What type of touch-latches do you guys prefer ( for heavy, 26" drawers for
linens, silverware, etc.)

I'm making a pillow bench for a dining room and am going to put drawers,
large drawers, in it. Since it's going to be next to the dining room table,
I don't want hardware sticking out where people will catch it when walking
bye (it's pretty narrow). I really like the idea of touch-latches.

I am having no problems finding the latches at Rockler, etc., but since
there are so many kinds, I'm not sure which ones would work best for a
fairly large drawer. Maybe double them up?

TIA,

Mike

Mike Dembroge wrote:
What type of touch-latches do you guys prefer ( for heavy, 26" drawers for
linens, silverware, etc.)

I'm making a pillow bench for a dining room and am going to put drawers,
large drawers, in it. Since it's going to be next to the dining room table,
I don't want hardware sticking out where people will catch it when walking
bye (it's pretty narrow). I really like the idea of touch-latches.

I am having no problems finding the latches at Rockler, etc., but since
there are so many kinds, I'm not sure which ones would work best for a
fairly large drawer. Maybe double them up?

TIA,

Mike

when I have to, I'll use magnetic push latches. but only when I have
to. the rest of the time I use self closing drawer hardware.

wrote in message
ups.com...

when I have to, I'll use magnetic push latches. but only when I have
to. the rest of the time I use self closing drawer hardware.


I think he wants the touch latches to actually aid in opening the drawers.
He wants no outside hardware like pulls or knobs to be visible or in the
way.

To the OP, remember that touch latches will be the drawer stop index
reference point when closing. There will have to be over travel for them to
work properly so the normal drawer stop will have to be worked around.

Leon wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

when I have to, I'll use magnetic push latches. but only when I have
to. the rest of the time I use self closing drawer hardware.


I think he wants the touch latches to actually aid in opening the drawers.
He wants no outside hardware like pulls or knobs to be visible or in the
way.

To the OP, remember that touch latches will be the drawer stop index
reference point when closing. There will have to be over travel for them to
work properly so the normal drawer stop will have to be worked around.

understood, and that is where touch latches come in. if the question
was supposed to be *which* touch latches to use, the answer would be
"the ones that fit the application at hand..."

blum style undermount drawer hardware has the closing ramp molded into
the track, and it's long enough that in order to overtravel enough to
get a touch latch to work you'd have to accept 1-1/2" or so of lost
space at the back of the cabinet. the ball bearings in nested rails
type generally are held closed with a rubber block squeezed between a
couple of metal fingers, and you can pull out the rubber block to have
a full travel non held closed drawer slide. ball bearing slides are
better hardware anyway.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Leon wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

when I have to, I'll use magnetic push latches. but only when I have
to. the rest of the time I use self closing drawer hardware.


I think he wants the touch latches to actually aid in opening the
drawers.
He wants no outside hardware like pulls or knobs to be visible or in the
way.

To the OP, remember that touch latches will be the drawer stop index
reference point when closing. There will have to be over travel for them
to
work properly so the normal drawer stop will have to be worked around.

understood, and that is where touch latches come in. if the question
was supposed to be *which* touch latches to use, the answer would be
"the ones that fit the application at hand..."

blum style undermount drawer hardware has the closing ramp molded into
the track, and it's long enough that in order to overtravel enough to
get a touch latch to work you'd have to accept 1-1/2" or so of lost
space at the back of the cabinet. the ball bearings in nested rails
type generally are held closed with a rubber block squeezed between a
couple of metal fingers, and you can pull out the rubber block to have
a full travel non held closed drawer slide. ball bearing slides are
better hardware anyway.


I see, I thought the over travel slides were to open more than 100% rather
than close more than 100%

"Mike Dembroge" wrote in message
et...
What type of touch-latches do you guys prefer ( for heavy, 26" drawers for
linens, silverware, etc.)

I'm making a pillow bench for a dining room and am going to put drawers,
large drawers, in it. Since it's going to be next to the dining room
table, I don't want hardware sticking out where people will catch it when
walking bye (it's pretty narrow). I really like the idea of
touch-latches.

I am having no problems finding the latches at Rockler, etc., but since
there are so many kinds, I'm not sure which ones would work best for a
fairly large drawer. Maybe double them up?

TIA,

Mike

Seems to me the larger the drawer the more powerful [spring loading ] is
required. Drawers with self closing action make a stronger spring action
even more necessary.

Again I have used them extensively over the years and found the plastic "el
cheepos" do the trick in most cases .I do believe they come in doubles
should you need something more powerful. Not that touchlatches are anything
out of the ordinary but everytime I go to the local Rockler to buy hardware
I leave empty handed generally the quality they offer is pathetic and to put
inferior hardware on something you have taken pride in making is a crying
shame . But that is just my opinion....mjh

Thanks for the heads-up re the latches being the drawer index. I hadn't
thought about that. There should be plenty of room in the back for me to
work it out.

Mike

"Leon" wrote in message
. net...

wrote in message
ups.com...

when I have to, I'll use magnetic push latches. but only when I have
to. the rest of the time I use self closing drawer hardware.


I think he wants the touch latches to actually aid in opening the drawers.
He wants no outside hardware like pulls or knobs to be visible or in the
way.

To the OP, remember that touch latches will be the drawer stop index
reference point when closing. There will have to be over travel for them
to work properly so the normal drawer stop will have to be worked around.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Leon wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

when I have to, I'll use magnetic push latches. but only when I have
to. the rest of the time I use self closing drawer hardware.


I think he wants the touch latches to actually aid in opening the
drawers.
He wants no outside hardware like pulls or knobs to be visible or in the
way.

To the OP, remember that touch latches will be the drawer stop index
reference point when closing. There will have to be over travel for them
to
work properly so the normal drawer stop will have to be worked around.

understood, and that is where touch latches come in. if the question
was supposed to be *which* touch latches to use, the answer would be
"the ones that fit the application at hand..."
Yes, you're absolutely correct in that the correct selection is the one that
best fits the given circumstance. However, if a person has never installed
them before, said person would have to buy all sorts of sample pieces and
try them out. Or...one could ask for, and use, the experience of others who
have done this before and are proficient at it. It's called progress. Many
things are better left to experience rather than trusting marketing hype.

blum style undermount drawer hardware has the closing ramp molded into
the track, and it's long enough that in order to overtravel enough to
get a touch latch to work you'd have to accept 1-1/2" or so of lost
space at the back of the cabinet. the ball bearings in nested rails
type generally are held closed with a rubber block squeezed between a
couple of metal fingers, and you can pull out the rubber block to have
a full travel non held closed drawer slide. ball bearing slides are
better hardware anyway.
This is very good advice that is very much appreciated. Thank you.

[snip]

Seems to me the larger the drawer the more powerful [spring loading ] is
required. Drawers with self closing action make a stronger spring action
even more necessary.

Again I have used them extensively over the years and found the plastic
"el cheepos" do the trick in most cases .I do believe they come in doubles
should you need something more powerful. Not that touchlatches are
anything out of the ordinary but everytime I go to the local Rockler to
buy hardware I leave empty handed generally the quality they offer is
pathetic and to put inferior hardware on something you have taken pride in
making is a crying shame . But that is just my opinion....mjh
About the drawers being so large, that's my primary concern. I will look
around and doubling them up is probably going to have to be the solution.
There are only going to be 2 drawers, so cost is not really an issue. Do
you have a favorite source?