simple fiddles

[sailormanbigd]

Hi ya'll, gettin ready to start building cabinets and drawers in the interior of the M33OI and was wondering if anyone has a pic or description of some simple fiddles. The thing you use to keep hatches closed. A cabinet maker told me to use magnets, but the ones I've seen have been rusty and unreliable at best in a knockdown. I have read countless stories of cabinet contents flying about, breaking, and spilling their gooey contents inside the cabin on a dark stormy night- so I want it beefy and damned near fool proof- any ideas, suggestions, links...thanks Patrick sv"free willy"

 

[Ross]

Turn buttons are best.

Edit to add: fiddles keep your dishes on the table and your books on the shelf.

 

[sailormanbigd]

hey Ross, was hoping to hear from you. So, fiddles keep dishes and books, but what are turn buttons? Sorry, i work with wood just not in the same level-decks, some furniture and yard art/fences and such. Can you elaborate? patrick

 

[sailormanbigd]

I did a quick google search and found turn buttons-something to keep picture frames in place, mostly blind links though really. Was hoping to make them myself out of wood or something. Patrick

 

[Ross]

Ever heard of the button on a back house door? Just a simple rectangle of wood with a hole in the center for a screw. Rotate it to put the rectangle over the drawer or door and the other end on the frame.

 

[Guest]

Fiddle

To me a fiddle is a raised ridge around the edge of a cabinet top or shelf that helps to prevent objects from sliding off onto the deck. On our boat the galley counter tops, for example, have a one inch fiddle around the entire edge of the counter top so that as the boat rocks and rolls, objects will slide to the edge and stop at the fiddle. In fact most all flat surfaces on our boat have a fiddled edge. Navigation table, cabinet tops, counters, berths, lockers, etc.

Terry Cox

 

[Ron20324]

I used a short stainless steel piece (like a tang), about 1.75 x 1/2 with a hole in one end. Bolted to the cabinet just above the door or drawer, on the inside of the cabinet on the bolt I put a coil spring to keep the button secure against the drawer. Then a nylon lock nut keeps it all together. A turnbutton should pivot slightly off-center so gravity keeps it hanging in front of the drawer.... Or go first class, and drill a hole through a silver dollar about 1/3 of the way across the diameter. Thru-bolt as above with a spring and lock nut.... You could make turnbuttons by cutting off slices of metal or wood rod.

 

[SamLust]

Search West Marine for "Chromed Zinc Door Button". WM model 111759.

This should bring up a Perko item made, strangely enough out of chromed zinc, although the turn in this case is plastic. That will give you an idea what Ross is talking about. Can't beat them for simple and secure, and no springs or magnets to rust or break.