Phi Delta Theta - Butler University

Page 4 Not Just M a Door any alumni remember when the Castle on the Corner had a great-looking front oak door that was true to the building's gothic architecture. There was even a poster sold on campus back in the day called The Doors of Butler, which included our beautiful front door. Eventually age and neglect took a toll on our original front door and it was replaced with a steel door in the late 1990s. While the steel door worked, it was beginning to show its age and had a stark look that didn't meet our architectural objectives when restoring the building. Tight timelines and budget constraints put the new and improved front door on hold in order to make the Chapter's 2008 fall grand re-opening deadline. Door contributors: Stan Cuppy '78, Chris Wirthwein '79, Mark Duffin '79, and Eric DeWitt '99. Getting a new front door for the landmark Chapter House was always a key item on our to-do list after the re-opening of the Chapter House, so we decided to make it happen. Having a great front door now provides the right visual first impression we wanted as you approach and enter the newly restored building. Thanks to donations from alumni we now have a new door for the Chapter House—not just any new door—but a Butler University Phi Delta Theta front door! A door that looks cool and architecturally correct for our Castle on the Corner that will last for the next 100 years. The journey begins... The anatomy of a great front door: Find a Carpenter Dave Sochar '72 at Acorn Woodworks is a master carpenter and a Phi Delta Theta alumnus from the Indiana Alpha Chapter at Indiana University. We chose him because he understood what we wanted when it came to making sure the design and construction would fit our castle's gothic architecture and Phi Delta Theta lore, and he had the skill to pull it off. Door Construction We chose a traditional door construction combined with modern updates: ladder skeleton framework, mortise and tendon joinery, and tongue and groove planks integrated with three-ply construction to ensure long-term durability and energy efficiency. We chose white oak for its density and durability. Lastly, the oak door was stained to match the existing Romweber Viking Oak furniture in the great room and then topped with several coats of clear sealer to withstand the weather extremes of Indiana's four seasons. Stained Glass Window Kerry Byrne at Der Glass Werks in BroadRipple provided the Phi Delta Theta Coat of Arms stained glass window for our new front door. The detailed stained glass for the Coat of Arms was constructed combining two techniques perfected during the Middle Ages. The first technique is called paint and fire, where a 24-hour, 1,500-degree heating and cooling process is used to guarantee a smooth and even application of material colors to the glass surface, requiring a lot of detail. The second technique is cut and leaded in, a process used for larger glass components requiring less detail. Custom Wrought Iron Hinge Straps We found Joseph Beck, a master blacksmith with over 40 years of experience and owner of Iron Apple Forge, located in Buck County, Pennsylvania. The iron hinge straps and attaching hardware are gothic, period correct, handforged, and hammered using traditional blacksmith techniques. Brass Owl Door Knocker The Door Knocker Company from the village of Leebotwood, England, provided the detailed woodland owl door knocker. It's made of solid brass using traditional forging and casting methods. The owl is a symbol of the Fraternity, so it's only fitting that we have an owl door knocker grace our new door. Now that's a door we can all be proud of!

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