(Semi) Hidden Custom Drawer Latches

Woodworking

Jun 28

The Problem

I made a rolling cart to bolt my planer to so I can easily move it around the shop. One thing that drove me nuts though was the drawers would randomly open when I rolled the cart around. With a vise and other heavy items in the drawers, this got a little scary when the cart almost toppled over a few times. I needed latches of some sort to keep the drawers from flying open without being very noticeable.

The Solution: Custom Drawer Latches that are (Semi) Hidden

I enjoy finding creative solutions to problems, especially when the solution isn’t apparent at first glance. The mechanism is surprisingly simple made with scrap wood that I had laying around.

On the drawer itself, I attached a small block of wood with a slight angle on the top. Attached to that angled face is a tapered piece of hardwood (I used walnut) that acts as a spring. Inside the carcass of the case, matching up to that spring is another small block of wood that serves as a catch. When the drawer is fully closed the spring gets caught on the catch and holds the drawer shut.

Now to release the latch so we can open the drawer again, I used another simple scrap wood solution. Behind the catch block on the outside, I drilled a 3/4″ hole with a Forstner bit about half way through the wall. I then finished drilling through the rest of the wall with a 1/4″ bit. Using a 3/4″ dowel and a 1/4″ dowel, I made a ‘button’ that pushes the ‘spring’ clear of the catch allowing the drawer to be opened.