Looking For Latch Suggestions

[kmmcrafts]

I made these car air freshener holders the other day and the original pattern calls for a piece glued to the back just in the right spot to put a slight drag on the door so it doesn't just flop open.. I don't like the little 1/8" thick piece sticking out the back.. while the piece is tiny piece it's thick and bulky looking so I didn't glue it on but the door will just open and let the scent pod fall out. Not a lot of wood area around the edge to work with.. I may just have to get a piece of 1/16 ply and make the small part with that to make it not look so bulky. Thought maybe a small metal tab too but not sure how I would attach it.. 

Also looking for a idea of how I might be able to make something to use as a clip in case someone wanted to clip it to the sun visor rather than hang it.. but since you have to open it on the back to place a refill in I can't really attach a clip of sorts on the back.. Maybe I need to redesign the back to not have that goofy hinged door and just make a solid door that has a clip of sorts on it and can remove the whole back to change out the scent packet?  

Also I modified the design so there is 4 layers rather than 3 because I wanted to custom size it to hold the scent pods that are available at bath and body works stores and original design had too big a hole as it was designed to put felt in it and put essential oils on the felt and since my daughter and wife like to use those bath & body works things I made it work for those. The original pattern made the piece almost 4" in diameter and I sized it down to about 2.25 - 2.5 ish inch and added that 4th piece for clearance for the scent pod. Shrinking the size down also made for a small spot for the finger grab cutout to pull it open.. I can easily change the size of it though in the future ones I may or may not make, LOL

Anyway just looking for some ideas to improve it  from its original form and make it more user friendly so open to other suggestions too.

 

 

[DrPete]

Nice design with the layered back door!

Along the lines of metal tab, think about using a picture frame holder screw and tab to hold the back in place.

Maybe use that same screw to hold a clip? Not sure about that one.

Looking nice!

[Wichman]

This is called a visor clip, it's just to show the concept. Using a small machine screw, attach the visor clip to the back of the holder, use a small washer to allow the visor clip to stand just proud of the holder. The visor clip would allow attaching to the visor, providing the ability for the visor clip to rotate on the machine screw, with some friction so it will stay in place, This would kill two birds with one stone; if the clip is rotated so that the body of the clip is over the hinging area of the cover it will prevent accidental opening and loss of the scent packet, rotated 180°, it would allow the cover to be opened for replacement of the scent packet. ta da!       

Edited July 13, 2025 by Wichman
learned how to enter the degree symbol

[kmmcrafts]

8 hours ago, DrPete said:

Nice design with the layered back door!

Along the lines of metal tab, think about using a picture frame holder screw and tab to hold the back in place.

Maybe use that same screw to hold a clip? Not sure about that one.

Looking nice!

I did think of those frame holder tabs, I’m just not sure about putting a screw in the edge of the wood as there isn’t much wood thickness around that outer edge ( between the edge of the door and the outside edge is maybe 1/8 inch at most. ). That is why I was thinking maybe just making a solid removable door rather than the wood slot hinge type door but that is what makes it unique in my opinion too. Plus it’s kinda like a vent to let the scent out. 

[kmmcrafts]

7 hours ago, Wichman said:

This is called a visor clip, it's just to show the concept. Using a small machine screw, attach the visor clip to the back of the holder, use a small washer to allow the visor clip to stand just proud of the holder. The visor clip would allow attaching to the visor, providing the ability for the visor clip to rotate on the machine screw, with some friction so it will stay in place, This would kill two birds with one stone; if the clip is rotated so that the body of the clip is over the hinging area of the cover it will prevent accidental opening and loss of the scent packet, rotated 180°, it would allow the cover to be opened for replacement of the scent packet. ta da!       

Didn’t know you could buy such a thing but this gives me some ideas. Still not sure if there would be enough room around the outside edge to put a screw that would hold the weight etc. But, maybe an option if they want to choose a clip or hang string. If they choose a clip I might could use some sort of fasteners in the hole where the string would go.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Can do something with magnets. They sell very tiny drop-in magnets as well as magnetic strips where you can cut to size. Maybe a combination would work. Hang with a string. One thing I see a very weak point with that hinge detail. Wood does not bend like that. Open too far and  I see breakage. That hinge design is meant for bending wood to shape that is not continuously opened and closed in my opinion. 

Design thoughts--- make the back solid and if have to a little thicker with a finger hole like you have on both top and bottom and use the magnet system as I said. Or make the back a pivot system in that it lays on top and pivots on a pin or dowel and again use a magnet to keep lined up. I mean there are many ways and designs that can be had depending how much work you want to put into them. another would be to make basically in 3 piece and have the back slide in and out of a slot. 

[kmmcrafts]

29 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Can do something with magnets. They sell very tiny drop-in magnets as well as magnetic strips where you can cut to size. Maybe a combination would work. Hang with a string. One thing I see a very weak point with that hinge detail. Wood does not bend like that. Open too far and  I see breakage. That hinge design is meant for bending wood to shape that is not continuously opened and closed in my opinion. 

Design thoughts--- make the back solid and if have to a little thicker with a finger hole like you have on both top and bottom and use the magnet system as I said. Or make the back a pivot system in that it lays on top and pivots on a pin or dowel and again use a magnet to keep lined up. I mean there are many ways and designs that can be had depending how much work you want to put into them. another would be to make basically in 3 piece and have the back slide in and out of a slot. 

Hmm, kinda like the solid back idea and the magnets... I did think about cutting the solid back on a angle so the back could slide in like a slot.. sort of like some of the small box tops Steve Good designed many years ago..  The hinged part as designed is what I also felt to be a weak point.. though those scents that my wife and daughter use last quite a long time, like I think about 6 months or more, so I wouldn't think they'd be opening it a lot but.. also have to consider the heat in the car possibly drying out the wood more or? Not sure how that might affect things too. Just experimenting really but I do think the solid back piece is probably much better way to go.  Thank you for the magnet idea I might mess around more with that idea. Also the dowel idea might be considered and experimented with as well.. But thinking that magnet idea might work well for the visor clip too..  

[DrPete]

The visor clip idea is good, maybe see if they make something smaller? I immediately said to myself, "cut it in half". You still need to deal with holding everything. I've used #4 brass screws when I made a wooden bank for my grandson to hold the plexiglass front in place. I know they make down to #1 brass screws, you can grab then from Here

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Look at air fresheners for cars and maybe get some ideas from them. You can do the velcro route too. Put a piece on visor and one on the back of the item.