Tubular Success - How to make a key (suggestions...)

[alarmsun]

There is a handheld tool called the "Herty Gerty" from A1 Security Manufacturing. It will originate tubular keys of several sizes and offsets. It is the least expensive commercial device I've seen for originating tubular keys. I've seen them used several places but they aren't cheap.

I would suspect that one of the more creative souls on this board has come up with a way to originate tubular keys but I haven't seen it.



Here's the instructions. It's fully manual and simple to use.
http://www.demanda1.com/01product/techdoc/HG1.pdf

HPC also makes a kit to go on their code cutting machines to originate tubular keys.


I'll bet if you made some depth keys for the "original" side of a duplicator machine, and some sort of holder/adapter on the "copy" side of a machine, you could make reasonable original keys.

Here's what a tubular duplicator looks like. This one was listed online for $99.00 a while back:


With a handful of depth keys, you could cut a new key. This type duplicator could probably be home made with a drill chuck holding the key...

Maybe some sort of vise/holder and an end mill cutter in a drill press. If you could rotate the drill press table the correct amount and then advance the cutter to cutter to the correct depth...

Just thinking out loud... Good Luck!

TODB