Fitting new rim locks to old doors

[ruthcon]

Hi! Would really appreciate some advice.
All our interior doors are old victorian 4 panels that we are trying to restore (they were covered up by ply by previous owner). We're trying to add rim locks and knobs to them, but over the years they have had a load of holes drilled through for spindles at different distances from the edge. I've looked to find rim locks with spindle distances the same as the existing holes, but every door is different and some have multiple holes so not sure theres a way around it.
Obviously on the inside, the rim lock plate hides the old holes, but on the outside, the holes are visible beyond the door knob rose. Would this be a filler job? Or are we totally barking up the wrong tree? Thanks a lot!

 

[JohnD]

Please show us some pictures of the entire doors, and especially the edge of the doors, on the lock side.

Are they 33mm thick?

What is the size of the house?

 

[mrrusty]

The way round it is to clean up the holes, and make or buy wooden plugs to glue in, which when cut and sanded flush are near invisible.

 

[ruthcon]

Thanks for your replies!
Yes they are 33mm thick doors, its an old 3bed victorian terrace.
Ive attached some pics of the doors!
The rim lock I bought to try out is this...

POLISHED BRASS Old vintage retro style door rim lock + knob set | eBay

1 X OLD TRADITIONAL STYLE RIM DOOR KNOB SET. 1 X RIM LOCK, KEYS, KEEP AND FIXING SCREWS CAN BE USED FOR BOTH RIGHT OR LEFT HANDED DOORS.

www.ebay.co.uk

Its the 6 inch rim lock. So the existing holes in the doors range from 70-100mm in (some with mutiple holes that run in to each other) these locks spindle distance from edge is 108mm

Thanks a lot!

 

[mrrusty]

As I said above - clean the holes so you can use a wooden plug(s). You can buy round taper plugs, but with a sharp chisel you could easily square off the holes and make up your own square plugs. Once solidly glued, trim and sand flush and it's as if the holes were never there. You can then start again with your new rim locks.

 

[ruthcon]

Brilliant thankyou!!

As I said above - clean the holes so you can use a wooden plug(s). You can buy round taper plugs, but with a sharp chisel you could easily square off the holes and make up your own square plugs. Once solidly glued, trim and sand flush and it's as if the holes were never there. You can then start again with your new rim locks.

 

[JohnD]

Also consider a brass finger-plate on the outside face of the door.