Just got back from Minneapolis

[digital_blue]

Hey folks! I figured I'd post this in here 'cause it's sorta meetup-related.

I got back in from Minneapolis last night. I spent the better part of Saturday in a pseudo-locksport meeting. In attendance was my friend Lyle (who has some moderate picking interest but mostly came along with me for the trip), our own raimundo, and GateTwelve, plus Gate's lovely fiance (sp?).

What a great time! Ray was a tremendous "host" for the event. He secured a meeting room in a cafe called "The Wolved Den" near downtown Minneapolis. From around noon until 7:30 pm or so we mucked around with some locks, swapped stories, and generally had a good ol' time.

Some highlights of the event:
- I got very well aquainted with the disassembly and reassembly of an abloy. Mental note, when the clip is off and the lock is sitting face down on the table, don't pick it up by the stem.... 9 times...

- Lyle, who as I mentioned is only moderately interested in picking, managed to pop a particularily challenging Brinks padlock. Better than I could do... way to go Lyle!

- After crawling around on hands and knees for several minute, we discovered that the Tubar springs we so desprately wanted to find were actually still in the bible. Again... (my bad )

- I successfully reassembled said Tubar to a fully functioning state (the key even worked... fancy that). Cool little challenge.

- We all learned the proper pronounciation for the infamous Bogota picks. (Evidently bo-go-TAH... like the place...go figure... ) and took some home to boot!

- GateTwelve showed us his cutaway Western Electric locks he's fashined up with a plexi face plate. Very nice work! WTG Gate! I've got some work ahead of me now.

- Every one of us were systematically defeated by the "easy" lock that Ray brought along for beginners.

- Lot's of fun discussion of the cultural differences between us despite our relatively close geographic proximity, eh?

- Then day culminated in a fun little experiment that involved a medeco padlock and thermite. Yes. Honest to goodness thermite. As soon as I get ahold of a digital camera this week I'll post some pics of the results.

These are the highlights that stand out in my head. I'm sure I've missed some great moments. Ray, thanks again for a great time! Minneapolis is a great city (despite the absurdity of trying to navigate when you don't know where exactly you're going). Great meeting you all! Great times!

db

[pip]

.

so
now can we assume that thermite
is a bonafide lockpicking accessory

[digital_blue]

OMG USE THERMITE!!!

Well, with all the talk of thermite around here, how can you pass up the opportunity to have a little fire show. It was actually quite fun. We did things in a controlled environment and it was all done safely.

Having said that... kids... don't try this at home.

db

[Chrispy]

Sounds like you had a good time. Itching to see the pics . Especially the thermite..... Welcome back.

[Mad Mick]

Soooo, who was the thermite technician?

*DB dances round a pile of molten locks, to the tune of...The Prodigy - Firestarter.*

[digital_blue]

Naw... we left the semi-dangerous stuff to the veteran. But I did learn that windshield washer fluid will suffice to cool down very hot metal.

db

[n2oah]

I am going to be in Minneapolis this weekend...too bad I missed all of the fun. THERMITE

[GateTwelve]

Wow, we had a great time. I was only there for the final half of the visit ( map reading impediment I have). A big thanks to raimundo for the goodies *clutches boh-go-tah picks firmly in hand*.

Ummm...I wouldn't really call anyone in our group a "thermite technician", based on the results we got.

It was definately great to actually see who you are interacting on the site. So, in short: it was awesome to finally meet you guys!

[raimundo]

The thermite in question was 3 of those little light blue plastic capsules with the red tops, They had been around here for years waiting for an occasion to use them. Somehow, they did not produce the white light that the railroad guys who use them get. I asked the guy who gave them to me, where he had gotten them, and he told me that he got them from some pyromaniac he knew years back, someone who made homemade stuff and used it. perhaps these capsules were refills.

[raimundo]

If twelve gate could make a very short video of his western electric locks and post it on this site, it would be soooo Coool Seeing the parts move is so much better than just seeing the parts.

[TOWCH]

I took that as an invitation and made one. I just uploaded it to Google's new video service and will post a link once it's been verified.

[TOWCH]

Direct Link: http://video.google.com/videopreviewbig?q=%22Western+Electric%22+playable%3Atrue&time=0&page=1&docid=8396015402796022939&urlcreated=1125565852&chan=Uploaded&prog=Western+Electric&date=Wed+Jul+27+2005+at+9%3A38+AM+PDT

You can also just search google video for western electric.
Sorry it took so long. Google takes forever to verify submissions.

[digital_blue]

Bah! No mac support for the google viewer. Freakin' Microsoft's freakin' total world domination.

And what's with this google viewer thing anyway? Is there something wrong with just hosting a video and making it simple? Sheesh!

And while I'm ranting... what's with these people who insist on pushing the obviously illuminated elevator button? Like it's gonna come faster now that it "knows" there's two people waiting! Come on! And photo radar! If this isn't freakin' Orwellian population control I don't know what is! And gas prices! Crude oil goes up overnight and suddenly the same gas that was sitting in the tank at my local station last night is suddenly worth more. And 7up's bombardment with new mediocre flavours. Don't even get me started on those!

Glad I got that off my chest. Stupid google...



db

[stick]

The fluctuation of gas prices is easily explained. The rest boggle the mind. Especially 7-up.

[n2oah]

BRING ON THE THERMITE, D_B!