We are pleased to announce availability of Universal Budget latches to a Deadbolt design from our sales partner Weston Body Hardware – these latches are available ex-stock from the FDB Online store to a traditional industry standard format in mild steel or stainless steel for home and industrial workplace applications.

Universal Budget Latches are great for storage units, furniture, enclosures, cabinets, meter boxes, windows, garage doors, HVACR, horse boxes and caravans.

They feature simple robust construction in mild steel or stainless steel with fitment by screws, bolts or rivets. Their operation is achieved with a generic square key e.g. of tapered square design. For other applications they also match with traditional T or L style handles which have a square drive shaft with/without a cylinder lock for added security.

Our sales partners at Weston Body Hardware have a great offering of Bullet style hinges which feature a lift-off design. Manufactured in chrome finished zinc die these rugged hinges are a great option for enclosures and cabinets where a practical yet attractive hinge is required.

They are also known as Torpedo or corner hinges. These hinges and many more in compatible styles are available ex-stock from our Online store.

Here at FDB we consider ourselves as market activists in the panel fittings industry so our Online store now offers a select range of camlocks in 11mm, 16mm and 20mm sizes. Round and square format housing styles are available – complete with lock nut and assembled flat cam for immediate fitment into a pre-punched industry-standard cut-out. – all ex-stock for urgent delivery.

Applications continue to expand and surprise but typically they include: office furniture, electrical enclosures, lockers, amusement machines, retail displays, telephones, vehicles, lockers, wooden and metal furniture, postal boxes, automotive accessories, cash boxes and tills, heavy-duty/specialist vehicles, windows and doors, a wide variety of enclosures and many more.

FDB camlocks from Lowe & Fletcher are candidates for kit pack collation with hinges and pre-cut gasket as part of the Panel Fittings Rocfast assembly/logistics service, which also enables customers to access the many years’ experience of our sales team. The Rocfast packaging and delivery program enables customers to order a variety of components pre-assembled ready for installation – and delivered to site as a kit – so reducing costs and speeding up the fitment process.

Whenever a steel panel is installed the question seems to arise – what can we or should we do about protecting the edges or sealing the way it closes against ingress of tools, dust or water? As often as not the answer confirms that there is a need and some sort of continuous push-on gasket profile will do the job. Sometimes a simple edge protection is enough – other times a good level of sealing is needed – both are accommodated with our range of standard sections.

From our sales partner Lowe & Fletcher – these T handles are a great choice for cabinet handles – especially where there is plenty of space for people to pass or where their extra convenience is valued – or where it is important to match an existing installation. Gary Miles – MD here at FDB Panel Fittings explained “We continue to see demand for this type of traditional T handle which suits cabinets and enclosures in many public space applications and in industrial situations generally. We have a variety of sizes in stock – manufactured in chrome-finished zinc die with/without caulking cam as required. A selection of small T versions in our 1600 series are ex-stock from our Online store in both locking and non-locking formats.”

Small T handles are easy to operate and available as locking or non-locking variants, complete with /without caulking cam to assist in sealing for outdoor applications such as garage doors, shutters and Metal Office Furniture also indoor applications of covers, hatches, doors and panels for equipment of all types. They are manufactured in zinc die with chrome finish with 90 deg. or 180 deg. operation. These T handles can be fitted with two or three point cam.

The FDB Panel Fittings sales team advise that we now have full stock of easy-to-fit generically traditional T style lock handles for all types of common industrial applications, from production line to office, specialist vehicles to marine, offshore to hangers, control rooms to distribution centres.

With sophisticated ergonomic design, they typically come easily to hand and are comfortable to use. Their leverage allows operation of internal rod systems for multi-point gasket sealing and added security, which is increasingly important for the protection of sophisticated digital processes.

The nice thing about the T handle design is that your hand goes easily to it and turns naturally – then with the integral, quarter turn function everyone can see the status of the lock – with a suite of cabinets one can see at a glance if one of them is not aligned and therefore unlocked.

Traditional in style the T handles available from the Online store are ex-stock to help with those urgent panel builds that require the operational feel of a traditional handle. They are suited for installation of electrical panels and many other industrial applications to office storage cabinets.

Wind stops and cover stays are available from our stock at the Online store in a wide range of sizes and feature offerings at varying costs. Generally plated steel is perfectly suitable for this internally mounted item but occasionally a stainless steel version is needed.

TYpically the sizes fall into two ranges small (or short) and large and may be fixed length or telescopic.

We are delighted to offer traditional L handles for specialist cabinet manufacturers which are now available ex-stock and online from the FDB Online Store – one example being the Lowe & Fletcher 1602 locking L-Handle. Now available from the Online store this handle is manufactured in zinc die with chrome finish and concealed fixing. It features an 8mm square spindle x 75mm (other lengths on request) with 90° or 180° movement.

Other types and sizes are offered with/without locking options or with padlock facility. Typical applications include furniture, electrical enclosures, electronic cabinets, specialist motor vehicles, railway rolling stock and similar. Many T and L handles are simply latch handles but most are also available with associated locks usually integrated into the handle itself. Sealing levels available are variable dependent on requirements from simple low level non rated items for office or indoor industrial applications.

The range of L handles from FDB Online are manufactured in black or chrome zinc die cast, polyamide or stainless steel for use either as standalone locking handles or with multi-point rod lock control mechanisms. Tabs/cams are listed in a great variety of depths to suit the design parameters of the door/frame and the gasket to ensure proper sealing.

L handles provide a traditional and comfortable way of operating latches with or without key locks. Generally they are a simple fit into a keyed hole then assembled with a back-nut to provide a cam or tab latch. They are available in zinc die, polyamide or stainless steel – many of them are compatible with multi-point locking systems by using rod mechanisms to provide an additional two points of closure. This enhances security especially on large cabinet doors both in terms of sealing and preventing unauthorised opening – while still enabling single-handed opening/closing.

With sophisticated ergonomic design, these handles typically come easily to hand and are comfortable to use. Their leverage allows the operation of internal rod systems for multi-point gasket sealing and added security, which is increasingly important for the protection of sophisticated digital process controls.

Well suited to office and industrial applications, these modern variants of a proven traditional L design are convenient and natural in feeling during operation, excellent in larger spaces where they suit floor standing cabinets and large enclosures. They are available in polyamide, zinc die chrome and black powder coat, plus in polished stainless steel with a wide selection carried in stock for urgent delivery to customers production facility or project sites.

FDB Panel Fittings are an independent manufacturer/distributor, serving specialist panel builders, delivering ex-stock hardware with a package of locks, latches, hinges, gasket profiles, swinghandles and panel accessories. These L handles are a good example – as a proven design style from proven specialist and independent distributors they are tough, ergonomic and aesthetic for convenient operation of cabinet and enclosure doors, backed up by stock and expert service.

As a market leading distributor we are well aware of the problems involved in selecting suitable hardware from the wide range available – so we have sought to make it an easier task by putting some of the experience we have gained into our Knowledge Base selection guides which are easily accessible from our Online store.

We are pleased to offer this ex-stock 1605 Knob lock from sales partner Lowe & Fletcher for the twist-and-go operation of cabinet doors to suit various applications, including metal office furniture and doors for industrial workspaces and elsewhere. Now available from the Online store.

Knob locks present a compact option with simple rotary action that is convenient and style-compatible with many existing installations. They feature rear mounting for security and a clean appearance achieved with a satin chrome body and black plastic handle. Spindle length and cam may be customer specified.