My very own clam kit

[Abus]

Since I have it for one of my other hobbies, I've used cerrosafe alloy for clam-kit castings. Works wildly better than solder, etc.

Now, I believe that the cerrosafe sold by Brownells has some lead and cadmium in it, but frankly, as long as one isn't eating off the stuff, I wouldn't worry about it. Wash your hands, or wear gloves, and think about where dust is going if you machine it.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ ... aspx?p=384

[Jaakko]

If you guys want to make your own metal mixture, here is a very good source for information. At the bottom of the page is alist of metals components. You should be lookin at the metals that melt under 212 F (or 100 C) and for cheap and easy way you should avoid cadmium and indium.

Bismuth is used in hunting shells in place of lead, especially in duck hunting, so that is a good source of bismuth. A little warning though, it ay contain a small amount of tin. For example, I could get bismuth rounds that contain 4% tin and 96% bismuth, so that should be taken into account in calculations if necessary, otherwise the mixturew won't melt at the desired temperature.

http://www.gizmology.net/fusiblemetals.htm

[Safety0ff]

Awesome link Jaakko, I'm going to save that one. Thanks!

[WOT]

Not to sound like a total noob, but what is a clam kit and what is it used for?

A clam kit is one way to duplicate a key, ideally when you only have access to the original key for a short period of time. The clam kit consists of a folding box with clay (play-doh in this kit) on either side, and some sort of metal with a low melting point. you place the key into the box and press it together, forming a mold of the key. Then you take the key out, press it back together and pour the heated liquid metal into the mold so it will take the shape of the original key. The resulting key will be weak and you shouldn't use it in the actual lock, but it does give you something to use to make a proper duplicate key, without having to have the original key.

I see little use in duplicating pin and tumbler keys when the blank is readily available.

Just take caliper readings and re-originate it or use a key gauge. Why introduce additional unnecessary error?(from wear on the original key itself +clamming error duplication error)

Also, I don't believe clam shelling will duplicate Everest type keys as you can't get the undercutting.

The whole point of clamming is to duplicate a hard to get blank, so you can later duplicate it on something like the Easy-Entrie. Even then there's a good chance duplication is unlawful as the key you're trying to duplicate maybe protected by a current utility patent.

[vitti]

but that doesn't mean it's not fun.

[clubdesi]

gave this a shot with both the clay and playdoh

turns out the clay did make a much better impression because i think it held together/tighter

the play doh just couldn't keep together for me and was making a mess

just my two cents

[Safety0ff]

Has anyone tried casting a key out of polymers rather than metal? I was going to get some supplies today but the hobby shop was closed when I arrived

[MacGnG1]

speaking of polymers, they have those binary epoxys at like home depot. you mix the 2 liquids together and they become solid in a few minutes. not sure how well that would work, but im just throwing that out there. they come in a syringe/needle kinda thing. seems that you could just inject the clam mold with the stuff. just a thought

[dougfarre]

It would never ever work, the polymers are much too viscous before they dry.

[dougfarre]

Well, I was referring to the epoxy.

[bumber]

It would never ever work, the polymers are much too viscous before they dry.

you can mix them with more resin than hardener and that would/could give you up to twice as much drying time, although never doing it before I couldn't say how much longer it would take.(if it even ever would dry)

That makes me wonder about fiberglass resin, that stuff is kinda thin and doesnt take too long to dry...but I do know if you mix up a whole kit, it will get hot enough to boil water and completly dry in less than a minute ...all still be really hot

[dougfarre]

you can mix them with more resin than hardener and that would/could give you up to twice as much drying time, although never doing it before I couldn't say how much longer it would take.(if it even ever would dry)

That makes me wonder about fiberglass resin, that stuff is kinda thin and doesnt take too long to dry...but I do know if you mix up a whole kit, it will get hot enough to boil water and completly dry in less than a minute ...all still be really hot

It still wouldn't work.

[Safety0ff]

It would never ever work, the polymers are much too viscous before they dry.

Why would that be a bad thing? Air would escape and you'd get good detail reproduction when it cures.

you can mix them with more resin than hardener and that would/could give you up to twice as much drying time, although never doing it before I couldn't say how much longer it would take.(if it even ever would dry)

Yea, and you'd get something that would never cure properly. You'd probably have you put it in a oven for a long time (not your kitchen oven, fumes bad.) I don't know whether you're talking about polyester or epoxy resins here, nevertheless...

That makes me wonder about fiberglass resin, that stuff is kinda thin and doesnt take too long to dry...but I do know if you mix up a whole kit, it will get hot enough to boil water and completly dry in less than a minute ...all still be really hot

You wouldn't want it to get that hot, it won't turn out well. I highly doubt it would take less than a minute. Usually polyester resins take hours before they even gel and then much more time after that to cure. You might be able to find castable urethanes that'll gel in about 45-90 seconds, but curing will take a few minutes.


There last point I want to make is that these resins GEL and then they CURE, they don't simply "dry."

[bumber]

You wouldn't want it to get that hot, it won't turn out well. I highly doubt it would take less than a minute. Usually polyester resins take hours before they even gel and then much more time after that to cure. You might be able to find castable urethanes that'll gel in about 45-90 seconds, but curing will take a few minutes.

Well I was talking about the little fiberglass repair kits you get at wal-mart for like $11, and when you mix the whole kit it CURES faster than you can stir it and get your stick out(and would SIZZLE water I put on it)....I have done this when repairing a boat and thought I could just mix up the whole thing to use instead of making 5 little batches(which you are supposed to do ) Anyway...I was just posting as a safty warning if nothing else...

[Safety0ff]

I forgot to mention, polyester resin shrinks 7-10% during curing, so it wouldn't work well.