Nordic window crank

Handy Person from Dutch Flat, California

Jun 26, 2024 11:17 pm

The old cabin I just bought has a casement window with a stripped/broken mechanism. It's not the handle splines; it's something wrong with the gear mechanism under the cover. It works when the window is partly open, but not when it's closed. It has a nine inch arm and the mechanism is sill-mounted.

The handle says "Nordic", but that doesn't seem to be helpful in the internet searches I did.

The part that seems to match is a 39-021. The mounting screw pattern is different, but I can deal with that. I'm just not sure if I have to buy a separate part for the track that attaches to the window itself.

1 user uploaded image

8 Replies

Handy Person from Dutch Flat, California

Jun 27, 2024 8:55 am

For some reason, my photo didn't come through. I'll try again.

1 user uploaded image

Emily from SWISCO

Jun 27, 2024 3:21 pm

Hey there!

Thanks for reaching out to us. The 39-028E looks like a better match. The arm is 9-1/2" when measured from the center of the gear to the center of the roller. I recommend you compare the specifications to confirm. You can reuse the old track if it's in working order and the roller at the end of the arm is the same as ours.

I'll be here if you have any questions!

Dimensions for 39-028e

Handy Person from Dutch Flat, California

Jun 27, 2024 7:01 pm

Thanks! But I was wrong about the arm length. It looks like it's closer to 10 3/4 inches from the center of the gear to the roller. See attached picture.

1 user uploaded image

Emily from SWISCO

Jun 28, 2024 9:17 am

Hmm, I'm afraid we don't sell an operator with this arm length. The 39-028E would be our closest option. It looks like the arm may measure 10-1/2" to our eyes. With being 1" short, you may need to adjust the position of your sash track to ensure the window can close, or even the position of the operator on the sill. It may take some trial and error.

You could also try out the 39-028E first without adjusting the track or operator. In a worst-case scenario, I'm thinking your windows won't be able to open as far by about the same amount.

Handy Person from Dutch Flat, California

Jun 28, 2024 10:50 am

Thanks again for the reply.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and figure out why the thing wasn't working. I've only lived here a month so the history of this problem was unknown to me. It turned out that the window was sticky on its bottom edge and was difficult to open or close. So apparently a previous user put excessive force on the crank handle to try to get the window to open, and that distorted the metal case on the mechanism so much that the gear was now very loose and didn't engage with the crank. I sanded the window and squeezed the metal case back together in a vise, and now the thing works.

Emily from SWISCO

Jun 28, 2024 2:25 pm

Awesome! We're glad to hear you found a solution. Please let us know if you need anything else!

Handy Person from Dutch Flat, California

Oct 23, 2024 7:16 pm

Well, my supposed fix didn't last very long. I finally ordered the part you recommended and it fit perfectly, despite being an inch or so shorter. The screw holes matched, and the housing was the same shape and size, so I didn't have to modify the existing wooden trim piece that fit over it. Wonderful! Thanks again.