Mortise cylinders

[TheMikeMan]

I'm trying to mount mortise cylinders onto a lockboard. I have only the cylinders, but not the other hardware. whats the best and easiest way to get the cylinders onto the board without damaging them? I have a 1-1/8 inch forstner bit and it drills the hole so close to the diameter of the threads that you have to force the cylinder in. Any suggestions?

[Shrub]

Do just that, drill your hole and screw the lock in to it, if its not that tight wrap some tape around the lock and push it in, you shouldnt be useing that much tension so the lock shouldnt sping in the wood.

[specialist]

Shrub's idea will probably work pretty good. If you really wanted to secure it, you could check around and see if anybody has the nut that is typically used with mortise cylinders. Or, you could put a screw through the side of the board, and turn it into a make-shift set screw. Hope this helps.

Specialist

[TheMikeMan]

But to screw it in, you would have to use a wrench or something. That damaged a lock that I tested to see how well it would react, and also, bashing it into the hole with a deadblow mallet only further destroyed the lock. (don't worry, this happened before you guys posted, so it's not your fault.). I don't know what else to try.

[TheMikeMan]

Do all mortice cylinders have the same thread? Because if they do, I could use the one I beat up today to tap the holes for all of the others. That would mean that no other cylinders would suffer much damage.

[vector40]

Open up the hole with a file.

[devildog]

Duck tape is your friend

[Chrispy]

Drill/ream a hole for the cylinders so that they are a tight fit then pop down to your local locksmith and buy some escutcheons* (if you're lucky, the nice locksmith might just give them to you.)



* Escutcheons are a small metal sleeve that fits around the cylinder to hide the hole in the wood/metal/whatever and make the door look nice and pretty.

Some of the designer ones are around $15.00 AUD, but the cheapos are under $3.00. The locksmith might have some old ones in a brass bin or something.

[TheMikeMan]

do most mortice cylinders have the same thread sizes?

Can I just use the one I already broke to tap the holes for the others?

[Shrub]

If your other locks look the same size then they wil be the same thread, its only wood your using so i dont see the problem, in your OP you said that it was just a tight fit, why youve damaged a lock doing it i dont know, you should be able to do it by hand or else your hole is far too small.

Use a file as said of sand paper and make that hole bigger, if you make it a bit too big then as said use some tape around it or the best solution is to go and get a back nut for it.

There shouldnt be a problem, if you have a bit try wiggleing it side to side and up and down quite a bit when drilling and then you will find it makes a bigger hole.

Didnt you think to stop when you started damageing the lock? i would have done i wouldnt have carried on until the lock is totally unuseable.

[TheMikeMan]

channel locks were used, thats what caused damage. time to find some rubber jawed thingy!

[Shrub]

So the lock should still be useable then and look better if you was to file off the jaw marks

[TheMikeMan]

yeah, it should, but I was just going to tap the holes with the "cosmetically flawed" one so that the others would be able to just screw in easily. This should work well.

[Shrub]

Well maybe, but unless your useing a hard wood like beech or oak you should be able to screw the cylinder in with your hand, if it wont with some effort then the hole is too small and you wont get it in with vice grips, mole grips, plumbers grips, monkey wrench, vice or any other simular type of tool, enlarge the hole a bit more then try again.