Panty secure latch?

[Makalu1]

I have repaired and replaced this latch system a few times already. It doesn't matter if I reduce the weight of the items inside by much. I do a lot of off road and back road bumping and jarring and washboard galore and this is the result. Has anyone already come up with some easy to use, ingenious, out of the way, unobtrusive mechanism to act as a positive hold/stop to keep this cabinet in place? I bet it's already on here somewhere, I just can't find it...

Thanks!

Scott

[ScrapIron]

i was thinking about posting a comment and it was hard to resist, but i bit my tongue cuz i already caused enough discontent for one day.

[Makalu1]

Thanks Scrap, I hope I made your day before I found out how to edit it!

[Makalu1]

I guess I couldn't edit the title after all. This could be my most popular post ever!

[ScrapIron]

likely will get a record number of views before the night over.

[boywonder]

...reminds me of an old girlfriend.........

Seriously.....that's a Southco M1 latch, and the mating angled metal L bracket that it engages with is clearly too high based on your picture.....it looks like the cabinet is a bit hammered. These latches are available for different material thicknesses (different dash numbers). The M1 latch should secure that if the mating part is located per the drawing.

This style latch is available in a compression style (see link below) which may solve your issue.

https://www.biscoind.com/southco%20m...co%20M1&map=ft

You can usually find these on Ebay much cheaper than what Bisco sells them for, but you may need to search for awhile.


The keeper looks like this:

https://southco.com/en_us_int/m1-519-4

Here is the Southco webpage.....loads of variants.....plastic/metal.....locking/non-locking etc.

https://southco.com/en_us_int/M1


Look at the trade drawings for the proper distance between the latch and the keeper.


https://files.southco.com/static/JDrawing/J-M1-61.pdf

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by Makalu1

Has anyone already come up with some easy to use, ingenious, out of the way, unobtrusive mechanism to act as a positive hold/stop to keep this cabinet in place?

Here's an idea....since the mating material is somewhat hammered...

Fabricate a larger Z shaped keeper that screws to the back face of the cabinet wall that puts the latching surface in the right place. If you need a sketch I can whip one up after I finish this beer......

[boywonder]

Here you go....larger keeper that screws securely to the back face of the front wall above the door.....assuming the cabinet is some kind of particleboard from SMB.

The large screwing area with lots of wheelbase between screw holes should keep this in place, and you are screwing into the back face instead of the edge of the particleboard.

The holes could be vertical slots to allow proper engagement although they can also allow things to get un-aligned...

I understand you may have to design it to fit between the AC vents.....

[Twoxentrix]

Many variations out there, I'd suggest googling & reviewing some of the hardware the Marine Industry uses for cabinets.
There are some elegant ones out there, but I have a friend that installed these on several cabinets in his galley:
https://www.acehardware.com/departme...safety/5005879
Can't quite tell from your pic's if these would actually work in your case.

[boywonder]

Southco makes other styles of latches.....although I'm not aware of any other styles that will fit in the big hole that the M1 needs.

Compression Latches:

https://southco.com/en_us_int/latche...ession-latches


The M1 type is available as a compression latch....


Cam latches:

https://southco.com/en_us_int/latches/cam-latches