DW says “front lock won’t work.” And it wouldn’t. It was locked and wouldn’t open.
Turned the knob and it only moved halfway. Not enough to get latch out of strike plate. So the door still won’t open.
So I pulled it apart from the inside. Of course, the outside part immediately fell out before I could get a good mental picture of how to put it back together. And I’ve got this piece (see picture) that I can’t get to fit back in the latch.
I’ve tried pulling the latch from the inside of the door, to simulate the door mechanism. Can’t get it to retract far enough to open the door. Tried using a screwdriver to assist the latch in retracting while pulling without luck. Can’t get the latch to retract enough to open the door and reassemble. And the latches are designed so that I can’t take the door off the hinges and go at it that way.
So, is it broke? Sawzall time? Or am I missing something that I can do to put it back together, realizing that it wasn’t working right when I started this project.
Replies
All right, trying the photo upload again.
Edited 1/29/2009 8:05 pm ET by Ken
That looks a little like a latch bar I've seen in some knob sets.It's possible that, more or less as Bill says, the anti-pick pin has slipped partway into the latch plate and jammed. Try pressing the door closed real hard while you try to operate the bolt.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith
Thanks Dan,
Got the door out using Bill's suggestion. Looks like something snapped/jammed. Borrowed a deadbolt from a garage door for the night for DW's peace of mind, will replace tomorrow.
Edit: BTW, did try your suggestion of pushing against the door before leveraging the hinges, had no luck with it.
Edited 1/29/2009 10:24 pm ET by Ken
I think that you Upload a Rocharc test.
I had that happen on a cheapy Westlock.
The locksmith said that plunger mechanism had adnormal wear patterns because it the strike plate allowed the little side pin, that is used to prevent credit card from opening it, moved too far.
I had to remove the door pins and the got the door lose that way and then removed the plunger.
Still had to use so english on it as the to clear the hinge knuckles.
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Thanks Bill, used english in the form of a screwdriver to pry around the knuckles.
Funny, ironic, sort of ending. Went to HD to get new lock. Wanted two extra keys. Machine seemed broke, took 5 guys trying to get the spares. I watched the whole thing, couldn't figure out what was wrong either. Turned out the main machine (the one to the right that right-handers gravitate toward) was out of sync. Made 6 spares trying to get one to fit.
So an hour later, literally, I walk up to the registers. Had nice chats with the guys, all apologetic, one guy used to be in the merchant marine and we'd compared storied about where we'd been in Africa. Just one of those things, I'm rolling with it.
Cash register monitor for the self checkout came over to be helpful -- I'm the only one there. Takes a key out of the bag to scan it and promptly drops it down the scanner to where we can't reach it. Another 15 minutes to recover the key, not worth trying the machine again.
Can't wait to see what I run into when I put this back in the door tomorrow. I'm not trying it tonight!
LEAVE IT TO H.D. TO CHARGE YOU FOR THE KEYS AFTER ALL YOU WENT THROUGH! GO FIGURE!
I did notice walking in that the store was very empty of customers. Friday night right after normal work hours, so probably not a big time, but still seemed slow.
Friday nights are always slow. Now go back this morning!
Think I'll pass -- trying to avoid that place. One of the few bennies of renting right now.
But now I know when to go to avoid the crowds. Just not a time you'd be thinking of going to HD :-)
Call a locksmith. I did that every time my daughters lost their keys.
Edited 1/29/2009 10:28 pm ET by BARMIL
scr*w the locksmith. A brand new Schlage lockset is about $40. 15 min to install. Get two keyed alike and change the back door while you are at it.