# Ball catches on doors



## TIGHTER MITER (Jul 9, 2011)

Anyone know of a better solution for this? We install a ton of doors. Many are twin closets that I order with Ball Catch hardware on the top and dummy knobs. The problem is that many of my call backs are from customers that after a while find that the balls are either too tight or too loose- They are in that threaded sleeve and with every close they either get tighter or looser.
Anyway- Magnets have been used for years but they are not as good as a good pair of balls..I am wondering if there are better ball catches out there?


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

TIGHTER MITER said:


> Anyone know of a better solution for this? We install a ton of doors. Many are twin closets that I order with Ball Catch hardware on the top and dummy knobs. The problem is that many of my call backs are from customers that after a while find that the balls are either too tight or too loose- They are in that threaded sleeve and with every close they either get tighter or looser.
> Anyway- Magnets have been used for years but they are not as good as a good pair of balls..I am wondering if there are better ball catches out there?


Blue loc-tite.


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## TIGHTER MITER (Jul 9, 2011)

holy crap..why didnt I think of that? I will give that a try. I was hoping that someone knew of a better ball catch but I will give the locktite a shot


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## txgencon (Jan 4, 2011)

I bet that hurts like hell.


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## world llc (Dec 9, 2008)

loc-tite because like you said...



TIGHTER MITER said:


> there's nothing better than a good pair of balls


:thumbup:


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

TIGHTER MITER said:


> holy crap..why didnt I think of that? I will give that a try. I was hoping that someone knew of a better ball catch but I will give the locktite a shot


Baldwins and Von Morris usually don't have that problem, but when the budget is tight...


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## Sam60 (Apr 29, 2006)

I don’t see how loctite would help. I have also wished I could find something better. The problem is that it does not take much movement of the door to cause a problem. Any movement of the house can cause the door to move a hair. Does not take much for the ball catch to be too tight or loose if used on the top of the door.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

The other day a customer had me fix a ball catch. She said when she opened the door the ball came out and hit her in the head.


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

CrpntrFrk said:


> The other day a customer had me fix a ball catch. She said when she opened the door the ball came out and hit her in the head.


Did it hit the ceiling first?

Usually those things are spring loaded.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

tenon0774 said:


> Did it hit the ceiling first?
> 
> Usually those things are spring loaded.


Yes. I know cause I got it to do it to me...


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

CrpntrFrk said:


> Yes. I know cause I got it to do it to me...


:laughing::laughing::laughing:

I wish I could have seen that

:laughing:


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## Clarke Carpentry (Apr 22, 2011)

tenon0774 said:


> Baldwins and Von Morris usually don't have that problem, but when the budget is tight...


How much is a Van Morris ball catch? $60? :laughing:


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

Clarke Carpentry said:


> How much is a Van Morris ball catch? $60? :laughing:


You're gonna make me go back through my records, huh...

Okay.

about $20 a pop.

OP, was asking for an alternative to cheap stamped Chinese crap that all the hardware stores and chit houses sell, so...

Sell the HO on the quality hardware, or get out the blue dope.:thumbsup:


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## Clarke Carpentry (Apr 22, 2011)

tenon0774 said:


> You're gonna make me go back through my records, huh...
> 
> Okay.
> 
> ...


That's not too bad. Van Morris is lovely stuff. The action of the hinges makes it hard to put them down.


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

Clarke Carpentry said:


> That's not too bad. Van Morris is lovely stuff. The action of the hinges makes it hard to put them down.


Cast hinges are the way to go for fancy hardwood doors.

The tolerances are way tighter than the stamped stuff that comes with the pre-hung doors nowadays. 

Makes them a little tricky to install new doors in an existing jamb, but it can be done. (Doctorate level door hanging.)


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## B.Scott (Feb 1, 2013)

Anyone use those roller catches? Maybe they stay put more reliably.


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## Eaglei (Aug 1, 2012)

Rockler has some decent ball catches , made in USA and very affordable .


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