Cut down door handle spindles

Probably my most niche post yet.

Does anyone know where I can get some 7mm spindles cut down to a specific length? I suspect balancing on the kitchen table trying to hack away at a few with my junior hacksaw is only going to end badly……

Have a word with the metalwork teacher at the local school?

Buy an adult sized hacksaw and a basic workmate (£15 all in). Easy job then and these tools will be handy for all sorts of things, including bike related

Piece of doddle, although I used the “stand on it on the back step” method rather than the kitchen worktop.

A cheapo hacksaw will get through it easily. They are not made out of Kryptonite.

Ask your wife to do it for you.

OK thanks. MTFU is the advice, I see!

I hardly know where the local school is, and me hanging round with a hacksaw is probably going to end badly! I need quite short lengths but will give it a go with a hacksaw.

Hmmmm. Workmate. I might just make an investment…….

Measure twice, cut once

I had to do exactly this job at the weekend. Annoyingly I had just taken and old B&D workmate to the tip the weekend before…

Needless to say, the door handle spindles still aren’t cut down.

Mine were one of the hardest things I’ve ever cut!
Some kind of hacksaw-repellent-super-metal.

I had to do 6 and it was slightly soul destroying.

Good luck!

@rocketman’s advice is sound

I cut a kitchen worktop once but had cut once before the second measure and ended up about 6″ short.

Mrs Danny was less than amused.

Cheers

Danny B

Does anyone know where I can get some 7mm spindles cut down to a specific length?

I do this most days, easiest way to do it is to, insert follower bar, thats the technical term for the spindle, into the door handle and through the latch in the door, ensure door handle is secured to door, the part sticking out attach other door handle and measure the gap between face of door and back of handle face plate, thats the amount you need to take off spindle,measuring from the end of spindle, mark then cut using a ful size hacksaw, while holding the handle the other side, remember the small piece you cut off will be heavy, as youll probably drop it when you pick it up, re attach handles.

even though the small piece is small its heavy as most people drop it when they pick it up. lol

Also some handles accept a full length follower bar and some dont,due to the machinist at the factory, drilling the hole deeper,also try giving the follower bar a tap down into the square hole in the handle.

This is your chance to buy the engineering vice and angle grinder you’ve been promising yourself (or plasma cutter…you choose). 😆

Buy a cheap angle grinder and MTFU!!!

Stihl saw every time. One of the best bits of kit on my van!

Bite the end off it…man up!

I like the angle grinder and plasma cutter ideas!

Great advice Project, however these are for window handles where some pillock has cut them existing spindles far too short and they drop back out of the handle. As the handle is closed I can’t project the spindle through so I will have to guess the length a little (I don’t dare push it down to the back as I can’t get it back out again!).

Goes off to find what a Stihl saw is…….

these are for window handles

So even smaller then. And you want to use an angle grinder ? 🙂

Why did you call them “door handle spindles” btw ?

And why do want handles both sides of your windows ?

Great advice Project, however these are for window handles where some pillock has cut them existing spindles far too short and they drop back out of the handle. As the handle is closed I can’t project the spindle through so I will have to guess the length a little (I don’t dare push it down to the back as I can’t get it back out again!).

Poke a pencil into hole and use that as a measuring device,

remember the small piece you cut off will be heavy

think possibly confusing mass and energy – do you mean the little bit that drops off will be hot? so don’t pick it up?

wanders off to design a crowdbased fusion device based on STW forumites and hacksaws

They’re not designed to be cut down. You’ll have to use thicker doors.

You’ll have to use thicker doors.

nah, just nail some plywood on the face of the door to fatten it up.

I eventually managed it this weekend. It was flipping hard as the missing skin on my fingers shows. I didn’t get a workmate so ended up trying to hold it between my fingers on the outside path…..I know. It jumped around like a crazy thing.

Anyhow, eventually got through to find that I had ignored the measuring advice and it was 10mm too long. Cue much swearing but I got another cut through and……voila! Window can be closed again!

Thanks for all your advice.