Sometimes the simplest things are the toughest to design. At the Fox and Hounds Pub we have been asked to design and build the bathroom stalls. The client wanted them to be built of heavy steel and also sport a rust patina. It's my kind of project. But as I got into it I quickly found t tool=k a lot more thought and work than I imagined. Some imaginative bits were easy to incorporate. The function was most important however. Privacy conceprns limited many of my ideas. Safety too meant that anything creative had to be smooth and super durable. For some reason a few folks like to be hard on bathroom fixtures.

In the end, after much thought, research and various design experiments I settled for simple and heavy duty in the latch and handle department. A heavy duty eye hook provided the handle and pivot point for the latch. It is rated for better than 5000 lbs so it should be plenty sturdy. Everything is welded and welded good so no one will be undoing anything in this bathroom. The steel is heavy and reinforced in every way imaginable. Time will tell if I made it strong enough to hold up for as long as I think it will.

The latch is 1/2" thick steel with a 5/8" thick bolt to hold it on. Then I welded the nut to the front side of the door to make sure no one twisted this thing apart. The handle on the latch is a solid steel ball bearing welded securely to the lever. The hinges are rated for a 2000 lb door and come complete with grease fittings for long life. They too are welded onto the door and frame.