How to repair small handle on sliding patio door?

Feb 18, 2012 4 Replies
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First reply

Roger Mills

Can you drill and tap the handle, and fit a grub screw which can be tightened onto the shaft?

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This is one of those round tuit problems, but as we're likely to be using this door rather more in the near future I've decided I really ought to do something about it.



The little metal handle that latches/unlatches one of our patio doors is loose on the small square shaft (it falls off very easily which is the major problem) and I'm a bit stuck for ways to fix it.



The handle is just a little lump of (I guess) aluminium with a square hole that's supposed to be a tight fit on the shaft. The shaft is quite small, I'd guess 1/8" square and only stick out from the door about 1/2", so there's not much to work with.



There's no maker's name or anything so replacement doesn't seem a very hopeful approach.



I don't see trying to stuff shims around the hole as being a very long term fix.



So, does anyone have any bright ideas on how one might fix this?


Photograph may help my visualisation of the cosmic all :-)

Can you drill and tap the handle, and fit a grub screw which can be tightened onto the shaft?

Drill right through and pin with small roll pin, or self-tapper?

JB Weld (epoxy glue loaded with powdered stainless steel)?

Yes, of course, I should have thought of that, thank you! There's quite enough thickness of metal in the handle for a screw to be able to be made tight enough to hold.

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