Door pulls, where to install them...

[Michael Dunn]

Hey guys,

I'm finishing up this Cherry island/dining table for a client. I'm just looking for some advice on what location may look best for the door pulls. I have a pair of oil rubbed bronze knobs. The spaces between the 1" trim strips are 6-1/4"x5-7/16". I was thinking of placing them in the second squares from the top centered vertically maybe 1-1/2"-2" from the edge.

Any thoughts?

[Jamie Buxton]

How tall is the piece -- 30" or so? If so, you're proposing to put the pulls perhaps 20" above the floor. People opening the cabinet are likely to standing, right? Maybe putting the pulls higher would be good. Maybe in the top square?

[G Douglas Fowler]

You might consider using pressured activated catches rather tan pulls. Nice door design ad pulls may detract from the overall all effect. My other reaction is a c-handle that would straddle the rails and mount to the panels. This way you are not constrained by the frame placement. Nice piece.

Doug

[Larry Edgerton]

You might consider using pressured activated catches rather tan pulls. Nice door design ad pulls may detract from the overall all effect.. Nice piece.

Doug

What he said........

Larry

[Michael Dunn]

How tall is the piece -- 30" or so? If so, you're proposing to put the pulls perhaps 20" above the floor. People opening the cabinet are likely to standing, right? Maybe putting the pulls higher would be good. Maybe in the top square?

The base measures 34-1/2"Hx36"Wx18"D. The table top measures 54"x40". I'm trying to balance the aesthetics vs. functionality and ease of access. The table top will make it harder to reach the door pulls if they're up real high.

[David Gutierrez]

nice work !!!

[Michael Dunn]

You might consider using pressured activated catches rather tan pulls. Nice door design ad pulls may detract from the overall all effect. My other reaction is a c-handle that would straddle the rails and mount to the panels. This way you are not constrained by the frame placement. Nice piece. Doug

I like this idea. Do you have any specific recommendations?

[Michael Dunn]

I found some on rocklers site. They look pretty good. I'll go with that. Thanx!

[Jamie Buxton]

My experience with touch-latches is bad. They break too easily, often when the door is closed. Then you're in big trouble.

Here's one more thought. Put just one knob or pull on the front. It is on the stile of the door that overlaps the other door. The user always has to open the overlapping door first. Use magnets to latch the overlapping door. The other door is held closed by the overlapping door.

[Rick Potter]

Hey Michael,

What ever happened with that job building a bunch of store shelving? Did you get it?

Rick Potter

[Larry Edgerton]

My experience with touch-latches is bad. They break too easily, often when the door is closed. Then you're in big trouble.

Here's one more thought. Put just one knob or pull on the front. It is on the stile of the door that overlaps the other door. The user always has to open the overlapping door first. Use magnets to latch the overlapping door. The other door is held closed by the overlapping door.

I was thinking of the magnetic type. I too do not like the mechanical type.

Larry

[peter gagliardi]

I have switched over to using rare earth magnets for holding doors closed on cabinets and such. Most of the time 1/4" diameter x 1/4" long rod magnets one in the door, and one in the stop block drilled and pressed into a 15/64" hole work fine.

[Jim Matthews]

I like the idea of hiding the mechanism, either with a magnet or button catch.

That way, you could make the opening "pull" one of the cross rails.
This is a very sharp looking cabinet as it is, any additions will be visually distracting.

Do you have any more of the same material that form the rails?

[Michael Dunn]

Hey Michael, What ever happened with that job building a bunch of store shelving? Did you get it? Rick Potter

The chain display units? The owner said that Farm & Fleet will make there decision late first quarter this year. His need for the display units depends on whether he wins this large contract.

[Michael Dunn]

I like the idea of hiding the mechanism, either with a magnet or button catch. That way, you could make the opening "pull" one of the cross rails. This is a very sharp looking cabinet as it is, any additions will be visually distracting. Do you have any more of the same material that form the rails?

Thanx for the kind words! I'm really liking the idea of not having an actual pull to keep the focus on the door design. I suppose I could route a small amount of material away from the rear side of the 1" strip that overhangs the left door. Although it's only 1/4" thick so that would be precarious.

[Jamie Buxton]

Thanx for the kind words! I'm really liking the idea of not having an actual pull to keep the focus on the door design. I suppose I could route a small amount of material away from the rear side of the 1" strip that overhangs the left door. Although it's only 1/4" thick so that would be precarious.

How 'bout adding some cherry to the front of the stile, so it almost isn't there.

279735

[Michael Dunn]

Steam bent or bandsawn? Either I guess. I don't have a steam bending setup yet so it would have to be bandsawn. Maybe I'll give that a shot tomorrow.

[Jim Neeley]

Beautiful work, shotgun.. Those doors appear to be more of an artistic accent than "doors", at least to me, and I'd treat them as such.

I'd take a piece of ebony, a few inches long and perhaps 1/3 the width of a rung, cut it in two and mount it horizontally on the first rung down from the top. Mount the two pieces very close together so they appear to be a single piece spanning the door break. A finger pull in the bottom back such that doesn't reach the outer edges and it'll be invisible.

My goal would be to make it look like a single artistic accent rather than two door pulls. Discreet, and as invisible as possible. Subtlety...

Just my $0.02.. YMMV.

Jim in Alaska

[Rick Potter]

Oooooh, I like Jim's idea.

Rick Potter

[Michael Dunn]

Beautiful work, shotgun.. Those doors appear to be more of an artistic accent than "doors", at least to me, and I'd treat them as such. I'd take a piece of ebony, a few inches long and perhaps 1/3 the width of a rung, cut it in two and mount it horizontally on the first rung down from the top. Mount the two pieces very close together so they appear to be a single piece spanning the door break. A finger pull in the bottom back such that doesn't reach the outer edges and it'll be invisible. My goal would be to make it look like a single artistic accent rather than two door pulls. Discreet, and as invisible as possible. Subtlety... Just my $0.02.. YMMV. Jim in Alaska

I'm having trouble following your idea. Any way you can show a drawing? I like the ebony accent idea for sure.

[Michael Dunn]

Hey guys!

I finished the table. The more I thought about some of the tips given in this thread the more I liked the idea of omitting pulls all together. I used push to open magnetic catches. I like how the doors look like a panel and not doors. The hinges are decorative yet discrete.

I even included a couple pics of how I mounted it.

Thanx!

[Michael Dunn]

I delivered the table today. She absolutely LOVED it!! Here's a pic of it I her dining room. Her husband still has to dismantle their old table.