Do they make garage door handle delete plates?

[NewShockerGuy]

I have two normal cheapo steal Wayne Dalton 8100 builder grade garage doors.

I don't have access to a fab shop or machine shop or I would suspect this being a pretty easy thing to make, as I would trace the shape and then epoxy studs on the plate to go through for the other side of the garage door.

I have high track garage doors and they angled the top of the door inwards so that when the door opens the exterior handles do not hit the wood threshold part of the top of the garage frame. I just purchased Green Hinge garage door hinges (vendor on here). Very solid hinges, and the whole reason for these is to close the "gap" that your garage door has. The breeze I was getting in the garage was horrible. You open the inside door and the garage doors would shake and vibrate from the difference in pressure. The new door hinges have done so perfectly and created a nice tight fitting garage door with NO gap and no vibration/shake/pressure noise from outside air or inside. BUT as a result now my doors will not open because the exterior handle hits the trim. I have lift master 8500's. I will NEVER uses these exterior handles nor will I use the lock that is built into them. The doors will operation 100% fine if the handle is removed.

I have three options I think.

First option. Simply find a block of plate, and boom, paint it the same color of the door and it blends in perfectly... Problem is I can't find anything like this. And I am actually surprised that no one makes these. It would just be a piece almost the same size as a standard handle that would bolt in but no longer have the part sticking out...

Two: Replace the 2nd panel (of a 5 panel 8' door) with a non locking mechanism... I don't know how much this would cost. I contacted someone but they will get back to me. I would paint the panel to match the rest of the garage door. I can't suspect it being hard to change a panel but this is an expense that seems like a lot to just delete the handle... I image a section of door panel is going to run at least $150+, needing 2 = a $300 handle delete fix, ouch!

Three: I found this little thing:

IF the mounting holes are similar then I could probably make this work. I would simply cut off the cable as I don't need that, I just want the plate and center portion, paint it and it would blend right into the door... EDIT: I think this is actually going to be too small now... I saw something that it's 2.3" in length... so it might not work.

I have attached two pictures of the handle that is currently on the garage door.. It looks like the standard handle that is on every other door I've ever seen.

I removed the handle once but was disappointed at the 3 ugly holes underneath so leaving it handless is not an option... Just like the below pictures but the idiot who installed it isn't nearly as clean cut.

Anyone have any ideas or recommendations. I'd even pay someone for their time here if they were able to fab something up. Think of the picture below minus the handle... that simple design of the plate is all that is needed. I'd be half temped to cut the handle off but I'm not sure how I would attach it since the center is hollow with a center shaft that activate the lock inside.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[larry4406]

Perhaps make a decorative escutcheon with welded studs on the back side? A flat plate square rotated to a diamond then painted to match the door or painted black. If fab skills are limited, the diamond approach using carriage bolts at the upper and lower hole would work and the bolt head would give a rivet appearance once painted.

Here is a round cover, not sure if large enough to cover the two outer holes
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D2K33P4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Personally, I think garage doors should never be drilled for those types of locks when motor operators are used. Setting the lock and then operating the motor quickly mangles the door. Dealing with this right now on my job. Damaged the upper glass door section on a 16x8 door - $450 to remove and replace the section. Replacement of section that does not have glass typically runs around $250.

 

[cdestuck]

Why not just pull the T handle out of the escutcheon plate and either fill with caulk or get a flat head or elevator bolt and put through there. Spray paint to match door.

 

[rieferman]

Google search "hole plugs" and there are lots of options in multiple materials and colors. I'd find what you like and drill the holes to match, then plug.

 

[Jinks]

Flat plate & pop rivets. If you want it to disappear from the outside put the plate on the inside & fill the depression on the outside with bondo & paint........

 

[CNGsaves]

Perfect spot for piece of aluminum plate cut with CNC sporting garage name . .
. . . .
. . . . . . . . ShockerGuy Shop
or
. . . . . . . . Shock's Shop


or as desired.

Leave the aluminum as is but paint black the cut-out letters. Through bolt with carriage bolts.

If you're really good, you could match up holes to the O's in name !!

 

[logical]

What about electrical box covers, one inside and one outside, small long bolts through the outside, through the door and through the inside cover, nuts on the inside. cut the bolt flush to the nut inside after assembling, paint to match.

 

[Keel]

I think I'd check with my insurance company ,before you remove the locking feature all together.
as you don't want to give them an out, if the worst ever happens,,
and before you say, but the garage door opener won't let them get in,,
that's a bunch of happy horse shight

 

[Kentuckian]

When ordering overhead doors for my garage build, I was advised against using outside handles. It seems that thieves can hook a chain from the handle to the rear of a vehicle, pull the door completely off and then walk right in.

 

[58Yeoman]

Carriage bolts. Get the sizes/length you need and put them in. You could even paint them to match the door if you want.

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=carriage+bolts

 

[logical]

I think I'd check with my insurance company ,before you remove the locking feature all together.
as you don't want to give them an out, if the worst ever happens,,
and before you say, but the garage door opener won't let them get in,,
that's a bunch of happy horse shight

I know they are out there but nobody I know who has door openers ever uses the lock. I never have, probably never will and I'm sure as heII not going to call my insurance company to have a discussion about it.

 

[lilredex]

Finger plates, block off plates are simple to make, here are two examples below, just make them thicker.See post #2 and #15 (on the door).

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5122359#post5122359

 

[MushCreek]

Easy to make, but why don't they seem to sell them? I disconnected mine so the old lady wouldn't lock it and then wake me up in the morning to ask why the garage door won't open.

 

[JettaGetUpandGo]

I know they are out there but nobody I know who has door openers ever uses the lock. I never have, probably never will and I'm sure as heII not going to call my insurance company to have a discussion about it.

The majority of residential garage doors no longer have handles or locks on the exterior anymore.

 

[JimVonBaden]

The majority of residential garage doors no longer have handles or locks on the exterior anymore.

I have not seen lock handles on a garage door installed since the 90's. They just do not make sense anymore. The only exception is if the garage had no other entry door.

 

[BillK]

Easy to make, but why don't they seem to sell them?

Simple matter of supply and demand.

 

[upndown]

Nigel, I just checked from my old lock parts, an electrical cover plate will work. I would just go to HD, I believe they sell small, thin blank plates, not electrical. Probably cheaper, then just glue it and paint and your done.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Appreciate all the info guys!! This has helped a lot.

I'm going to take it apart again and then disassemble the handle. Play with the couple options that have been mentioned here and the post back up with an update hopefully here this weekend.

If I had the skills to fab something up and the tools, I do like the idea of custom plates , that would be pretty sweet!

One question, how does one pull the t handle out of escutcheon plate? I am looking at it and it is definitely somehow attached internally. I don't see a c-clip or set screw holding it. That might be ideal only because then the small plate keeps the same shape and covers the holes completely. I'm going to play around with it in the morning.

I think you are right Jim,

Everyone on our neighborhood has them. From what I think when they first built the homes no one had garage door openers, it was an option to have them added later... hell even now some people manually life their doors?!?! Blows my mind to not have an opener! But I believe that's why everyone had the handles and locks. I just want to get rid of the useless stuff on the door. Painting them from the outside looks very stealth, so at least it's not the ugly silver handles that are on everyone's doors. I painted our garage doors the same as the trim on the house and they look a lot nicer than the white huge doors. I'd even paint them darker to match the siding but it's getting too cold now, so that prolly won't get done until spring.

lilredex:

I didn't see them on that thread you linked, it has your painted projects on it. ;-p


-Nigel

 

[upndown]

I believe there's a roll pin connecting the handle and the threaded bar. I'll check a couple different ones in the morning. WD was constantly changing things.

 

[larry4406]

+1 on the roll pin thru the base of the inside handle.

3 carriage bolts would fill the holes nicely.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Welp this is where I am at so far. Took everything apart. It was actually easier than expected no pin at all, just a round clip. After removing that the plate is then left with a "nub" on it... I put it back and thought this was going to look odd even with a bolt through it.

Ended up grinding it all away. Had some thin aluminum sheet when I was adjusting and color modding my projector's cut off shield so I cut a small piece off and jbwelded it to the inside. Once this all dries I will then take filler to the outside, and fill that small space. Sand the entire front face of it, then paint it. Currently have a little weight on the pieces to make sure it doesn't move using my two smaller hammers.

This might actually work out better than I had expected because then I can now adjust the top of the garage door back up against the track instead of it leaning back. These should blend in with the doors.

I'll post pictures probably tomorrow of another update.

w00t w00t!

-Nigel

 

[lilredex]

Appreciate all the info guys!! This has helped a lot.


lilredex:

I didn't see them on that thread you linked, it has your painted projects on it. ;-p


-Nigel

It showed examples of easily made plates, using only hand tools. You could make from thicker material and bevel the edges.

Look behind the handles in those two posts (#2 + 15)

 

[obonaven]

Another option could be to disengage the guts of the handle or in some other way disable the operation of the handle so its just a dummy handle and just keep the handle on the door.

I have two normal cheapo steal Wayne Dalton 8100 builder grade garage doors.

I don't have access to a fab shop or machine shop or I would suspect this being a pretty easy thing to make, as I would trace the shape and then epoxy studs on the plate to go through for the other side of the garage door.

I have high track garage doors and they angled the top of the door inwards so that when the door opens the exterior handles do not hit the wood threshold part of the top of the garage frame. I just purchased Green Hinge garage door hinges (vendor on here). Very solid hinges, and the whole reason for these is to close the "gap" that your garage door has. The breeze I was getting in the garage was horrible. You open the inside door and the garage doors would shake and vibrate from the difference in pressure. The new door hinges have done so perfectly and created a nice tight fitting garage door with NO gap and no vibration/shake/pressure noise from outside air or inside. BUT as a result now my doors will not open because the exterior handle hits the trim. I have lift master 8500's. I will NEVER uses these exterior handles nor will I use the lock that is built into them. The doors will operation 100% fine if the handle is removed.

I have three options I think.

First option. Simply find a block of plate, and boom, paint it the same color of the door and it blends in perfectly... Problem is I can't find anything like this. And I am actually surprised that no one makes these. It would just be a piece almost the same size as a standard handle that would bolt in but no longer have the part sticking out...

Two: Replace the 2nd panel (of a 5 panel 8' door) with a non locking mechanism... I don't know how much this would cost. I contacted someone but they will get back to me. I would paint the panel to match the rest of the garage door. I can't suspect it being hard to change a panel but this is an expense that seems like a lot to just delete the handle... I image a section of door panel is going to run at least $150+, needing 2 = a $300 handle delete fix, ouch!

Three: I found this little thing:

IF the mounting holes are similar then I could probably make this work. I would simply cut off the cable as I don't need that, I just want the plate and center portion, paint it and it would blend right into the door... EDIT: I think this is actually going to be too small now... I saw something that it's 2.3" in length... so it might not work.

I have attached two pictures of the handle that is currently on the garage door.. It looks like the standard handle that is on every other door I've ever seen.

I removed the handle once but was disappointed at the 3 ugly holes underneath so leaving it handless is not an option... Just like the below pictures but the idiot who installed it isn't nearly as clean cut.

Anyone have any ideas or recommendations. I'd even pay someone for their time here if they were able to fab something up. Think of the picture below minus the handle... that simple design of the plate is all that is needed. I'd be half temped to cut the handle off but I'm not sure how I would attach it since the center is hollow with a center shaft that activate the lock inside.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[NewShockerGuy]

The problem with a dummy handle is that it would still stick out too far and the doors won't open. It just barely cleared when they angled the top of the tracks outwards, however with the greenhinge garage hinges that now put pressure on the door to keep the gaps closed and a tight seal would make it impossible for them to open.

I have one more coat of paint to do in the morning when I get home, then they are done.

I'll post updated pictures. Makes me wonder why I didn't do this a year ago honestly. I think I wasn't aware that the handle/lock could be completely taken off or I just didn't think of using the existing handle/dissect it, then fill it only leaving the plate that would cover the 3 holes like it did before...lol

-Nigel

 

[Frank Dukes]

I have the setup you showed the pic of with the lock attached to the string. it works just fine as a backup and would do exactly what you want i would think. they are relatively cheap on ebay.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

All done!

See pictures. Came out pretty good. I could have grinded away just a wee bit more but honestly no one will ever notice. It's just a little high spot in a small area where the handle shaft used to be...

But, filled in with filler, sanded, filled in again, sanded. Painted 3 coats of paint and done.

All for the price of free - a little time. Plus now my garage isn't drastically cold. It's cold outside now but when I walked into my garage it was actually warmer. Where as before because of the huge *** gap all the way on both doors my garage was the same temperature as the outside, which got really old with the it either being winter/summer time... Hopefully dust is now cut down dramatically.

Appreciate all the advice!

-Nigel

 

[JimVonBaden]

Looks good to me!

 

[upndown]

Bingo!