No handle necessary
I discovered touch latches when building a pair of narrow wall cabinets for a bathroom remodel. Every door handle I looked at was too big and conspicuous. Touch latches solved the problem by eliminating the need for a handle. Like a conventional magnetic catch, this hardware has a receiving element that is screwed to the case, and a small steel button that’s attached to the cabinet door. A short, spring-actuated plunger extends from the receiving element to “catch” the bullet. The plunger retracts when you push the door shut, and springs open when you push in slightly. No handle? No problem.
—Tim Snyder
Prices subject to change without notice.
Let it slide
One of my favorite bits of “gear” isn’t something you’ll find in a tool catalog. I like to keep things moving in the shop with a chunk of paraffin wax. Miter gauge a bit stiff in its slot? Rub a little wax on the bar. Having trouble making that last trim cut as you turn a bowl? File the nicks off of your tool rest and give it a skootch of paraffin. Drawers in your latest creation not running as well as you’d like? Waxing their mating surfaces will work wonders. Also, a few swipes across a hand plane sole will make it glide across your work. And try it on screws to keep from twisting off the heads. The list goes on. Find it at your local grocery with the canning supplies.
—Ken Burton
Prices subject to change without notice.
