LV small box locks

[Jack Camillo]

Anyone ever purchase and successfully use these small box locks sold buy Lee Valley? It says on the website that "#1 screws required." However, what fasteners are made for attaching the catch that goes on the lid and the escutcheon?

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=40494&cat=3,41419,41455&ap=1

[David Keller NC]

Jack, I've not used the specific Lee Valley brand, but I've used a number of these locks on small boxes and cabinets. They don't usually come with a catch - the retangular "deadbolt" seats in a chiseled recess on the underside of the lid or on the inside of the face frame in a cabinet. That's OK in hard woods like exotics and hard domestic species, but can be a problem in softer pine, basswood, chesnut, and the like, so I make my own out of brass stock from the hardware store.

It's pretty easy - you just drill holes in a line for the rectangular hole for the lock bolt, then cut into the corners and smooth out the profile with files.

The escutcheon for these types of locks are usually held on with brass escutcheon pins (they look like tiny nails) - any hardware store should have them, and Lee-Valley also sells them as a separate item. I've found that it's best to wipe these with a bit of epoxy before inserting them into the drilled hole - sometimes they'll pull out in use.

[Jack Camillo]

David - thanks for the reply, it was helpful.
jack