USSC Magnolia 2015 broken door latch

[oldgrezmonke]

I installed the Magnolia a few years back and it has worked well for us so it's been a while since I was on here . About 10 days ago the "door latch" [USSC calls it the latch but I would call it the "catch"] broke at the area where the attachment bolt passes through . The part # is 25080 [or 25080B if you want it painted] , used on several of their models . It appears to be common flat bar steel formed to a shape with the bolt hole punched through and the same width top to bottom . The problem I see is that it is only 7/16" wide with a 3/8" hole through it leaving little structure on either side of the hole . I ordered and received a replacement through a local fireplace/stove business . It looks the same and after getting home I have seen the beginning of a crack already on one side . I hope I can return the new part and have sent a message to USSC . Is there a supplier of this made of wider steel ? I have measured and even 3/4" wide would fit easily on mine . Can anyone think of a reason I shouldn't make , or have made , a copy of this in wider steel ? Thanks .

 

[mellow]

I see what you mean, that is thin on the sides, can you put a stainless washer on it?

 

[oldgrezmonke]

It is even thinner than the picture appears especially if the part is punched even slightly off center , as both were . The "latch" is barely as wide as the head of the bolt that passes through it so a washer wouldn't help much unless wrapped over and welded on as reinforcement . I'm on my way soon to the dealer [not their fault of course] to see what can be done .

 

[mellow]

Dealer? Thought those were sold through farm stores, didn't know USSC had dealers.

 

[begreen]

I've seen them show up at our local hardware store too. All though they are very service oriented, that is not what I would call a dealer.

 

[bobdog2o02]

I had that part fail on our 2500 three times in two years, order yourself a few of them. the next that will fail is the steel at the top corners of the door opening. it is unreinforced plate in that area and it starts to tear.

 

[oldgrezmonke]

Dealer? Thought those were sold through farm stores, didn't know USSC had dealers.

I've seen them show up at our local hardware store too. All though they are very service oriented, that is not what I would call a dealer.

Perhaps I shouldn't have called them a "dealer" . I bought the stove from a "farm" store but the place I'm dealing with has been in the fireplace and stove business since 1950 [about as long as I've been around] and has products from multiple brands .
I'll know more this afternoon as I'm almost out the door to go by there plus some other places .

 

[oldgrezmonke]

The fellow at the fireplace store saw what I saw - a crack already starting - so there is another one on the way . I am still looking into ideas to produce a copy with a wider area at least at the bolt hole . One idea is to cut off the damaged top section and weld on a wider portion there ; I might even have the bolt head locked in place also .
bobdog2o02 ; I must be lucky - the original "latch" lasted about 6 years . How did you repair the hinge cracks or was that death knell for it ? Of course yours was probably in use more in Pennsylvania than mine is in Tennessee so maybe mine will last a while .

 

[BrotherBart]

Yep. The top stove dealer in this area is a True Value Hardware store. A whole section of the store devoted to Hearthstone, Harman etc. For 60 years.

 

[Fake coal burner]

Have a machine or fabricating shop make up a beefier ones that will last.

 

[bobdog2o02]

The fellow at the fireplace store saw what I saw - a crack already starting - so there is another one on the way . I am still looking into ideas to produce a copy with a wider area at least at the bolt hole . One idea is to cut off the damaged top section and weld on a wider portion there ; I might even have the bolt head locked in place also .
bobdog2o02 ; I must be lucky - the original "latch" lasted about 6 years . How did you repair the hinge cracks or was that death knell for it ? Of course yours was probably in use more in Pennsylvania than mine is in Tennessee so maybe mine will last a while .

I gave up on it and bought a blaze king after I noticed the cracks.

The latch is tricky, I thought about making an more robust catch but the clearances width and depth wise in the pocket at the latch in the latch in the door don't leave room for much improvement.