On small cabinet doors, high-quality ball catches such as those made by Brusso are an elegant solution, giving a satisfying feel to the operation of the doors. But Brusso ball catches are tricky to install. The positioning of the catch and especially the depth of installation are very important.

Here is a tip that will make it easy to test-fit the ball cylinder and catch. Before inserting the ball cylinder, place a long strand of dental floss into the hole. Use Glide brand or equivalent, the kind of floss that is flat, slippery, and almost unbreakable. If you’ve drilled the hole too shallow or too deep, you can remove the hardware easily by pulling the two ends of the dental floss straight up. Then you can fine-tune the hole depth and test the fit again. When you are satisfied with the fit, trim the ends of the floss flush with a sharp chisel or knife. Repeat the same procedure for the catch. Note: This technique works only on catches that do not have lips.

Drawings by Jim Richey

Drawings by Jim Richey

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