the sash, or unscrewed from the liner? Only done a few with aluminum liners, and those always had real stubby screws for the balance attachment and staples to retain the liner if anything.

As I said...I'm sure one of the Pro's may have more knowledge.

 

Hi Gunguy. Thanks for responding.

Yes– those 2 different heads got me wondering also. After I took off the stop I did in fact tilt the sash forward and unscrewed the attachment from the liner when I removed the sashes from an attic window. But I made a mess of the channel. I think if the channel was vinyl rather than aluminum that would have worked. That is if I understand correctly some of the vinyl windows are made so that you just pop the sash right out of the channel. Those sound great!

But I really bent the aluminum channel like crazy trying to pull the sash forward in the attic window. I really had to force things. But I was in fact able to get the sashes out that way. I then straightened out the aluminum channel the best I could to reuse it – only because I couldn’t find a place that sells aluminum channels.

Sounds like you think pulling the stops and screws or staples should have worked. That’s what I thought too.

These are really old windows and probably as inefficient as they come. I think they’re good solid wood windows – but from an era gone by. Trying to hang on to them for a while anyway.

Thanks a lot gunguy for your thoughts!