Scavenger Chic

DIY Your Own Vintage Turn Button Catch

• By Joan
• April 13, 2022
• 1 Comment

DIY Your Own Vintage Turn Button Catch

I was working on an old cabinet last week that hubby and I had bought from an auction.  The cabinet was super old and had been stored in a dank basement.  The terms of the auction were that any purchases you made had to be carried out by the buyer.

Being old, the cabinet was solid wood and very heavy.  Every time we tilted the cabinet in order to carry it, the doors would fling open.  There was no way we could navigate the narrow basement stairs, hold the doors closed and lift that thing all at the same time.  No way!

Luckily the auction house did have tape which was sufficient enough that we managed to finally get the cabinet to the car. Fitting it in the car was a whole other story but we did manage and the cabinet made it home in one piece.

What I did decide right then and there was that this cabinet  needed a turn button latch.  You know, the kind of latch you find on very old hand crafted furniture that holds the doors shut.

Time to do research.

I found this pair of  turn button latches that were sold on Ebay. I could not find the sold price of these but they do look old, probably because they are dirty and they do have  old screws.

This door latch was also sold on Ebay.  I did find the sold price of this turn latch, $12.89 with shipping of $5.20.  Kind of a lot for a scrap piece of wood and a screw.

This is also the type of latch that I ended up making.

This larger turn latch was also sold on Ebay.

This beautiful old pie safe has a turn latch…

…as does this cupboard  that was being sold on Ebay while I was writing this,  Notice the turn latch in the the center, top, of the cupboard?

This rustic vintage looking Amish barn wood cabinet is currently sold on Amazon.  Notice the latch?

This is the  double shutter cabinet I created in 2018.

If you look closely you’ll see two turn button latches. I look back now, I should have used  older screws.

As you’ve probably guessed we’re about to make an “old” turn latch.  This latch is so easy to make.

I’m starting with a  slice of oak pallet wood.  Mine is about 3/4″ wide but as you can see by the above examples the width will be up to you.

Determine how long you want your latch to be by holding it up to your cabinet.

You can have a flat latch but mine is going to have a raised center.  Mark your wood.

I used a tabletop scroll saw to make my cuts.  If you don’t have a saw that can do fine cuts use a sander to make the depressed areas.

Sand well all over.

If at all possible, find an old screw to attach your latch.

Drill a shallow hole in which the top of the screw will sit.  While you’re at it, change drill bits and drill a smaller hole all the way through the wood, smaller than the shaft of the screw, so you don’t split the wood when you attach the latch to your project.

Find a stain that most closely matches your project.

Screw on to your piece and you’re done!  Easy right?

Not only was this project FREE but it took less time to create this turn latch than it would have to go to the store to buy one. 

Until next time, stay inspired.

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