Locksmithing & milling.....

Awl --

The past cupla days have been one of those periods where the wisest thing is to just pull down the shades and curl up in a fetal position under the covers, without venturing *anywhere* for about a week. Goodgawd, even the

*bathroom* poses risks in periods like this. I was actually scared to go to work, or even drive!! Hadda been a poltergeist....

So I had a bunch of keys made, on a key that I had a very hard time getting my hands on. It was an *unbelievable* ordeal just to get them made... part of that bad cupla days..... and wouldn't you know, when I *finally* found a hardware store to make them -- in a decidedly "unfriendly" Bronx neighborhood -- they made them on the wrong effing blank -- which of course I didn't realize until hours later. One of the grooves was way too small. And the guy took so long to make them, I said, Yo, dude, what'reyadoin,

*autographing* them??????

The only thing that went right -- the next day -- was the milling out of that key groove, which bleeeve me is quite pushing the envelope of my matchining abilities. Turned out perfect, and the key works! I thought f'sure the karmic balance/payback for that very unlikely successful event would be a subsequent car wreck.....

The set up is not straightforward -- for example I had to use a carpenter's pencil on the moveable vise jaw on the teeth of the key, etc. Fortunately I have one good eye.....

Still and all, I think those 3 keys, at an original total of $6 -- which I thought was pricey -- wound up costing me about $150, in time, agony, and

1/16" endmills. Not counting that car wreck I fear is still looming....

I think I'll just drive with my hazard blinkers on, for the rest of the week.... goodgawd.....

Heh, but $2 for a key f'sure beats the $450 you gotta pay for new Prius keys..... God sure has a wicked sense of humor, eh?

Reply to
Existential Angst
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Almost every time I re-key a door lock, I get to customize the length of one or more key pins on the lathe.

It saves a few bucks and makes me feel useful.

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--Winston

Reply to
Winston

Ahh, yes, I forgot about the feeling useful part..... AND the bragging rights! Heh, I show all comers my new key..... :)

Reply to
Existential Angst

IIRC I did the same thing a few years ago to turn a "valet" key for my car into a "regular" key for SWMBO to put on her key ring. That saved quite a few bucks over having a nooky made.

The only difference I could see was that one of the grooves was shallower on the valet key, so I milled it deeper and "Bob's your uncle"...

Jeff

Reply to
jeff_wisnia

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And you did that without a nook - e reader? Remarkable.

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

Priuses - er prii, don't HAVE keys. They have a driver authentication module. Of course, so does my Honda, but it LOOKS like a key.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

And if you produce pins of non-standard lengths, it means that it will be much more difficult for someone to generate a key with one of those punch-to-depth key generators. If you have hand filed your new key to the modified lengths of the pins, only another and filed key (made with the lock still open) or one of the key duplicators which guides the key cutter by the depth of a reference key.

Enjoy, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

Now that is something I hadn't considered.

I'm not too concerned about it though. Apparently it is dirt simple to bump consumer - level locks open.

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

Guy who loses key to girl friend's apartment gets no new key.

Jeff

Reply to
jeff_wisnia

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