Touch-Latch recommendations

[Mike Dembroge]

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

[bridgerfafc]

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.

[Leon]

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.

[bridgerfafc]

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.

[Leon]

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

[mike hide]

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

[Mike Dembroge]

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

[Mike Dembroge]

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.

This is very good advice that is very much appreciated. Thank you.

[Mike Dembroge]

[snip]

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?