Removing a damaged ESD coin box.

[WagarCat]

I have a Whirlpool washer and dryer coin operated washer and dryer. It looks like some idiot tampered with the locks; I can only get the key in about halfway. The locks are ESD with an elongated front on the box. I check the key hole and can see something is out of place, I tried to pick and push stuff around with a dental type pick but everything seems solid. From what I have read, these ESD locks are secure; I only want to replace the boxes with new ones. How do I get the old boxes out? I have thought about drilling out the four corner lag-bolts(?). Or have read about using a whole saw and taking out the whole center portion but that seems extreme. Or just putting in a big screw driver and forcing it with a pair of vice grips, any ideas? I will also need new boxes with a key, any help?

[catsoup]

You probably aren't going to get very much help on this issue here.

Since you have no posts here, and your story is somewhat vague, your question could just as likely be coming from someone trying to rob a coinop laundromat. Also, destructive entry is discussed here..

Anyway for the time being, call a locksmith, it's not going to be that expensive, since they may be able to save you the cost of repairing or replacing the unit.

[WagarCat]

I understand, thanks. I will keep checking back. I can imagine a lot of people just looking for a fast buck.

[WagarCat]

“My personal biggest pet peeve when it comes to forums is people who don't read rules or do read them and still post sensitive information or ask questions they really shouldn't be.”

I guess if I had read more of the other responses I would know better. Can any of you recommend lock smith in Portland Oregon that isn’t too expensive?

[MBI]

Can any of you recommend lock smith in Portland Oregon that isn’t too expensive?

Not being from that area, I don't know of any specifically, but as a general rule I'd stick with one that has a physical storefront. While it's not always the case, a lot of guys who are mobile lockout-only specialists with no physical address are scam artists who are just out to rip you off.

[WagarCat]

Thanks, now that I think about it, you really can’t tell people how to break into something without knowing them. Sorry to be so naïve. I will give a locksmith a try; or worse comes to worse; I can take all day with it if I need. If I am careful I won’t damage the washer and will just need to buy a news box with key. Thanks for all you thought and advice and not making me fee too stupid.

[Squelchtone]

Thanks, now that I think about it, you really can’t tell people how to break into something without knowing them. Sorry to be so naïve. I will give a locksmith a try; or worse comes to worse; I can take all day with it if I need. If I am careful I won’t damage the washer and will just need to buy a news box with key. Thanks for all you thought and advice and not making me fee too stupid.

ESD resells several lock mechanisms including Medeco, an Abloy style lock, and a double sided wafer. Is your key a half moon C or D shaped key? If so, try to insert key and rotate left and right while at the same time pushing it in deeper. The point of this is to realign the discs inside the lock back to their home position, incase someone did fiddle with them and put them out of alignment.

Good luck and thanks for being really cool about understanding where we come from when we tell folks we can't discuss certain topics.

Squelchtone

[cledry]

A locksmith will get you in that in a few minutes. Save aggravation and pay a local professional. It would be rare to find a locksmith who hasn't opened a few of these.

[raimundo]

squelch got to the answer before I saw this thread,

it is very likely that you have a disc tumbler that is keeping your key out and doing what he said is all it takes to get the key all the way in,
wiggle the key back and forth while lightly pressing it in,

that should solve the problem,

if id dosent, get that locksmith.

do you have a number of these, be sure your using the correct key

[WagarCat]

Thank you all very much; I will give the key wiggling another try before I call a lock smith.

[Squelchtone]

Thank you all very much; I will give the key wiggling another try before I call a lock smith.

It's more like putting key in all the way and rotating 0-180 degree to the left and seeing if key drops in deeper, then going back to 0 and going 0 to 180 clockwise and pressing the key to see if it drops in deeper. Hope this helps, Can you post a photo of the keyhole and shine a flashlight into it? upload it to http://tinypic.com/ and paste the [IMG]photo.jpg link here.

Thanks and good luck,
Squelchtone

[raimundo]

What squelch said, I guess wiggle is not precise, but yeah, a turned tumbler can block the full entry of the key and its easily solved like squelch said, and you may have more than one turned tumbler so you work it out one at a time, really easy to do with your key

[WagarCat]

Hi all, I eventually gained access to the box; wasn’t easy! Found the failure point and the probable cause. Interesting dilemma; I can replace damaged parts, but vulnerability still remains. Ended up replacing the damaged boxes and making physical modifications to the cowling around the coin box. I will purchase a set of lock cores all the same key and replace the damaged locks in the boxes I have and then eventually replace all the locks to be the same. This will give me two extra boxes. The lock cores are way in there!

[Squelchtone]

Hi all, I eventually gained access to the box; wasn’t easy! Found the failure point and the probable cause. Interesting dilemma; I can replace damaged parts, but vulnerability still remains. Ended up replacing the damaged boxes and making physical modifications to the cowling around the coin box. I will purchase a set of lock cores all the same key and replace the damaged locks in the boxes I have and then eventually replace all the locks to be the same. This will give me two extra boxes. The lock cores are way in there!

So which keys or what keyway was it? you've got us in suspense. =) Medeco? Abloy half moon?

Thanks, and thank you for taking the time to come back and follow up, I wish more people did that,
Squelchtone