Disabling Lock

[Cheeta]

My front and back doors have locks which I want to disable. They are the type with two buttons under the latch -- you push one in, and the doorknob can't be turned, you push the other one in, and the doorknob turns freely.

The risk is that somebody will push in the wrong button one day, and they'll close the door behind them or the wind will blow the door closed and there won't be a way back in.

I can't wedge anything in tightly enough to keep the correct button down

-- the gap between the button and the rest of the plate is as thin as the period at the end of this sentence.

I'm reluctant to use any glue unless I know it's a) permanent and b) not going to flow in somewhere it shouldn't and screw up the regular latch mechanism. Can someone recommend something safe to use?

I'd like to avoid taking out the whole plate if there's a 3 second fix. There are already two deadbolts on each door so I'm not worried about needing the security.

[rj]

[Randy Crawford]

... > Not too difficult to remove the lock assy. remove the cover plate and > disable the buttons. Old door locks are pretty simple.

Until you lose the small part(s) you removed, making the change permanent.

Why not stick a piece of chewing gum on top of the button that you want to leave pressed in? It's eventually removable, but it'll remind anyone not to press the button. Of course you could also use latex caulk, silicone caulk, roofing tar, duct tape (the aluminum kind), etc, etc.

Randy

[default]

Use JBweld or a similar metal-to-metal epoxy, and glue a thimble over the "wrong" button. It may eventually get knocked off, but it will be obvious when it does. Meanwhile, figure out how to break into your house.

[Ian Stirling]

Obtain something that won't look too out of place. This could be an appropriately coloured bottle-cap, or a metal cap of some sort. Glue over the button with hot-mwelt glue. Now, all you need to do to later remove these is to heat with a hot-air drier, and pull them off. Then while hot (and heating with the drier) wipe the glue off.

[Jim Yanik]

Randy Crawford wrote in news:c54gje$a96$ [e-mail]:

Put them in a zip-loc sandwich bag,and label it.then they don't get lost.

[mwlogs]

I believe the buttons he is speaking of are on the edge of the door, by the latch, at least that's the kind I have. You couldn't glue anything very think over the button, because it has to be between the door and the Jam.

I don't have the problem because the buttons on my door are very hard to push, not likely to be done accidentally. Besides, I keep it in the locked position most the time since I like the 3rd level of security, and rarely (actually never!) enter the front door when it's closed and locked.

Some sort of steel b> > My front and back doors have locks which I want to disable. They are

[Dan Hartung]

ROFLMAO.

Our house has been under "renovation" since the 1970s. Do you know how many baggies of parts we have?

Of course this is good advice for temporary stuff and if it's organized and the volume is manageable you can do it for more perm stuff as well.

[Michael Daly]

Now I get it! I couldn't figure out what kind of buttons he was talking about, but now remember these things from my childhood. I used to play with the buttons all the time! I haven't seen a door lock like that in ages.

How about a thin sheet of metal with a hole drilled and countersunk. Use it to cover the buttons and use one of the existing screws on the door/lock to hold it in place. If you're lucky, there will be enough of a gap between the door and jamb to allow the metal sheet to fit. The metal should be thick enough to stay in place without bending with only a single screw and thin enough to fit. If you want to ensure that the buttons don't move, use a bit of hot glue to plug the depressed button under the metal sheet. If the existing lock assembly is brass, you can get small brass sheets to match at a decent hobby shop.

Mike

[Doug Miller]

Get a lockbox of the type that realtors use to hold housekeys, and keep an extra key in it in case you get locked out.

[Gary]

If the lock has an edge plate, remove it and place a very thin piece of metal with the same finish behind the hole and replace the plate.

The mortise locks that I am familiar with can be removed rather easily by taking off the edge plate and unscrew the screw that holds the lock cylinder in place. Then you can screw out the lock cylinder and remove the rest of the hardware to pull the lock out.

Once the lock is out you can remove the side cover (watching very carefully for springs and things that try to escape) and disable the buttons.

[Joe Fabeitz]