What type of cabinet catch?

[Lonnie in Orlando]

I need your advice.

Based on the info below ...
+ What type of cabinet catch do you recommend?
+ What placement do you recommend?

The cabinet maker is nearing completion of site-built kitchen cabinets for our 1908 bungalow. Cabinet and pantry doors are full inset frame and panel construction, some with glass. The knobs will be near the top or bottom of the door stiles.

---------

> Some doors meet without a center stile on the face frame, so I don’t want to use cabinet latches and releases on the adjoining door. Must use knobs and catches.

> I want a catch(s) that is not too powerful -- so the door doesn't "flap" when opened.

> "Push-to-release" catches are not period appropriate.

> One catch in the center of the stile, or one at top plus one at bottom will cause the door to rack as it is pulled open by the knob.

> One catch at the location of the knob may not keep the door flush with the face frame if it moves / twists/ warps with time and humidity changes.

The cabinet maker is looking at bullet catches, but is open for suggestions.

Thanks for your help and experience.

- Lonnie

[Stytooner]

What I suggest is the magnetic push lock type. You see these often on glass doors of an entertainment center.
Push it and it pops open. It has a spring loaded mechanism so that you don't get the snapping of normal catches. This snapping isn't desirable with doors that have glass.
Check out page 2833 at http://www.mcmaster.com

[cabinetman]

Lonnie

Here's a couple of suggestions. The first one is a brass ball catch that the parts can be turned to meet a variety of mounting positions. There is adjustment of the pressure on the ball.

The magnetic catch gets bored into the wood, so hardly anything shows and the magnet is not super super strong. You might want to sample one of them. Hope this is a start.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[Lonnie in Orlando]

Lee and "Cabinetman"

Thanks for your replies and insite. Those are the only ones that I am considering. I didn't know if there is some magic catch that I had not seen. I'm probably over-thinking the problem.

- Lonnie