Friends, I'm running a CATV cable contracting operation in South Central North Carolina. My guys are running into old pedestals that are equipped with (as near as I can tell) Highfield barrel locks. They seem to have an internal thread and you somehow pull the piston back, or out of way, allowing two ball bearings to compress and then you can pull the barrel out of a containing locking mechanism allowing you to open the ped cover and access the tap. Its not a key per say, I don't believe, its some type of tool.
(Ok I'm not a locksmith....I'm a cable guy, this is all conjecture on my part. A lot of them are frozen/rusted and wont go back into the locking mechanism,they are just hanging there on a plastic yoke, so Ive had a look at them, its a hardened steel "plug" with a hole in it, two small ball bearings at the tip....but....let's continue)
Nobody in this system has keys for these things. The TechOps managers solution: Drill them out. YEAH! Drill them out!!!! HAHAHAHA!! You all would know better than I but....these things are TOUGH. T - O - U - G - H IT TAKES AN HOUR. And we are running into about every 5th to 6th ped we're burying new drops to, locked with these #2$%%##* barrel locks. This is on a shoestring contract where the faster we get these new wires in the ground the more money we make so.... (Finally) My questions.... Can I get the tool/key some where? If so where? Can I pick them? (prob'ly not) And if not.... Whats the quickest way to drill these things out?
All Thanks in advance
Novegon "Everything changes. Everything"