# Hidden Button or Hidden Access Mechanism for Boxes - Help Needed



## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

I have a potential client that wants me to make boxes for him that have, and I quote:

"...some kind of a hidden button to open the box so that a key is not necessary, some kind of trick latch or something."

I came up with what I thought was a pretty ingenious idea for a magnetic catch, but he seems to not want to deal with a magnetic key.



















I mentioned no hidden button stays hidden for long from someone who is determined because it needs to be directly accessible from the outside of the box, but maybe I am wrong about this.

Any ideas guys?


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Yes, they sell these spring loaded stuff called "push to open"' I think. Same principle as a push button pen.. If he doesn't like that, you can either use an alarm device to alert him when the drawer is open or a combination of alarm and light using LED lighting. What is he hiding and from whom? Don't have to answer that. These ways of thinking are all false hopes anyways.


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## rustfever (May 3, 2009)

What about simple rare earth magnets? With enough and properly spaced 1/4" D or 1/2" D rare earth magnets in pairs, most any door will remain tight. Just need to know how ard to pull and the direction. Attach with epoxy to the wood.
Find them a Hobby Lobby and other 'craft' stores.


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## woodchuckerNJ (Dec 4, 2013)

You can always do a sliding lock.
Take one of the sides, put a hidden sliding dovetail … basically you resaw a piece
put the tail on the bottom of the two, glue it back together while it is on the pin
now it slides back and forth a small amount.
You build a lock into the top of the sliding piece that catches the catch.


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## InsideTheBox (Oct 25, 2013)

Hey Jerry-I would refer you to LJ cancharanay who has posted some cool mechanism boxes

Also see what you can find under secret boxes in the search window. Good luck!!


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

RE woodchuckerNJ: Your idea sounds really good, but I am having a hard time understanding what you mean,

IE: "put a hidden sliding dovetail … basically you resaw a piece" Okay, resaw a piece of what?

"put the tail on the bottom of the two" Put what tail on the bottom of two of what?

"glue it back together while it is on the pin" Glue what back together while it is on what pin?

I really don't mean to be ridiculous here, it's just that I'm very literal minded and not being familiar with your process, I'm just having a hard time understanding it.

That being said, I'm really interested in trying it if I can figure out what you mean.

Thanks,
Jerry


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

RE InsideTheBox: Thanks buddy, will do.


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## TedW (May 6, 2012)

If you make a box with feet on it, you can make one of the feet turn to unlock it. Or maybe a sliding foot.


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## GregInMaryland (Mar 11, 2010)

Hey Jerry,

Make it like a "Chinese finger puzzle"-use two internal mechanisms with holes on each end that require a finger to be stuck inside at the same time. Make the hole far enough down from the top so that his hands won't reach the lid. And then wish him good luck in getting the lid open while both fingers are stuck in a hole 

Greg


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## InsideTheBox (Oct 25, 2013)

woodchuckerNJ-I like what you are saying and I'm also trying to follow it… any way you could post a drawing or link to a graphic?


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## woodchuckerNJ (Dec 4, 2013)

Hi Jerry, lets try this. Sketchup with an xray view.. don't know how to share files here, so I just am uploading the image.
If this is not clear reach out again.

I realize that my original post was not clear.
Thanks.
Also you must use a good wax in this joint.. like a slipit or johnsons or butchers paste wax. You want this to slide even during changes in humidity. But you want it tight to not give away the joint.
Also round the front of the dovetail pin, you don't want them grabbing, no one will see them, so make them rounded so they don't catch.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Hummm, something to think about. A gr8 idea to have a keyless entry.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

If he doesn't want to mess with a key or magnet, I doubt he'd want to use a remote (like a garage door opener) to operate a battery powered latch?


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## InsideTheBox (Oct 25, 2013)

Jerry-just curious if you figured out a way to do this and what you learned. I am still intrigued by the same idea-not necessarily to "hide something" but make a box that is both unique and has its own magic. That's the kind of craftsmanship that you can't find in a store. If woodchuckerNJ weren't in NJ I'd head over there to get a hands-on lesson in what he meant…! Kinda far from Calif.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

RE: InsideTheBox - I kind of put this on the back shelf because the person wanting the hidden mechanism is a Czech guy that I've never met, friend of a friend.

I asked him in an email the innocent question "Why would you need a hidden lock on a humidor?" and I've never heard from him again.

I suspect it's probably just as well 

I do plan on pursuing this as soon as I get my second niece's birthday present finished and I DID see a lot of innovative ideas here after you directed me to the lumberjocks with experience in this field, but I have not tried any of them yet.

So far, I think my favorite mechanism is the spring loaded one that only needs a playing card slid under the lid to open it.

Baffling unless you know the secret, and then dead simple.


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