Machined Aluminum Bathroom Door Latch
Motivation and Background
The bathrooms next to the Kresge Engineering Library on the UC Berkeley campus were recently renovated and are now some of the nicest restrooms on campus. It is no surprise then that I was unhappy when a missing stall door latch rendered one of the stalls unusable (the handicapped stall, no less). After a month went by without it being replaced by Campus Services, it struck me that I might as well machine a new latch myself.
Several awkward encounters ensued when students had to walk around me to get to the toilets while I took a pair of calipers to the stall latches and doors. Nonethless, I quickly drew up a CAD model and planned out how to go about machining the latch. After a couple weeks' worth of spare time, I installed a newly machined and fully operational latch on the door. I have yet to receive a check from Campus Services.
The bathrooms next to the Kresge Engineering Library on the UC Berkeley campus were recently renovated and are now some of the nicest restrooms on campus. It is no surprise then that I was unhappy when a missing stall door latch rendered one of the stalls unusable (the handicapped stall, no less). After a month went by without it being replaced by Campus Services, it struck me that I might as well machine a new latch myself.
Several awkward encounters ensued when students had to walk around me to get to the toilets while I took a pair of calipers to the stall latches and doors. Nonethless, I quickly drew up a CAD model and planned out how to go about machining the latch. After a couple weeks' worth of spare time, I installed a newly machined and fully operational latch on the door. I have yet to receive a check from Campus Services.
SolidWorks model of planned replacement latch.
Shop drawing of the planned replacement latch.
Final appearance. Note the 1/8" thick padding as a contact surface for the door.