how to build a "training station"?

[yanksfan]

Datagram, I like your idea. They're like building blocks but with locks and cooler, though mounting locks inside of a "childs" building blocks would be awesome

[Rami]

squelchtone, ever thought of a making a "how to" for the not so great woodworkers? (including me)

[raimundo]

Im thinking that these are just practice boards, with a little artistic help, you could build a coffee table, end table, or lamp that has these in it for a theme, or you could build the thing with the locks hidden under a pull off slider cover. So that you don't have to explain it to everyone who comes into your front room.

[yanksfan]

Im thinking that these are just practice boards, with a little artistic help, you could build a coffee table, end table, or lamp that has these in it for a theme, or you could build the thing with the locks hidden under a pull off slider cover. So that you don't have to explain it to everyone who comes into your front room.

Ah yes, the creative and great mind of Raimundo shows us how creativity and imagination work.

That would be interesting; a coffee table with locks, hmmmm.

[femurat]

I recently saw a couple of posts asking info about a training station, so I dig out this thread and was on the point of linking it as an answer... but then I noticed I've never uploaded the pictures of the finished station. Well, actually the station is not finished, since I've never mounted a knob to complete it, but I'm going to do it in the next future Here is it.





As you can see I've added a screw to hold the cylinder in place. I made the hole on both sides, so the station is usable from both sides.

I simply put it on the table and play. It's simple but useful: the distance between the lock and the "door-frame" is typical so I can test a wrench to cut its handle to size. Even the height of the lock is typical, when the station is on the table, so I COULD practice a "true" lockout situation. But since I'm lazy I prefer to sit down on my chair and play with my arms comfortably resting on the table

Cheers

[Theist17]

I had an idea recently that would integrate datagram's blocks into a station like the one you've made here, femurat.

Make the blocks, cut holes appropriately sized for the blocks, and have a small shelf (like a length of 1" square) with set screws for holding the block still. This would allow for an easy and attractive system for training with several locks. Also attach a hasp or two for padlocks.

[Flatline]

Couple of weeks late, but I figured things like this are worth sharing. I mentioned to my friend that I wanted something with a couple of holes for locks to practice on and he told me he could whip something up in no time. I forgot that he works at a lumber yard/door company! Good guy to have around .

Here's what he made for me:

Front


Side/back

Don't worry about that BiC box, it's for mechanical pencils

Top


Here is a link to ITS that inspired me to make one of these: http://www.itstactical.com/2010/10/29/h ... ctice-set/

Nothing fancy unlike squelchtone's gorgeous set up (color me jealous!), but it works. Down the road maybe I'll make something pretty.

[edsmiley]

Man these things look great. The first time I really notice a how to was the ITS site that Flatline linked to. What I would like would be something that is on the smaller end, but all inclusive to what I typically pick. Maybe a knob, deadbolt, mortise, and a place to hand a padlock.

Great job guys!
Ed

[Puzzles101]

I'm just starting the lockpicking hobby, I have picks on the way and want to do something like this. I am thinking 1 deadbolt, 1 doorknob and 1 padlock on maybe an eyebolt. I just need advice on brands, possibly model #'s. Thanks in advance.

[edsmiley]

I'm just starting the lockpicking hobby, I have picks on the way and want to do something like this. I am thinking 1 deadbolt, 1 doorknob and 1 padlock on maybe an eyebolt. I just need advice on brands, possibly model #'s. Thanks in advance.

Are you looking for brands of deadbolts, doorknobs, etc? Plenty of threads describing good brands for new pickers. Take a look around the stickies in the Lock Picking 101 Information section. As a beginner, probably something you could pick up at your local home improvement store such as Kwikset, Schlage, Defiant, etc.

Think about getting something that you can remove the pins from the cylinder to allow you to practice on 2, 3, 4 pins to get a feel of the binding pins as you apply tension. There are plenty of posts talking about this subject too.

There is a wealth of information on the forum, searching is the key and will get you to all the information you need as a beginner.

Good luck!
Ed

[femurat]

I'm having a hard time playing with oval cylinders: they're difficult to keep in hand since they're shorter than a cylinder. I came up with this simple solution: a holder to keep them in hand.
I took a 6 cm x 4 cm piece of wood I had laying around and cut it about 7 cm long. Then I drilled two holes with a 2 cm diameter bit, making a 8 shaped hole. One was about a cm deeper that the other, to allow some space for the back of the plug. Then i took away the remaining material with a small chisel. Drilled a hole for one of the 2 screws to keep it in place.
I may remove the corners and sand it, but for now here it is.









Since we are here, enjoy a picture of the assa's pins



Cheers

[IndigoChild]

This may be an odd question but how long are your tension wrenches if the frame gets in the way. Granted I have long tensors but I usually move the tensor to the side the frame isnt on. But I still cant imagine it getting in the way.

[femurat]

Hey IndigoChild, that's exactly the purpose of the training station: to simulate a real life picking situation. Hence the "door frame" very close to the lock. This allows me to cut the wrench long enough to turn the plug, but short enough to rotate the plug one full turn.
Since I prefer long and stiff wrenches, I usually pick the lock with it and then remove it and turn the plug with a shorter one.
I like TOK tension so with this euro lock my wrench would go down where there's plenty of space. If the lock is mounted the other way, with pins going up like you do on the other side of the pond, the doorknob would be a problem.

Cheers

[IndigoChild]

Ok so your looking to find the best length for your wrenches so they are universal in their length but still long enough to get the right torque. My favorite tension wrenches, HPC pick gun tensor and the Rytan fork wrench neither are longer than 3 inches haha.

[Luissen]

I've noticed when trying to cut my own wrenches, even the shortest one I made, a 4 inch one, still bumps up against the frames of doors. I wonder if the friends who volunteered their doorframes for the R&D of my set just have close spacing, or if this is a normal frustrating occurance