Help with a careful measurement

[Tom Bender]

Up is to the right

Next step, chop the mortice in the stile for the lock. The challenge is to get it in the exact right spot. I'm not confident that careful measuring will be good enough. I can probably get the vertical correct but the distance from the front of the cabinet looks challenging.

So I could ink up the end of the bolt, close the door and use the key to extend the bolt. But this dark wood doesn't show ink well. Suggestions?


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[Ralph Okonieski]

Use double stick tape and a piece of paper on the upper part. The ink would show up on the paper.

[John Kananis]

I'm probably not understanding something correctly but why is measuring and making so difficult? Combo square to the bolt and transfer that distance to the top piece, mark with a knife. Unless it's not supposed to sit flush, then just add a shim when measuring one or the other of whatever offset you'd like. You don't even need to look at the numbers on the ruler. Add a hair so it's not an exact fit to the bolt for movement.

[Jim Becker]

I, too, would be using a small "combo" square to mark for this particular operation. If you don't want to visibly mark the front or other finished surfaces for the sides of the tongue shown in the photo, use some masking tape first to protect it. This should be a straight forward on-project take-off. Just add a hair of allowance for the mortise so there is just enough play so the lock seats smoothly without binding, but doesn't allow any meaningful movement.

[Tom M King]

lipstick. Start your mortise for the lock plunger and try the lock before you get too deep with the mortise. Adjust as needed.

[Tom Bender]

I have installed a 'ball and detent' stop so locking when in the detent is the goal.

Ralph, thanks for the paper idea, I have some white artist's tape that should work. Tom, do you have a favorite shade to suggest? John and Jim, My eyes are not so good anymore so I want to save the oversize allowance for actual clearance, not use it up correcting for measuring error.

[Bill Dufour]

The bolt should be beveled on the end to pull the drawer in as the bolt extends. So the front edge should be beveled. Look at any front door lock to see the bevel. A door lock bevel is backwards of what you want.
BillD

[Tom Bender]

This bolt is straight. Ideally it will not touch anything unless someone tries to open the door when locked.

The lipstick and tape are not working. The bolt is not contacting the tape evenly, there is a little crown to the end of the bolt. A thicker application of lipstick is just smearing.

Next attempt; to establish the near edge of the bolt on the stile I'll slide tape in until it hits the bolt and stick it there. Repeat for top and bottom. It'll be delicate and could be off.

If that doesn't work it's back to careful measuring,,,I want tolerance tighter than I can achieve by eye so i'll have to think like a machinist.

[Keegan Shields]

A marking gauge is perfect for transferring the depth measurements from the bolt to the stile. And a piece of blue tape that you can mark the lateral position would protect the stile from and permanent marks.

[Tom Bender]

This worked. With the door in the detent and the bolt extended against the stile I slid this bit of manilla folder into place and taped it there. Used the folder to position the chisels for the first two chops and a bolt sized bit of maple to guide the other two chops. Fits perfectly.


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