Copying Medeco Keys

[raimundo]

When metal is cast, it turns from the hot liquid state to the cold solid state, in the process, it also shrinks, a little bit, so if one made a cast and a copy of the cast, with like a silicon molding compound and lostwax casting there would be a significant reduction in size in the second generation of copy.
Medeco makes a number of different key blanks, but they are all varients of the same family, the difference is minimal, and such blanks can be carved to thinner blanks in just the right places with a very sharp burin (grooving or gouging engravers tool) and made to fit. This works because the blank will work if made a little thinner, its not like the old carpenters joke, 'boss I cut it three times and its still too short"

[muscleboy34]

Thanks kodierer, that pdf file you gave me was great.

[deciBell]

You could buy a new Medeco lock
(preferably of the same type/keyway) and replace
the core with pins.
If you got a core with the same keyway you can even master-key it,
than even your landlord's key will fit.
Now you have several spare-keys AND a code-card to get as many keys you like.

[raimundo]

descibel has a really good Idea to fit the situation. consider that carefully

[vector40]

Er... you lost me on "replace the core with pins." Huh?

[deciBell]

Er... you lost me on "replace the core with pins." Huh?

maybe beter was "replace the core including the pins."

As in: leave the lock (housing) original.
But replace the core (=cylindrical and turnable part of the lock that is in direct contact with the key and that contains the pointed (lower-)pins that determin the validity of the key.

If you manage to get a lock with the same keyway you just have to replace the core-pins (=lower-pins)
When lucky you might even be able to get from a friendly lockie a set with keys, pins and code-card.
fi a set like: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3870014917
In this case the landlord might wonder why his key doesn't work anymore.
hope this explains it enough.
Good luck,
dB

[vector40]

Any reason why he'd need to replace the plug to do that? Couldn't he just repin the one already there?

[deciBell]

Replace the plug if the new set has an other keyway.
Leave the plug (and no-one sees the 'modification') if you are lucky to get a set with te same keyway.

[raimundo]

replaceing the entire core is just the easiest way to do it, and the reason is that by using the core from the new lock, he will have a key to it. He is using this on his door, so he can use the one with thelost key as a picking practice lock.

[Varjeal]

Hmmm....let me see....how can I say this politely......

#1. Duplicating a restricted and patented key without written permission from the manufacturer and/or locksmith who has rights to the particular keyway is illegal.

#2. Depending on the law in your particualr area, you may have the right to replace the lock, return the original to the building manager along with a copy of a key to your new lock. The usual clause states that you cannot permanently modify the door to accept the new lock and it must be possible for the old one to be reinstalled with affecting the appearance or function of the door.

#3. Depending on the law and the wording of your tenant contract/lease, you may not have that right, and thus are obligated to pay the $200. If two keys were not provided to you upon your rental/lease, I think you have the right to ask for a second for free. If you want more than the two, then I feel you should pay them. $200/key sounds extreme....is that basically a refundable deposit or no? Some places do that to insure that when the tenant leaves all the keys come back. If they do not then the manager has to hire a lockie to come and recode the lock and supply two keys, in which case that $200 isn't out of line.

[deciBell]

Of course one has to observe local laws!
And also any agreement made with the landlord.
#2. If you keep the original parts you could (and should) return the lock to its original state after ending your lease.

[muscleboy34]

A.) I couldn't replace the locks if I wanted to as I live in a building that has 36 other units.

B.) I'll be if I'm going to allow my landlord to hold $400 of my money and earn interest on it, which I might add I will never see a penny of. On a conservative estimate, there are roughly 45 tenents in the building all with a key. At $200 per key, this guy is collecting interest on $9000 every month and that is just my building; he owns 12.

[raimundo]

Are you sure he owns all twelve muscleboy, I lived in a building with the landlords office in the basement and 13 different corporate entities on the mailbox, the landlord owned 4 of them, the rest, as some dumpster reseach showed, were owned by dominion investments of nassaw bahamas, the clean cycle of a money laundry that also used 'the royal bank of scotland of nassau bahamas. It seems that a huge amount of money is laundered, and the idea is not to pile it up in a third world vault, but to put it in real estate In the US. this leaves the landlord feeling like a poor little millionaire who is not getting enough exploitation from the tenants of the buildings he manages, so he whacks excessive and growing fees on every possible thing. He especially likes to keep security deposits. These are all the little extras where money goes straight to his pocket without registering with the company or the taxman. If he keeps a shredder, he will not shred the thick carboard envelopes from 'express mail' and sometimes he will throw out unshredded paper that he hasn't checked to see what it shows. You could learn a lot about his scams, and I do mean scams.