Changing door knobs - why is everything so complicated??

[Jezzerh]

All I wanted to do was change the old brass knobs downstairs for new chrome ones. No problem, thinks I. Bought new knobs with the same plate diameter as the old ones so I wouldn't even have to repaint the doors.

Removed old knobs.

Installed first new knob, slid it onto the spindle. Huh. The old spindle is 6mm wide. This knob has a hole for an 8mm spindle so it just spins around freely.

No problem I'll use the spindle that came with the knobs as that'll be 8mm. Oh. It won't fit through the hole in the tubular latch in the door.

Great. I'd better buy four new tubular latches then that will take 8mm spindles.

The distance from the plate to the hole on my latches is 67mm. The length of the latch is 86mm.

Nip to B and Q. Oh. All their latches have the spindle hole way closer to the edge of the door than this one.

So I need to either find latches in the correct size or move the knobs closer to the edge of the door. That's a non starter as it will involve sanding and glossing all the bloody doors too!

Any ideas? Help!

[bobtail4x4]

you normally use the longer catches to avoid knocking your knuckles,

swap the knobs for ones that fit.

[mgtony]

Screwfix do an 80mm latch with the hole at 60mm, you could set it in a fraction to gain another couple of mm if that is close enough:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/tubular-latch-nickel-pla...

Or do a botch job and wrap the ends of the 6mm bar with insulating tape until they are tight in the 8mm knobs!

[wolfracesonic]

Google 'spindle sleeves' .There may be something here to help you spindle parts If you do have to get new latches, the important bit is the 'backset' i.e the distance from the front of the latch to the centre of the spindle hole. Try to avoid moving the knobs nearer to the edge of the door, with knobs you can foul your hand on the door frame. A 3'' latch or bigger is best for knobs.

[andy43]

1mm ally sheet, tin snips and a tube of silicone or glue - to shim the 6mm out to 8mm.
/bodge

[daytona365]

It's well known in the trade, that getting the right stuff is far more difficult than actually doing the job in hand !!

[Fastpedeller]

I'd go to another supplier for a start! We bought 6 pairs of handles from B&Q to find the holes in 2 pairs were broached in the "high quality made in uk" handles at an angle (and a tight fit so no tolerance) meaning a 15 degree wedged shaped door! - 'Manager' at store said it would sort out when it was screwed to the door! Thus bending the plates!!! I took all the stock off the shelf, sorted it into good and poor quality and eventually selected some which would work. Since this incident have found Screwfix handles (much less expensive, and bizarrely the same parent company of Kingfisher) to be far superior.

[Jezzerh]

Thanks for all the replies people. A bodge of some sort is definitely the way forward. Wolfracesonic is going on my Xmas card list for the spindle sleeve idea, I've ordered some of those to see how it goes.

:-)

[Wozy68]

Jezzerh said:

Thanks for all the replies people. A bodge of some sort is definitely the way forward. Wolfracesonic is going on my Xmas card list for the spindle sleeve idea, I've ordered some of those to see how it goes.

:-)

Well don't hodge it by moving the catch in a little bit more into the door. The damn latch wont then be long enough to catch the keep (the bit that makes sure the door stays closed).
Blimey.

OP. Hope you can match it all up. During our house renovation we have 14 doors in our home and each and every door had new knobs and catches installed. Couldn't get new ones to match so in the end took doors off and filled existing holes (including hinges) with timber and started again. Including rehanging correctly (they previously had been very badly fitted) , replacing the hinges and sanding doors etc ready for new paint, this little exercise took over 30 working days to complete.
Small jobs can end up becoming big big jobs.

[55palfers]

Looks like you need to move house.

[Jezzerh]

Wozy68 said:

Well don't hodge it by moving the catch in a little bit more into the door. The damn latch wont then be long enough to catch the keep (the bit that makes sure the door stays closed).
Blimey.

OP. Hope you can match it all up. During our house renovation we have 14 doors in our home and each and every door had new knobs and catches installed. Couldn't get new ones to match so in the end took doors off and filled existing holes (including hinges) with timber and started again. Including rehanging correctly (they previously had been very badly fitted) , replacing the hinges and sanding doors etc ready for new paint, this little exercise took over 30 working days to complete.
Small jobs can end up becoming big big jobs.

Bloody Nora, I'd be sat rocking in a corner!