vmirv8bldr
Well Known Member
I like the idea of the rear-battery access door on the RV-8 and saw several versions of them. I chose to do the same thing with my RV-8, but wanted a simpler, push-to-close latch. My employer makes hardware with a push-to-close latch I like, so I "liberated" a couple to experiment with.
The latch has a self-contained spring mechanism, so all that is required is a 1.0" x 1.5" rectangular hole and a doubler. The doubler is just to bring the material thickess up enough to engage the spring.
I finished the battery access door last night and am very pleased with how well this latch works. A tug on the latch opens the door, and a gentle motion closes it. I'll post a pic of my actual installation tonight.
One could use the latch to hold virtually any hinged panel closed. It is not quite flush, but weighs next to nothing and may be cheaper than Hartwells or Camlocs. (Mine was definitely cheaper!!)
Here's a link to the latch information. Go to page 4 of the PDF for the actual Southco Latch I used (Series 40, 1.6mm, PN A3-40-525-12)
http://www.southco.com/resources/documents/a3.en.pdf
The latch has a self-contained spring mechanism, so all that is required is a 1.0" x 1.5" rectangular hole and a doubler. The doubler is just to bring the material thickess up enough to engage the spring.
I finished the battery access door last night and am very pleased with how well this latch works. A tug on the latch opens the door, and a gentle motion closes it. I'll post a pic of my actual installation tonight.
One could use the latch to hold virtually any hinged panel closed. It is not quite flush, but weighs next to nothing and may be cheaper than Hartwells or Camlocs. (Mine was definitely cheaper!!)
Here's a link to the latch information. Go to page 4 of the PDF for the actual Southco Latch I used (Series 40, 1.6mm, PN A3-40-525-12)
http://www.southco.com/resources/documents/a3.en.pdf
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