ASSA Twin Cutaway Project Log

[n2oah]

Well, I was bored and decided to make a project log for the ASSA Twin cutaway I am making right now, so all of you can see the process of making a cutaway.
Yesterday I started the project by picking up an ASSA Twin plug and cutting slots into the place where the sidebar pins go. I cut two cuts right next to each other with my Dremel. Below is a picture of the current state of the plug. I will eventually sand it down.


Looking at pictures of other ASSA cutaways and my Everest Primus cutaway, I decided where to cut on the housing. I marked where I thought was about right with a permanent marker on the front and back.


I started a groove with my Dremel to start a hacksaw cut. After that, I started cutting with a hacksaw.

[Woofcat]

Great work i can't wait to see the final product done. I have always wanted a cutaway so maybe i'll make one myself.

[n2oah]

Just don't attempt an ASSA Twin as your first cutaway. Sidebar locks are some of the hardest cutaways to make.

[pick_maker]

good luck dude. DIY cutaways are challenging but worth the effort.

[devildog]

You should do one for Master combo locks; stupid, I know, but they'd sell like crazy on Ebay.

After that I'd like to see you do an Evva 3KS, ok?

[n2oah]

I could do a 3KS, but I don't have one, and I don't think I'd have the nuts to cut into one.

[keysman]

Thats a lot of work .. good luck
Here is a pic of the Factory Assa Cut-away


[/url]http://lockshop.us/Cut.htm[/url]

[zeke79]

You should do one for Master combo locks; stupid, I know, but they'd sell like crazy on Ebay.

After that I'd like to see you do an Evva 3KS, ok?

I am currently doing quite a few 3ks locks. The project has been on halt for about one month now due to some personal things that need taken care of, but I have 6 halves completed (3 complete modulair locks). Here is a picture of the first one before final finishing. There are no pins installed in the lock yet.

[n2oah]

The only thing I did yesterday with this lock was finishing the cut I was on.

Today I took a chisel and took out the piece or two of the lock.
Here is the lock before I took out that piece.


And here is a photo of it after I took out that piece.



Right now I'm making a bunch of relief cuts so I can take out small pieces that get in the way.

BTW, this lock will be auctioned off on eBay once it is finished

[n2oah]

Sorry that I haven't been updating for the past couple of days. Now I give you one long post.

On the same night my last post was, I finished off the rough cutaway part. Here it is with all of the excess out of the way.




For the last days, I've been squaring off the part where the pins and springs will show. My file wasn't small enough, so I customized it. Below is the customized file.



Here are two pictures of the lock with the chambers squared off.





Next, I did some careful work with the calipers to figure out where I should cut into the side of the lock. Here are the marks I made:


Here is the plug over the markings, so you can get an idea where the plug will show.



Now the cutting starts. I make two cuts near each other, then put an X shaped cut on them to allow me to knock out the excess material.



Nick, the 3ks looks nice. I hope you can send one my way once you're finished.

[n2oah]

Back again with an update. I've finished most of the rough work, and now I'm on to the finer sanding on the housing. Here is what it looks like as of yesterday:


I've done a lot more sanding on the chambers today and they are almost done.

Right now I'm rounding off my cuts in the plug. I will post a little later tonight once those are finished.

[zeke79]

One possible problem with the way that is cut. If you have taken away too much from the bottom of the shell then the sidebar finger pins will simply fall out of the lock when the key is removed.

[n2oah]

One possible problem with the way that is cut. If you have taken away too much from the bottom of the shell then the sidebar finger pins will simply fall out of the lock when the key is removed.

I took special care to make sure this didn't happen.

[n2oah]

Back again with another update.

I finished rounding off the tops of the sidebar chambers with my dremel, then I sanded them down. Below is a picture of the finished plug with the two bits I used to round it off: