[A/S] "Wooden" dead bolt

["Alan P. Owens" <apolaw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Listees: 
In response to Terry's note, I did have a "wooden dead bolt" problem was I 
assumed the regular dead bolt was functioning ok as I had made it to 
Sarasota and half way back with no problems. During last years trip to 
Sarasota I had the same problem and was able to fashion an exterior door 
stop out of a small water bottle. I crushed the bottle with the top off 
and was able to stuff it through the handle and across the door... looked 
strange but it worked. Once home I made a wooden dead bolt which is about 
an inch wide and about 8 or 10 inches long... it has a notch cut in the 
middle that allows the stick to be turned over after it is slid under the 
door grab handle and then turned so the notch fits around the back side of 
the grab handle.. I had taken a picture of some else's at a WDCU rally a 
couple of years ago on the outer banks of NC. The black striker mounted on 
the door broke when the door flew back, the main portion of the striker is 
still attached by two rivets to the door but the tab that engages the 
sliding trigger mounted on the side wall of the trailer broke off. I now 
have a replacement that I got from Out of Doors Mart, the piece cost a 
$1.29. Now have to drill out the old one and replace. I had a helper to 
help me try to bend the door back into shape and made some progress but 
think it will take about four guys pushing on both the top and the bottom 
with a wedge in place to complete the job. I tried it on my own and it was 
like a Charlie Chaplin short, the top would move in and the bottom would 
move out, when the bottom was moving in the top would move out... thus the 
need for a strength team... 
al owens