This door is secured, sir!
January 20, 2010 2:24 PM Subscribe
I've got Weslock doorknobs in my new house... which I can remove easily, except for the ones with privacy latches, like the bathroom doors. The privacy latch is a little button on the side of the door with the collar that's supposed to rotate so that you can access the screws underneath it. How do I get it out of my way?
Obviously, I need to either remove the privacy button, or I need to get it set deep enough that the collar can rotate over top of it and I can access the screws underneath it.
I've tried unscrewing it from the far side of the pin, and I've tried pushing it in, pulling it out, rotating it with pliers, and pretty much everything else without any success.
Suggestions? It's probably ridiculously simple, but it's sure got me.
Obviously, I need to either remove the privacy button, or I need to get it set deep enough that the collar can rotate over top of it and I can access the screws underneath it.
I've tried unscrewing it from the far side of the pin, and I've tried pushing it in, pulling it out, rotating it with pliers, and pretty much everything else without any success.
Suggestions? It's probably ridiculously simple, but it's sure got me.
Response by poster: See the link I included. Add a button to the inside of the doorknob on that inner collar that's jangled around in step 3, so that the collar cannot be turned to remove it.
posted by SpecialK at 2:49 PM on January 20, 2010
posted by SpecialK at 2:49 PM on January 20, 2010
Right. IIRC, just do step 4, and the door knob will come off, allowing you to access the hidden screws you can't reach now due to the collar being in the way.
posted by mosk at 3:22 PM on January 20, 2010
posted by mosk at 3:22 PM on January 20, 2010
Or more literally, "the door knob can be pulled off..."
posted by mosk at 3:23 PM on January 20, 2010
posted by mosk at 3:23 PM on January 20, 2010
Response by poster: The knob's already off. The collar can't turn, which won't allow me to pop it off so I can access the screws underneath, because the privacy lock is in the way...
posted by SpecialK at 3:34 PM on January 20, 2010
posted by SpecialK at 3:34 PM on January 20, 2010
::sigh::
OK, I'm back to kindly asking for a picture of the knob as it exists on your door, as I am not forming the right mental image based on your description.
If you don't want to post it online, you can email it to me; my email is in my profile. I've replaced a bunch of door knobs in my time, so I'm pretty sure I can help you solve this once I see the actual knob and collar arrangement.
posted by mosk at 3:41 PM on January 20, 2010
OK, I'm back to kindly asking for a picture of the knob as it exists on your door, as I am not forming the right mental image based on your description.
If you don't want to post it online, you can email it to me; my email is in my profile. I've replaced a bunch of door knobs in my time, so I'm pretty sure I can help you solve this once I see the actual knob and collar arrangement.
posted by mosk at 3:41 PM on January 20, 2010
Odd. Maybe one of these links will give a clue, but as mosk mentions it would help to have a picture or quick drawing. link1 link2. I don't see the relation between the privacy lock button and the collar. Failing that, the collar isn't simply stuck from rotating a'la the instructable due to paint?
posted by hungrysquirrels at 3:56 PM on January 20, 2010
posted by hungrysquirrels at 3:56 PM on January 20, 2010
Response by poster: Sorry for my reluctance to post pics earlier. The camera was buried under tarps in a room I'm painting...
Knob from above, Knob off, torque-ing the collar.
The lock button does not come off forward, it does not push off, it does not unscrew from the backside, it does not push in far enough, and there is a little set button on a spring... but it will only slip the outer cover for the button off, and if you pull that outer cover off, the little spring and the button will sproing off never to be seen again. :-P
I'm afraid popping the collar off without twisting it as the instructions say would cause it to torque and warp.
posted by SpecialK at 4:36 PM on January 20, 2010
Knob from above, Knob off, torque-ing the collar.
The lock button does not come off forward, it does not push off, it does not unscrew from the backside, it does not push in far enough, and there is a little set button on a spring... but it will only slip the outer cover for the button off, and if you pull that outer cover off, the little spring and the button will sproing off never to be seen again. :-P
I'm afraid popping the collar off without twisting it as the instructions say would cause it to torque and warp.
posted by SpecialK at 4:36 PM on January 20, 2010
Response by poster: Grrr. Fixed link for "Knob off, torqueing the collar.
posted by SpecialK at 4:38 PM on January 20, 2010
posted by SpecialK at 4:38 PM on January 20, 2010
Long shot, but have you tried removing the knob and collar from the other side? Failing that, when locked, is the button essentially inside the collar, allowing it to rotate? Looking at it though, I'd expect the collar to come forward without rotating, gently prying perhaps. Good luck.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 5:01 PM on January 20, 2010
posted by hungrysquirrels at 5:01 PM on January 20, 2010
The cover plate should just be snapped on, you dont need to rotate it, just get something behind it and pop it off. a thin screwdriver should do the trick. The indentation that you can barely see in the first picture is what's securing it. I'd try prying from the exact opposite side from the indentation. The cover plate is a thin metal shell over the actual body of the knob that holds the screws. Once you pop that cover off it should look like step 5 in the instructable.
posted by topher74 at 6:58 PM on January 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by topher74 at 6:58 PM on January 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mosk at 2:47 PM on January 20, 2010