How do you secure cabinet doors & drawers?

[spotcatbug]

Originally Posted by Steve Hilby

Y'know, it looks like a cheap automotive door switch for a dome light.

After much searching with the suggestion to check with McMaster-Carr, I found out what these things are. They are a real thing (not some strange re-purpose of some other thing) called "spring-loaded captive sliding door plungers." Or just "spring-loaded plungers," depending on who you're dealing with.

The problem in the Trillium is that the plungers are "press-in" style plungers, meaning you need to use a press to install them. I can't figure out how to get the old ones out. I should have mentioned: the three that are missing aren't entirely missing. The "husk" which used to contain the spring and the pin is still there, pressed into place. Somehow the pin and the springs came out (and got lost).

So, to fix these, first I'd need to "un-press" these old ones. That's not a big deal; I'd probably just cut them out. The big deal is, I can't just find a direct replacement. I don't have a press. I need a "thread-in" style plunger that will go into the existing hole. Not impossible, but it has slowed me down considerably. Especially considering that there are other, easy ways to hold the sliding doors closed while traveling.

I've got my eyes open for fixing these some day, but I'm not actively looking anymore.

[Mary F]

Originally Posted by john warren

i take everything out of all drawers and cabinets and throw it on the floor. saves time.

Thanks for the chuckle, John!

[George Lauver]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Sherman: Our quick fix to prevent our side sliding windows from opening while traveling is to shove a piece of that round foam type weatherstrip into the bottom channel. It looks like gray rope, about 1/2" diameter, soft & flexible. I had some on hand, so it was a case of use what I got. To keep the closet door shut I put a small hook & eye on that.

Mary and Bob,

I was just in a local, Tom Johnson RV Store today and they carry the same origional locking mechanizisms that where installed in my U-Haul; reasonally priced also!

George

[Ian-Vicki]

we just use kiddy latches designed to keep little ones out of cupboards.
cheers
ian

[Paul O.]

I was very unhappy when the drawers kept sliding open and breaking. Over time, all four of them ended up being re-glued with epoxy. My 2004 Scamp has four drawers, two and two, almost perfectly opposite, across the aisle. The brace holding them closed for travel is a piece of closed cell foam from some old shipping crate, that I had pulled out of trash many years ago. The ends are modified to lock in place between the drawers. It is about one to two inches longer than the space, so it stays in place and pushes the drawers closed. It is also light enough so it doesn't bounce out while traveling. To install it, just bend it and push it in place. It took me an hour to make, and the price was right.

[Ian G.]

I use a simple bolt latch on each cupboard door and drawer.