Switch positions on HPC Electropick

by **vector40** » 7 Mar 2005 22:32

So my Electropick came :cool:

Very swank.

The directions are a little spotty, though, and I was wondering if any of you could clarify something... the activation switch on this (and this is the newer model, with the fat orange handle) has three positions -- one in the middle which is "lock," and two in either direction, which allow you to press it and start the motor.

I'm not sure if there's a difference between the two settings, though. I wouldn't think so, but one has a little arrow pointing upward (toward the front of the gun) engraved on it, and the other has an identical arrow pointing downward.

Any ideas? The action seems to be pretty much the same in both settings.

by **MrB** » 7 Mar 2005 22:53

Perhaps it was built around a cordless screwdriver? Lock, forward and reverse would then make a lot of sense. The arrow pointing towards the front of the gun would be for putting screws in, and the reverse arrow for taking screws out.

by **vector40** » 7 Mar 2005 23:02

Actually, that seems somewhat reasonable. The handle itself is stamped as Black & Decker.

by **Romstar** » 10 Mar 2005 0:56

I don't know how many times I have to repeat this.

The HPC Electropick is now, and always was a modified Black & Decker cordless screwdriver.

That's all it is.

The nose cone contains the mechanism that translates the rotation of the motor into the up and down motion required to pick locks.

Your arrows are exactly as MrB stated. Originally they meant forward and reverse. Now, they don't matter at all.

Romstar

by **vector40** » 10 Mar 2005 1:56

Thanks, Rom.

By the way, I've noticed that the throw adjustment knob on here is really extraordinarily sensitive. Or, well, that's not quite right -- what I mean is that, while it adjusts throughout the range smoothly, most of that range is either so small that the blade doesn't even move, or so large that it'd be bigger than most keyways. The actual useful range is TINY, and a miniscule adjustment of the knob has a huge effect.

I wonder how feasible it would be to take the head apart and perhaps adjust the knob... has anyone disassembled one of these?

by **Romstar** » 10 Mar 2005 11:00

Either they designed it that way, or you have a messed up screw.
Originally, the screw used to be nothing but a stop. The lower it was, the less the pick traveled, and the higher it was, the more it traveled. I don't know if they changed that, but it is possible they connected the darn thing to the spring.

In any case, it's not that hard to take apart if you have any decent mechanical ability.

If it is like the old ones, and simply moves up and down working as a "bumper" than you may have a bad screw. Otherwise, you would need to re-tap the hole for a finer thread screw.

Try to get used to the way ot works now, and if that doesn't happen, then resort to tearing into it. Remember, it is still under warrenty until you rip it apart.

Romstar

by **cred** » 11 Mar 2005 5:43

hi,
got my hpc pick yesterday cant get any locks picked with it yet!.
ray :wink:

p.s can you get white finger using this pick :lol:

by **cred** » 12 Mar 2005 7:43

update on the pick,picked a couple of cheap euros but no luck with the likes of yale/union ect.
p.s the sterling locks just fall open as soon as you press the button!!!

by **EvoRed** » 12 Mar 2005 8:08

Cred, when it finally clicks and you get your head around using it properly, most Union's, ISEO's, Yale's etc. will open pretty quickly too. And some budget brands, as you say, fall open as soon as the button's pressed!

Make sure you have quite a lot of bounce, I think my needle bounces about 8-10mm most of the time, but you do have to vary it sometimes. Don't push it in too far, but enough to cover the pins. Make sure the needle's bouncing the pins and not off the ridges of the keyway so vary your angle from cylinder to cylinder. Give it blasts of, say, 10 seconds and then reset all pins and give it another blast. When tensioning make sure you keep feathering the tension on and off, so you're constantly jumping out of anti-picks... This all works for me.

Good luck!

by **EvoRed** » 12 Mar 2005 8:15

Oh, and start off with the needle at the top of the pins so roughly in the centre of the keyway and adjust the height and angle as necessary...

by **cred** » 12 Mar 2005 8:24

thanx for that m8 i will give it a try :wink:

by **toomush2drink** » 12 Mar 2005 11:10

Also dont be afraid to thin down the needle with a dremmel a little, for tight keyways. Ive found if you thin it down so its like an upside down triangle, with the base hitting the pins and the apex pointing down in the lock, it retains a lot of strength unless you drop it.
Bouncing th tension wrench and also moving your finger up and down the tension wrench can all help to master this tool.Once you get it adjusted right locks will just start opening no problem but it still takes practice.

by **cred** » 12 Mar 2005 11:53

been trying again this afternoon
opened most of my euros and opened a yale and era cylinder

thanx
ray :wink:

by **vector40** » 12 Mar 2005 19:23

Been playing with mine, too. It's certainly no magic wand. And it seems to be true that you need much more throw than I would have thought.

Do you guys use yours upside-down or right-side-up (needlewise)? I haven't gotten a single lock open without turning it over.

by **cred** » 13 Mar 2005 2:38

never opened one by turning it upside down yet,
but as you say you need a lot more bounce than expected.
i seem to be able to open locks whilst holding in my hand practicing,but i have a yale cylinder on my front door,but cant seem to open it in the door,weird!
ray

Switch positions on HPC Electropick

Switch positions on HPC Electropick

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