Review on Wright Products VMT115SN: Serenade Mortise Door Handle in Satin Nickel – Stylish and Functional Choice for Your Home! by John Bones

After reading another customer's comments about finding a replacement door handle from EMCO (now Andersen), I decided to take a chance and buy a Wright replacement door hardware kit. I've had great success. My door is EMCO "Forever view". It has a silver sticker that reads "US Patent 5039246" in red. My serial number is A 858197. This is a full screen door with a full length glass panel that can be removed/replaced with a screen. When I was trying to find a replacement set of Andersen handles for my door, it appears to have been discontinued on the Andersen website. The door itself still works perfectly. It's just that the original EMCO handle/latch/lock is junk. The locking mechanism wears out after a few years of use and does not close properly; it seems to stick and the door stays slightly ajar, defeating the purpose of the storm door! I once replaced a handle/latch/lock hardware kit from EMCO and then (10 years ago) it was expensive; 80 euros including shipping if I remember correctly. You'll need to make some minor modifications to make this kit work with the EMCO View Forever door, but it's not difficult. If you're willing to put in about an hour of your time and have the necessary tools (drill, metal drill bit set, metal file or dremel, pliers and Phillips screwdriver) it's fairly easy if you're a DIY enthusiast or are motivated to take on a challenge. Here are the detailed instructions for the modifications I made to my EMCO "Forever Door" to properly fit the Wright hardware: 1) The outer plate of the Wright handle is longer than the original EMCO. The panel also has latch bars that fit inside the door, which is good because it improves the integrity of the latch system in the door; makes him stronger. To attach the door to the outer panel I did the following: a) Enlarged the top hole of the original EMCO outer door panel so that the new Wright panel's top bolt would fit snugly in the door. b) Apply some ink to the bottom shank of the bolt for the new Wright panel fittings and then align the top shank of the screen with the top hole and make sure the panel is properly aligned vertically and parallel to the door, and press the lower shaft against the door frame so that the ink will leave a mark on the door frame showing the exact spot where the new hole needs to be drilled. As mentioned, the new Wright plate is longer, so a new hole needs to be drilled for the bottom plate screw shank. Note. Since this is a new hole for the bottom hole, you will need to drill a hole through the door to allow the inner panel screw to go through the door and attach to the outer panel. When I modified the door to properly fit the Wright outer door panel, I had to make some adjustments to the opening on the side of the door that the inner latch system fits: a) If you follow the instructions above to fit the Wright outer Outer Door To Install Handle/Latch/Strike Plate When you insert the inner latch/lock mechanism into the door it will be slightly higher than properly aligned with the bolt holes/bolts on the outer/inner panel. To adjust it to sit a little lower in the door frame, I filed the bottom of the hole opening where it would fit. The top and bottom edges of the cutout on the side of the door are rounded. I filed the bottom rounded corners square. After this, the inner latch mechanism entered the door so that it lined up correctly with the bolt holes on the outer door panel. It takes no more than a minute or two to archive it by hand. A dremel would probably do it in seconds. b) Once the internal locking mechanism is installed and properly aligned, test it by temporarily installing the outer and inner plates and bolts with the internal locking mechanism installed in the door. For my door I had to use pliers to break the last two tabs of the latch/key shank that runs from the outer panel to the inner panel before the inner handle/latch sits flush with the door. Use medium length screws to connect the inner and outer panels together. After installing the panels and internal locking mechanism, attach one of the door handles to the handle jamb (tighten the hex head screw with the supplied hex wrench) and insert it into the hole in the outer door panel. Check the locking mechanism to make sure it moves freely when the handle is moved. c) With the Inner and Outer Panels temporarily installed and the Handle Post partially assembled to hold the Inner Latch Mechanism in the correct position, mark and drill the new holes needed to attach the Inner Latch Mechanism Panel to the hole in the side of the door are required. . Be sure to adjust the internal locking mechanism in the door so that it is centered on the door. Then mark the centers of the two holes in the inner plate of the locking mechanism. I used a metal punch to make a small indentation in the center of the hole so my bit would sit dead and not drift as I drilled the holes. Tip: Always start with a drill that is much smaller than the threads of the screw you are installing. You can check the screw and if it's too tight you can always increase it with the next size drill bit. The screw must be very tight when you screw it into the hole for the locking mechanism to be secure. d) After drilling holes in the inner latch mechanism panel and securing the panel attached to the door with screws, you will need to remove the inner and outer panels as well as the outer knob and handle and return to Wright's instructions provided with the kit for the correct one Installing the door handle outer and inner teflon washers and attaching them to the panel. You can then follow Wright's instructions to complete the assembly and attachment of the inner/outer door hangers and door handles to the door. 3) I was able to reuse the original EMCO hasp on the door frame. It was better than what comes with Wright. Because I reused the top hole of the old EMCO outer door panel, I didn't have to move the old EMCO strike plate. Hopefully, once you've followed the instructions above, you'll do the same. The new Wright door latch mechanism and latches align with the slots in the old EMCO door striker. However, there is little play and it's a bit tight, so just in case I removed the old EMCO door striker plate and filed the underside of the top latch hole so that it was about 1/16 inch larger and lower. This gave me just enough extra room for the latch mechanism and deadbolt to move freely in and out of the door frame strike plate without friction. It also gave me some breathing room in case my new internal locking mechanism ever went a bit higher or lower. It was built into the door. After filing the striker plate, reinstall it into the door frame and check the door latch and deadbolt to make sure they fit into the striker plate easily and without friction. work for you Be sure to read these instructions completely before attempting to customize your door. Your installation may be slightly different from mine, so I encourage you to read the instructions and assess your own situation before making a door. Attitude. A dress rehearsal that evaluates things before you actually start making changes to your door will avoid unwanted surprises later. Take your time and adjust it as needed and you will be fine. The new Wright handle/latch/lock hardware looks great and I agree with another reviewer's comments that they are much stronger than the original EMCO hardware. Hopefully this hardware will outlast my old EMCO door. But if not, now that my door has been modified to accept Wright's hardware, replacing it next time will not be a problem. After installing the new hardware, I polished the old EMCO with Mr Clean's magic sponge. Door. Now it looks like new. Saved me over $700 on a new door (which I was considering). I'm very glad I took a chance and did "Wright" :-) Hopefully the instructions above will encourage others to save their old EMCO door from the landfill!