The simplest would Be the pressure springs that attach to the sides of the sashes.
Another is to install the cable sash balances the require removing the parting bead, cutting the space in the jamb, on one or both sides, for the device, which is only the thickness of the jamb.

Could you point me to examples of those two products? The tape balance I found is over 3 inches deep.

Here is the place to look;

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=sash+balances+for+windows&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

While I only used the friction product once and will not use them again, I mentioned them only as an alternative which is available at ACE, TRUE VALUE an MENARD'S.

Either of these two is my product of choice and while the box is a little hard to read, there is an application chart.

http://woodwindowssashbalance.com/duplex-adjustable.htm

Thank you! I found this catalog sheet from Acme.

If I understand the diagrams correctly, the mechanism spans both sashes. What do you do about the parting bead in front of the mechanism?

I'm searching the Ace Hardware site and coming up negative for the friction product.

Here is a link that might be useful: Acme catalog sheet

I called Acme about the parting bead. You put a notch in it where the mechanism goes.

It appears that the frame has not been painted, which is positive.
The parting may be nailed with larger them a #3 or 4 finish nail, so be careful in the removal.
Prior to the reassembly, remove about 1/2 the depth of the parting bead where the sash balance has been inserted.

Before you remove the parting bead, strike a line in the area of the selected insertion, where the bead meets the jamb.

I know that others here have referenced and used them, but I have not used the friction product on so long I've forgotten their name.

To Install the tape balances, you just use a drill bit to create the proper sized mortise into the stud. You may find you can still get top-mounted tape balance housings that recess into the head jamb; normally they are used for closely-mulled (coupled) windows with no room for a side-jamb mounting.
Casey

According to the CAD drawings, the Acme twin side balances are 3 inches wide, 6 inches long, and 3/4 inch deep. That sounds like a major morticing project.

I haven't removed the head casing, so I don't know what's under there. If it has the same solid wood as I found behind the side casing, that's a non-starter.

Here is a link that might be useful: CAD drawings

"That sounds like a major morticing project."

If you let it, or being smarter than an inanimate object, is a plus.

Huh?

The Caldwell balances are about 3" h x 3" d x 3/4" thick, just a bit bigger than a pulley. The Pullman balances follow the same pattern.
Casey

Nail a stick to the lower sash so it will rotate down when you open the window. Safe. Simple. Free. PIA? Zero. Want 2 size openings? 2 sticks.

Casey, I have gone to both the Caldwell and Pullman websites and can't find the balances you referred to. But even a 3x3 morticing job for 3/4 inches deep would be a lot. I have been practicing drilling holes using a forstner bit and it takes forever. I even bought a corded drill because my batteries didn't hold up to the job.

But the Pullman site has given me an idea - maybe I could surface mount industrial balances on the head jamb to lift the lower sash. Ugly, I know, but they would be hidden behind drapes. It's better than the stick idea.

Like I said, if you let it.

I learned this 40+ yrs. ago from a carpenter who's favorite say for people who offered reasons why not;

"There are only two can'ts, if you can't cut it, you can't stay."

He handed me an ACME sash balance and said there's the window, install it flush, figure it out.

I had a sawsall, 3/8 drill, claw hammer, 3/4" chisel a channel locks and a set of spade bits.

I market the jamb, removed the parting bead, Mortised the nailing flanges, drill a 1-3/8" hole in the 4 corners of the marked detail, cut out what I could with the sawsall, removed the blade and holding it with the channel locks
removed the balance, installed the ACME, removed the area of the parting bead and installed it.

Took me about an hour.

Takes about 15min. now. My tools have improved.

I have been practicing that exact procedure off and on for months, but using a jigsaw in place of the sawsall. It wasn't that hard, and I was ready to start, until I found that beam, which precludes using the sawsall/jigsaw.

So this isn't a matter of my being lazy or not understanding what needs to be done. It's my recognizing how long it takes to drill away 3/4 inch of century wood with a forstner bit times the number of times it takes to get a 3x3 or 3x6 opening. And get it smooth. Trust me, you can't do it in an hour.

The process that I first used was with the casing still attached.
Drop the forstner bit, pick up the sawxall with a short fine tooth metal blade or cut the blade of the jigsaw off, learn about angle of presentation, speed control and depth of cut.

I can accomplish the original method with the same tools in about 25min.

So you are scoring the wood repeatedly and then chiseling the loose wood away.

I shudder to think of what could happen if I got the angle of presentation wrong with a sawsall.

There's no scoring, just cutting

Drill the holes then cut from hole too hole with the sawzall.

" cut out what I could with the sawsall, removed the blade and holding it with the channel locks removed the balance."

Mortise for body of the balance does not need to be pretty, just adequate. The 1x4 mortise 1/8" deep for the faceplate should be nicely-fitted.
The top mounted balance is here:
http://pullmanmfg.com/pdfs/Standard_Spec_Sheet.pdf
Called the "overhead" type.
Casey

I DID IT! I installed spring balances in the head jamb. It took months to do all four, but they are done, except for some touching up to do. I was going to use Pullman balances, but theirs were too tall to fit in the space, and they directed me to a small company called L&L Concepts. A guy there named Dave was so helpful. Here's a picture - don't look at it too closely; I will never be a master carpenter.

I ended up using my Dremel MultiMax and a bunch of Japan tooth cutting blades to get the cuts into the inch thick wood.

This post was edited by graywings on Sun, Sep 21, 14 at 17:38