ihrondiesel Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 The house we live in is 100+ years old and still has some of the original doors. One of the lock assemblies needs some repairs as it won’t latch. It’s similar to the one I have pictured here I screenshotted this picture from an EBay listing. Mine is quite similar with the main difference being that it uses all leaf springs instead of coil springs. Does anyone have an idea where to find someone capable of repairing it? I’m wondering if someone who works on clocks might be a candidate, but I don’t have anyone I know who could do it. Edit: the one pictured looks to have leaf springs but is a little different than mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawleigh99 Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 You might try Ball & Ball in PA. They are a foundry so they will even reproduce pars. https://ballandball.com/contact/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoshoe Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Do you know what the problem is? Worn parts? Broken springs? Broken parts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjf711 Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Try house of antique hardware, They have reproduction mortise lock sets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihrondiesel Posted November 15, 2022 Author Share Posted November 15, 2022 15 minutes ago, snoshoe said: Do you know what the problem is? Worn parts? Broken springs? Broken parts? One of the leaf springs is broken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihrondiesel Posted November 15, 2022 Author Share Posted November 15, 2022 7 minutes ago, cjf711 said: Try house of antique hardware, They have reproduction mortise lock sets. Thanks, I’ll try them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iowaboy1965 Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Mc master car or similar sell spring steel in various forms. Round and probably flat. Could make your own it you had to. Some guys I used to work with made their own traps one time including the springs with spring steel purchased and bent in a jig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars (midessa) Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Try an ‘antique store’ or a thrift shop, many have old doors for sale, we picked up one just a couple days ago, 29in. wide, 5 panel, with hinges & knobs, and locking mechanism, no signs of wood rot, grand total of $30.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoshoe Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 57 minutes ago, ihrondiesel said: One of the leaf springs is broken Is what I thought was probably the problem. I have some experience heat treating springs. When MTD took over Cub Cadet the replacement pto clutch springs were no longer heat treated. When you buy spring stock. You can cut, bend and shape just like mild steel. It doesn't become a spring until heat treating. I got practice making springs restoring two potato diggers. I use the same treating process as I did for the clutch springs. When you have the spring shaped and formed. Heat the whole thing red hot. Careful it is easily deformed at this stage. Quench it in oil. Gently swish it in oil to cool as quickly as possible. Oil will flame when you first put it in and quit as it cools. I use molten wheel weights to temper. Just dip in the molten lead until it comes out without any lead sticking to it. Then just let it cool by itself. You now have a spring. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirt_Floor_Poor Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 1 hour ago, snoshoe said: Quench it in oil. What type of oil do you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Fan Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 My mother locked herself in the bathroom here one time with one of those! Took me quite awhile to get her out. Dad about went into hysterics! Took it apart and has never went back in that door since. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardtail Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Only bathroom in the house? 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 I’ve made springs that were larger by quenching and tempering to a blue color by drawing the heat. Not that what Snoshoe won’t won’t though. Can put a fair amount of spring in mild steel even but a known spring steel will last longer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vtfireman85 Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 4 hours ago, ihrondiesel said: One of the leaf springs is broken I have a drawer full of that junk, if you can get some photos and dimensions i will see if i have anything 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoshoe Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 1 hour ago, Dirt_Floor_Poor said: What type of oil do you use? What ever used oil is handy unless it is grey. Don't want any water in it. 3 minutes ago, Sledgehammer said: I’ve made springs that were larger by quenching and tempering to a blue color by drawing the heat. Not that what Snoshoe won’t won’t though. Can put a fair amount of spring in mild steel even but a known spring steel will last longer. Did that on the potato planter seat spring. On smaller items find the lead easier 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihrondiesel Posted November 16, 2022 Author Share Posted November 16, 2022 22 hours ago, vtfireman85 said: I have a drawer full of that junk, if you can get some photos and dimensions i will see if i have anything Here you go, Seth. See what you can come up with. Thanks. Also, if Seth doesn’t have a match for me and I can find a spring, should I try to braze the piece of faceplate that is cracked off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihrondiesel Posted November 16, 2022 Author Share Posted November 16, 2022 I put a red line on the broken spring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Fan Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 This is just a guess but Brownell's might have flat spring stock you could make one out of. I've made a lot of springs for things like fishing reels and such out of music wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vtfireman85 Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 1 hour ago, ihrondiesel said: I put a red line on the broken spring I will look tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoshoe Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 1 hour ago, ihrondiesel said: I put a red line on the broken spring I brought up making replacement springs. If those springs have corrosion like the rest of the parts I see there. Then your going to have to consider replacing all of them. A replacement lock makes a lot of sense at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihrondiesel Posted November 16, 2022 Author Share Posted November 16, 2022 4 minutes ago, snoshoe said: I brought up making replacement springs. If those springs have corrosion like the rest of the parts I see there. Then your going to have to consider replacing all of them. A replacement lock makes a lot of sense at this point. Yes a replacement would probably be best. FWIW that’s mostly just dust that you see in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acem Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 Check architectural salvage stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vtfireman85 Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 Here is what I have, you are welcome to one if it would help. I also bought a knockoff from Amazon for under 20 bucks also pictured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihrondiesel Posted November 17, 2022 Author Share Posted November 17, 2022 It looks like the faceplate on that one is a fair amount shorter than mine, I’ll keep looking I guess. Thanks anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E160BHM Posted November 18, 2022 Share Posted November 18, 2022 Wild a$$ed idea: What about a piece of the flat spring from inside an old tape measure to make what you need? Brian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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