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Drawer latch ideas?

805 views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  beevis 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm building an adaptation of Pekovich's Essential Tool Chest.
Mine is quite a bit smaller, but I may still have two drawers.
Since I might not have room for a partition between the drawers, I'm wondering how best to secure them in transit.

I don't need the security of a mortised lock anyway - prefer not to fumble with keys or worry about losing them.

So maybe a ball catch? Magnets? Little wood rotating clasp on the sides?

Thanks for any ideas - the lower profile the better.
 
#4 ·
This thread needs picchurs, or video, for a reference point.

Peckovich Essential Tool Chest

I had seen this some time ago it seems, really nice box.

FWIW I would do just as he has, and place mortised locksets into it. Much wider than it is deep

If you haven't done these they are a great finish tool. A little skilllz learning, but once you have them, you'll be putting them in everything. Such a nice look. That box will be lost without it. Put the key where you won't lose it. If you lose it, you only get to find out how easy it used to be to be a locksmith. Buy a few blanks and file them to match, you'll have replacements at the ready.
 
#5 ·
Drawers on boats all have a little step in the drawer runner or a little wedge on the bottom that lifts the drawer front slightly as it closes and then drops it behind the step or wedge. To open them you need to lift the drawer front a little.
Very easy to do, very secure, no hardware required.
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
+ 1 Paul M. Nice, excellent solution. Not so easy for a land lover to see.

- Carlos510
The simplest way is to just glue a small wedge to the bottom of the drawer so that as the drawer closes it raises the front. Just before the drawer seats against the face frame the thick end of the wedge drops in behind the lower face frame.

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#9 ·
The simplest way is to just glue a small wedge to the bottom of the drawer so that as the drawer closes it raises the front. Just before the drawer seats against the face frame the thick end of the wedge drops in behind the lower face frame.

- shipwright
Unless the boat capsizes…lol. I guess you have other problems besides spilled drawer contents if that happens though.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the awesome ideas here! I wound up installing half mortised locksets.
Pictures to follow soon. Chest almost finished.

I'm wondering about lifting handles. Do you guys think a mortised pocket door pull would work as a lifting handle? I don't like the idea of just a few short screws holding the entire weight of the box. I like the idea of mortising in a handle. The flush mount lifting handles are nice, but that handle also puts a lot of torque on the screws, I'd reckon. Flush pull that you just grab on to in line with the box side seems best to me. My sides are 5/8" thick and a lot of those pulls mortise to 1/2" depth.

Thanks.
 
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