need to pick a tubular lock on a washing machine

[mackpeterson]

Hello. This is a terrific site that I found when looking for the answer to a specific question, but it looks like I may have also found a new hobby! I apologize in advance if the answer is in another thread or if I am posting in the wrong forum. I did search, but did not find the specific information I need. Basically, I have taken on the role of the "super" in my apartment complex. There are five washers and dryers, each with coin boxes. I have the keys to the pull out coin collection boxes, but one of the machine's coin sliders is jammed. There is an access panel with a tubular lock, like those on a bicycle U lock. I am hoping to open the access panel and to be easily able to dislodge whatever is causing the jam, but I never got a copy of the key or any of the the tubular keys to the access panels, just the keys that go into the front of the coin box to empty the quarters.

How difficult would it be for a TOTAL noob to get into a lock like this? I found a tubular lock pick and an article on the topic here:
http://www.itstactical.com/skillcom/loc ... k-picking/
Is there a way to determine how many pins my lock has? Am I even barking up the right tree? Any advice is appreciated.

Our building is pretty cash strapped, so we are always looking to save money. If there were a way to DIY this without calling a professional, I would be willing to put in the time to learn if it could save us a few bucks.

If it would help, I could post a picture of the locks.

Thanks in advance,
Mack

[Squelchtone]

Hello,

You'll have to bite the bullet and either call the company who installed the washers and coin op mechanisms or call a local locksmith to pick it and make you a key. We usually do not post instructions on how to get into washers and dryers or vending machines because while we might help you today, down the road others will read these posts and we may accidentally be teaching a bad guy or one of your tenants how to also get into a machine.

I've set up surveillance video in the past at a very run down apartment complex laundry room where we ended up finding out that one of the female tenants actually slept with a locksmith who lived at the apartment complex and in return he made her a key to the access panel so she could just press the switch to start a load of laundry instead of putting quarters in the slider.

The learning curve is pretty high as well, this isn't something you could learn in a day or a week, and you'd need special tools to make it worth while and the tool costs $75 bucks, so might as well spend it on a locksmith. looks like its even more than $75, a locksmith is starting to look real good: http://www.southord.com/Lock-Picking-To ... PXA-7.html

good luck,
Squelchtone

[mackpeterson]

Thanks for the quick reply. I totally understand about not wanting to provide thieves information. I actually suspect that one of our machines might be tinkered with. Works fine, but seems to never fill up with coins like the others. There may be some quarter recycling going on by someone who figured out how to pop out the coin collection box... I know a good locksmith in the neighborhood, I was just hoping there might be an easy trick, since it is probably just a matter of time before the other machines have similar problems and replacing all the mechanisms will run into money. We actually have a management company that should be responsible for getting the machines fixed, but they are useless and don't answer the phone or respond to emails... Grrrr...

Anyways, thanks again for your time!

[mcsteve]

Though the coin vault locks on coin-op laundry machines are generally high-security, the access panel on top of the housing usually uses a less secure lock and frequently a fairly standard key. If its got a code number on it, give your local coin-op laundry vendor a call. BDS here in Minnesota will often just give me a service key free of charge as long as they know that I have a legitimate need for it for one of the rental properties I maintain.

Hopefully I haven't said more than I should, but I'm sure the mods will let me know if I have...

[daniel22747]

I was just hoping there might be an easy trick, since it is probably just a matter of time before the other machines have similar problems and replacing all the mechanisms will run into money.

These locks can be picked with hair pins and another cheap tool (won't say what it is in this forum). However, you need to be a good picker to do it.

You are best off just hiring a locksmith to handle this.

Also the cheaper tubular lock picks out there (costing about $80) often won't work on some of better made tubular locks, like the Ace II. For those you would need to pick it by hand, requiring great skill, or buy one of the really expensive tubular lock picks ($400).