Magnets for cupboards in porch

[Longshanks]

Hi

Was painting architrave around our cupboard doors, and noticed one of the two doors wasn’t connecting to the magnets in the frame above. (This was before I painted)

Do you know where I might replacements for the metal plate and magnets?

Thanks

 

[Tigercubrider]

any diy shop

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I find those magnets to be completely inadequate for most purposes and tend to have to devise some stronger ones - rare earth magnets, or magnets salvaged for old hard disks work well.

 

[Longshanks]

any diy shop

It’s weird. They are about ten years old, yet one on right still works perfectly.

Will have a ponder.

Ta

 

[big-all]

the magnets have a slot and may have been bashed backwards out off reach
if the door is twisted and not sitting dead square they dont work
modern magnetic catches dont seem to have the 2 or 3mm rock needed to work properly
do the two metal plates rock at all around a vertical axis ??

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

OMG who in their right mind would go to the effort of ripping apart an old hard drive, think up some method of mounting it and an opposite plate on the door to save a few £'s? More substantial replacements are readily available at any DIY store or off ebay. Unbelievable.

 

[Longshanks]

the magnets have a slot and may have been bashed backwards out off reach
if the door is twisted and not sitting dead square they dont work
modern magnetic catches dont seem to have the 2 or 3mm rock needed to work properly
do the two metal plates rock at all around a vertical axis ??

Both doors appear to be aligned properly, handles in line, same size gap between doors and frame. The left door also closes after being persuaded a few times.

Doesn’t look like plate rocks at all.

(Magnets still in slot)

Thanks again

 

[Longshanks]

OMG who in their right mind would go to the effort of ripping apart an old hard drive, think up some method of mounting it and an opposite plate on the door to save a few £'s? More substantial replacements are readily available at any DIY store or off ebay. Unbelievable.

 

[bernardgreen]

OMG who in their right mind would go to the effort of ripping apart an old hard drive

My right mind tells me to destroy the hard drive platters ( discs ) before disposal, the magnets come as useful by-product.

Might be a bit difficult to open the cupboard with those magnets used as latches

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Longshanks, have you actually determined if the doors are closing properly or not and allowing the magnet/plate to connect and if so is the plate still sticking to the magnet? If you unscrew a plate does it snap onto the magnet or not?

Is it that the doors are no longer closing properly and the magnets no longer have enough power to hold the doors shut?

If the magnets have merely lost their magnetism then simply replacing would seem the way to go.

 

[big-all]

its the magnetic catch that rocks
thr screw in the plate also has to be below the surface

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

OMG who in their right mind would go to the effort of ripping apart an old hard drive, think up some method of mounting it and an opposite plate on the door to save a few £'s? More substantial replacements are readily available at any DIY store or off ebay. Unbelievable.

Why? I tried various ready made door catches, found none to be adequate, so developed an alternative solution. To be fair, the last time I had to do it, the door was slightly warped airing cupboard. The magnets I used are much stronger than the shop bought items, so the doors close with a very positive click. Your issue is?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I already told you my issue:

the effort of ripping apart an old hard drive, think up some method of mounting it and an opposite plate on the door to save a few £'s? More substantial replacements are readily available at any DIY store or off ebay. Unbelievable.

 

[foxhole]

Magnets improve with age, simply out of alignment or binding hinge causing tension.Should be at least two on each door.

 

[bernardgreen]

Magnets improve with age

In my experience they fade

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Magnets improve with age,

No, they become weaker.