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I need this exact draw latch

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Rc_Guy

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This draw latch for our commercial smoker is broke and the Ole Hickory website is always out of them. I sign up for an email when they get them in but I don’t know if they only get one in at a time or what because they are out again when I look.

You wouldn’t think they were the only one using this would you?

IMG_5116.jpeg
 
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DGersic

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There are a gazillion similar latches available (Google stainless steel spring draw latch). I’d just convert the smoker to use something easier to get, buy a few of them as spares, and be done with it.

Maybe call them and ask who the supplier is. Maybe you can buy direct and avoid the middleman,
 
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Rc_Guy

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DGersic said:
There are a gazillion similar latches available (Google stainless steel spring draw latch). I’d just convert the smoker to use something easier to get, buy a few of them as spares, and be done with it.

Maybe call them and ask who the supplier is. Maybe you can buy direct and avoid the middleman,
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It is a commercial smoker with NSF rating, the state in Minnesota department of health gets picky when you drill holes through an NSF appliance.

We get inspected a few times a year.
 
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PCustoms

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coldh2o said:
No. Did you look at the picture?
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Yes. Did you look at the post immediately after mine where this was already pointed out?

I was distracted and thought the OP was looking for a drawer latch.

This looks pretty generic, but my assumption would be the smoker mfg is using a no-name offshore latch. OP needs to measure pattern and go through a southco or sugatsune catalog
 
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Gutman

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Rc_Guy said:
It is a commercial smoker with NSF rating, the state in Minnesota department of health gets picky when you drill holes through an NSF appliance.

We get inspected a few times a year.
Click to expand...
$55.69. Wow! How's it attached to the smoker door?

Assuming it's screwed/bolted/riveted through the 2 holes in the flat base, is there any chance you could make an 'adapter' (piece of flat stock) that would attach to the existing door mounting point and mount a different but similar draw latch that would work with the existing catch?

That's the approach I'd take and I think it might be doable, cheaper, quicker, and if you go all stainless, it should satisfy the bureaucracy.
 
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DGersic

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Rc_Guy said:
It is a commercial smoker with NSF rating, the state in Minnesota department of health gets picky when you drill holes through an NSF appliance.

We get inspected a few times a year.
Click to expand...

Call the company? Seems like they should be able to help on a small part like that.
 
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Rc_Guy

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I did finally get a hold of them with email and they said they don’t know why the website says they’re out of them because they have them in stock so I’m going to order one
 
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Rc_Guy

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Just got home from selling bbq since 2pm.

I called them quick at 3:30 and the parts guy says they have 196 of them in stock, I told him I had been fixing the latch for the past 16 months because there website said they were out of them, so I have one ordered.
 
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Rc_Guy

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Rc_Guy

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Well, the draw latch showed about 4 days ago and due to a neighbor‘s funeral and a granddaughter going to state for track, I finally got to it today and it’s the wrong draw latch, I called them and told them it is nothing like the one on my smoker I bought from them 15 years ago and I can’t put a padlock on it to lock the smoker shut while I’m smoking overnight on my food trailer.

They said I could send it back for a refund and how would they know what draw latch they used 15 years ago.

So now I’m back to trying to find the one that will screw right into the original screws on my smoker.

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PCustoms

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Rc_Guy said:
Well, the draw latch showed about 4 days ago and due to a neighbor‘s funeral and a granddaughter going to state for track, I finally got to it today and it’s the wrong draw latch, I called them and told them it is nothing like the one on my smoker I bought from them 15 years ago and I can’t put a padlock on it to lock the smoker shut while I’m smoking overnight on my food trailer.

They said I could send it back for a refund and how would they know what draw latch they used 15 years ago.

So now I’m back to trying to find the one that will screw right into the original screws on my smoker.

IMG_5161.jpegIMG_5159.jpeg
Click to expand...

What am I missing?

That latch looks fine.

I would just get one close and mount it, no reason to overthink it. It's not a food contact zone
 
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Codyboy

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Rc_Guy said:
Well, the draw latch showed about 4 days ago and due to a neighbor‘s funeral and a granddaughter going to state for track, I finally got to it today and it’s the wrong draw latch, I called them and told them it is nothing like the one on my smoker I bought from them 15 years ago and I can’t put a padlock on it to lock the smoker shut while I’m smoking overnight on my food trailer.

They said I could send it back for a refund and how would they know what draw latch they used 15 years ago.

So now I’m back to trying to find the one that will screw right into the original screws on my smoker.

IMG_5161.jpegIMG_5159.jpeg
Click to expand...
That doesn't look like the latch in the OP.

What is wrong with the old latch? Why does it need repair. It's a simple mechanism.
Can't see an issue with the old one from the pic.
 
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Rc_Guy

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PCustoms said:
What am I missing?

That latch looks fine.

I would just get one close and mount it, no reason to overthink it. It's not a food contact zone
Click to expand...
That one is perfect, I have two commercial smokers that same latches broke on the other smoker

The one that broke, broke at about the quarter inch mark on the tape measure and fell off while we were driving to an event so we don’t have the broken piece of metal that fell off because our smokers are on a porch on the barbecue trailer
 
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PCustoms

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Rc_Guy said:
That one is perfect, I have two commercial smokers that same latches broke on the other smoker
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So what is your primary concern with a new latch?

You've provided zero relevant details on what you need.

I think your biggest concern is the hole spacing....

www.mcmaster.com

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.
www.mcmaster.com www.mcmaster.com
 
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Rc_Guy

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PCustoms said:
So what is your primary concern with a new latch?

You've provided zero relevant details on what you need.

I think your biggest concern is the hole spacing....
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If I could, I want that exact latch because the state is picky on inspections when I start drilling holes to put a different latch in a commercial smoker that is rated from the factory NSF.

Once I drill a hole in the smoker, they can say the NSF rating does not apply anymore.

The state of Minnesota is one of the pickiest ones on using commercial equipment on a food truck
 
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Rc_Guy

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The one positive is taking off the good latch and cleaning it up very good has a company name but I’ve talked to them and they can’t find it without a part number and we’ve cleaned the latch spotless and there’s no part number on it so they said I could look through the website to try to find the exact one if they still carry it

Allegis Corp
 
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PCustoms

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Rc_Guy said:
If I could, I want that exact latch because the state is picky on inspections when I start drilling holes to put a different latch in a commercial smoker that is rated from the factory NSF.

Once I drill a hole in the smoker, they can say the NSF rating does not apply anymore.

The state of Minnesota is one of the pickiest ones on using commercial equipment on a food truck
Click to expand...

I think you're overthinking this, but if you insist look at the link I sent you, take some of the correct measurements and find on that fits the existing hole spacing.

Good luck
 
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scooby074

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Are you sure the inspector would complain? Maybe call the bureau and explain that you want to replace the latch, that its exterior to the unit, and you are unable to locate an exact replacement? They might work with you.
 
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Rc_Guy

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PCustoms said:
I think you're overthinking this, but if you insist look at the link I sent you, take some of the correct measurements and find on that fits the existing hole spacing.

Good luck
Click to expand...
16 years of dealing with the health department in Minnesota makes a person overthink everything.

Even St. Cloud is so picky I had to show them paperwork on these smokers 1-1/2 years ago to show them the specs of the smokers, they don't make it easy.

I have seen them make people throw away all the food they have because of something stupid, but if you argue they can make it worse for you.
 
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Shiftless

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They make it so hard on you with your smoker but around here, some restaurants get caught with mouse droppings in the food storage area and just get a warning.
 
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Rc_Guy

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Shiftless said:
They make it so hard on you with your smoker but around here, some restaurants get caught with mouse droppings in the food storage area and just get a warning.
Click to expand...
we even had a fire inspector argue with us that we needed a exhaust hood on our porch of our trailer, I told him it is outside, what is it going to do?
 
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Codyboy

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Rc_Guy said:
If I could, I want that exact latch because the state is picky on inspections when I start drilling holes to put a different latch in a commercial smoker that is rated from the factory NSF.

Once I drill a hole in the smoker, they can say the NSF rating does not apply anymore.

The state of Minnesota is one of the pickiest ones on using commercial equipment on a food truck
Click to expand...
God that sounds asinine.

Do they take a ruler and know the exact specs of the original latch? Doubtful.

Get new latch. Either the holes line up or at least cover the old holes. If not weld the old holes closed.
 
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