MEDECO

[Exodus5000]

Correct me if i'm wrong. But if a medeco lock is opened with it's corresponding key, would the pins not be properly alligned to the sidebar when the key is removed? Or do you think when you pull the key out i would turn the pins too much.

[WhiteHat]

if you look at a diagram of a medeco, you can see that the sidebar is
spring-loaded, so when the key is vertical (or in it's home position) then
the sidebar will expand out into it's recess in the shell, thus freeing the
pins to turn.

if the sidebar did not expand, you wouldn't be able to remove the key
because the pins wouldn't be able to turn at all.

[Exodus5000]

While thinking about medecos, and working on my primus, I had the thought that both use sidebars, but of a different nature.

Wouldn't it be sorta sweet if a lock were constructed that made use of the angled key pin sidebar on one side of the keyway, and the extra sidebar pins on the other?

That would be untouchable! And very redundant.

[WhiteHat]

hey, just browsing arround e-bay and found this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 80530&rd=1

there 50 medeco (look like cam locks) going for sale there. the auction says 5, but the guy says he meant to type 50..

so if you want a cheap medeco practice lock and you live in the US or canada - this is a good opportunity.

the cam locks don't have driver pins as far as I'm aware, but have slots running the length of the pin for the sidebar.... still good practice for rotating the pins I guess.

there's also a few medeco pin kits going arround if your super interested..... search on medeco on ebay

[xobliam]

Search the patent of any lock out there, including Medeco Diagrams. I have found som e of the most detailed diagrams by searching the patents on keys and locks, including Medeco. Type in the word "medeco" or "ilco" or "schlage" etc and brace yourself for the detail provided.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/search-bool.html

[HeadHunterCEO]

Correct me if i'm wrong. But if a medeco lock is opened with it's corresponding key, would the pins not be properly alligned to the sidebar when the key is removed? Or do you think when you pull the key out i would turn the pins too much.

when you pull the key out the various angled cuts shuffle the pins but very rarely more than a few degrees

because if the pins rotated 180 then the next time you put your key in the pin would sit in the correct rotation but 180 from where yoj want it to be,

thats why when you key them up always put the slot where it should be before you finish assembly

i read this tonight and felt i should be more specific

i tend to find that one side esp at the top of the bottom pin seems to be better cut than on the other side.

i don't know if i have a foul batch of pins or something but i always put the dominant groove on the sidebar side

[xobliam]

Doeas anyone know how to determin the difference in the key if it is a large pin or small pin medeco. Are the heights different.

http://www.pro-lok.com/pages/catalog/catalog.htm