How to cut in half a thick metal bar.

That window probably has a restrictor for a good reason- to keep people from falling out or climbing in . What floor is it on ?

 

Oh right, quite the credentials John. So what hacksaw do you guys recommend?

 

Any frame will do, really....such as screwfix 25962 or others.
It'll come with a blade, but if you need more then go for the flexible type, 78811.
John

 

And I'll probably have to cut it diagonally if you know what I mean because the window blocks me from turning to make it perpendicular to the bar. Is that all good?
But isn't the sound of a hacksaw quite painful and loud ie metal on metal, I imagine?

 

No problems, just bash on and you'll be through in a minute or so.
Its only thin metal that screeches really.....thats because its thin and more difficult to support.
John

 

Interesting. I assume the diagonal business doesn't make a difference.
Cheers.

 

Or you could just use the allen/torx bolt to move the gate out of the way allowing you to release the bar and it then just tucks under the window allowing you to freely open and close the window as you desire.

Edit: In fact why not ask in the 'Windows and Doors' forum

 

I was literally just going to post the same thing.
Always better to avoid destroying stuff if at all possible.

 

Makes sense. So where is the gate in the picture and what is a gate technically? And what's a torx/allen bolt? Cheers.

And just to be sure once the restrictor isn't a problem these windows will freely open a bit more and won't just stay fixed due to some other construction of it? I'd assume so otherwise what would the restrictor be for (other than adjusting/fixing the amount it opens).

 

The "gate" is the piece of metal which the stay slides in, you can see in your photo that it is attached to the fixed frame by a screw with some sort of recessed head, that is either an allen head, which is an hexagonal recess, and is undone with an L shaped "key" called, unsurprisingly an allen key of the correct size, or may have a "torx" head, which is a star shaped recess, which again can be undone with either an L shaped key of the correct type and size, or a "bit" which will need a tool of some sort with a holder for that bit. Cheap tool shops often have a screwdriver handle with various interchangable bits of various types at low cost.
There might even be a way of undoing the retainer without unscrewing things. Some windows have a catch to allow the retainer to be undone in some way, but they're all different, and not always obvious.

 

Yep it's hexagonal. And as for the screws that are nailing the gate into a wooden frame (of the overall window) they appear to have a star shaped recess. As you see in the picture I'd probably need a short screwdriver right (for the star shaped screws) because the window itself doesn't extend to give enough room to stick a screwdriver into them, if it were long. What's the retainer sorry? The stay is the 6 inch-ish metal bar in question right? Two secs just uploading photos of the screws and thingamajig shapes.

The 18465 pic is of the star shaped screws that fix the gate to the wood.

 

I just called the stay / restrictor, a retainer. My bad. Torx (18465)and allen (184627) by the look of it. It might be easier to undo it from underneath the frame. As always anyone doing stuff like this regularly will have various tools for the job. I bought a set some years back with bits and a little ratchet handle which is ideal for those awkward places. As always it depends on how much you want to spend, and / or how much future use you will get from the kit you buy.

 

Mmm. What size do you think that hexagonal allen recess is and what's the torx size do you think?

 

Probably (and it has to be a guess) Torx T20 or T25)
Allen key, again a guess 4 or 5 mm.

 

And it's called a Torx screwdriver right? http://www.screwfix.com/p/forge-ste...s&gclid=CKyPi8qywscCFSrpwgodLqQNwg&kpid=8576C set like this should be probably do the trick.