willshak wrote:
john hamilton wrote the following:
When working on my car, I bring it right up close to the house and lay
my tools out on the floor behind the front door. Since you never know
when it will rain, it works out very handy since then all I have to do
is close the door; and don't have to be picking up all the tools.

Now if its not warm the family doesn't like the cold air coming into
the house and they want the front door shut, which is fair enough.
Since the door just swings open I have to keep getting the keys out of
my pocket to open the door.

I would like the door to stay shut on its own accord, yet just open
with a push without having to use the keys. There is no room on the
door jamb to screw one of those helical spring self closers. And
anyway in general use we dont want the door to close by itself. Which
also rules out one of those hydraulic self closers which could fit on
at the top of the door.

Have tried using the strongest cuboard magnet I can find (In north
London u.k.), but if the wind picks up surprisingly it will just not
hold. Also tried cutting a thin wedge of cork glued to an upright
jamb which makes the door a tight fit when closed. However the door
shrinks in the summer and expands in the winter so that only works for
about half the year.

Grateful for any suggestions, especially something similar to the cork
arrangement which works just fine prividing the weather suits it.
Thanks.

Here in the US, we have pretty accurate weather forecasting, so we know
when not to plan to work outside.
Now, setting that GB weather joke aside, a question. Why do you need
keys to open the front door at any time? Can you leave the door unlocked?
Thirdly, a suggestion. Leave the tools in the vehicle when you are
working with them, either on the floor of the car, or in the trunk
(boot). Then, if it rains, just shut the car door or boot and go inside
til the rain stops..


I was gonna suggest one of those plastic storage boxes that gardeners
use, or even a child's plastic sandbox with a lid that could be closed
if a sudden shower comes up. OP's wife must be super-tolerant to not
freak at greasy tools all over her front-hall rug. And unless these are
row-houses with no front yards to speak of, the neighbors must love him
parking on the lawn.

Methinks that if OP can't figure a painless way to rig the front door to
not lock him out every time it closes (like a snippet of duct tape over
the the bolt), he'd best not be doing any work on the brakes on his
motorcar. Dunno about UK and Chubb or whoever, but door latch makers
here in the states always put a little tab or button to disable the
auto-lock feature when needed.

Assuming this isn't just a troll, of course.

--
aem sends...