March 2002
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Loosing your nuts?
Recently, an architect from Oregon wanted to know if he should specify all-welded lockers for use in a school corridor in lieu of the standard KD (knocked down) locker that is generally provided. He has observed that over time, the nuts and bolts will begin to fall out and cause maintenance problems. Due to this process, many maintenance departments spend countless hours replacing these missing fasteners; precious man-hours that might be used in other areas.
The all-welded vs KD battle has been waged for many years. It originally started with a few regional manufacturers offering all-welded models. Today, all US manufacturers produce models that are delivered to the jobsite all-welded.
Is all-welded better than KD? From a maintenance perspective we would have to say no. If a side sheet, door or frame are ripped off the unit, it is relatively easy to replace this part on a KD locker. On an all-welded locker it is quite a different story, as well as, quite a difference in expense. All-welded lockers are less expensive to install initially, however, the cost of the locker is about 30% above KD and the freight can be as much as three times that of the same KD unit.
You can avoid this initial high cost and long range maintenance problem by specifying lockers that are assembled with kep nuts or rivets. Kep nuts are provided with star washers pressed into them, making it difficult for them to loosen over time from use (or abuse). Most lockers can be assembled with rivets (SBS66) and washers which can only be drilled off.
When your maintenance staff is in the process of replacing missing nuts & bolts, suggest that they use kep nuts or rivets instead. It will save man-hours over the long haul and avoid costly part replacement problems later.
Sticky Lock Bar
A maintenance person in Texas wants to know what he can do to keep his lock bars from sticking in the up position. Before we review a few preventative maintenance tips, there are a number of items that should be checked.
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Make sure that paper or a broken pencil are not stuck in any of the lock bar holes. Any debris in the locking channel will prevent it from operating smoothly. |
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Inspect the handle. Is the handle pinched or has it been kicked out of alignment. Check to see if the handle is too tight on the door. |
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Check to see if the door is warped. It could be that a coat or book was at one time caught in the door causing it to warp. |
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If you are using a built-in combination lock, it could be time to remove the lock, clean & lubricate it. |
After you have completed the suggestions above, you might want to try the following:
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Spray a small amount of WD40 or a similar silicone lubricant along the inside of the lock bar. Be careful not to spray in exposed areas since the lubricant may soil the occupant's clothing. |
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Use a clear type cutting wax (Johnsons & Johnsons) on the door jamb. The smaller tubes are preferable because they easily fit over the the jamb. |
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Insert a stiff 3" scraper between the lock bar and the face of the door. Tap the scraper gently moving it up and down to release any pressure on the bar. Insert the same scraper between the lock bar and the door return and do the same. This will clean out any debris and alleviate any minor pressure on the lock bar. It will also identify any area that has major pressure. |
If you still have difficulty with the lock bar, it might be time to replace something - in all probability you will need to replace the door. Since the lock bar is totally encased in the door, it is very difficult to bend. Visually inspect the lock bar to see if it is distorted. Remove the lock bar and place it on the floor or any other hard, flat surface. If it rocks, then it should be replaced.
If there is no irregularity in the bar, open the effected locker door and the locker adjacent to it. Bring the open edges of both doors together to see if your door is warped. In some cases, a minor warp in a door can be corrected by applying a small amount of pressure.
If all else fails - replace the door.
Until next month!
Keep your doors hinged and your screws tight!