Copying Medeco Keys

by **muscleboy34** » 9 Mar 2005 23:26

I wish to get more copies of my apartment key but refuse to pay my landlord $200.00 for every key I need. Is there anyway that I can get copies of my Medeco key made or if that's not possible then instruct me on how to do it myself?[/b]

by **HeadHunterCEO** » 9 Mar 2005 23:31

i like his pricing
does that come with a tube of astroglide?

by **TOWCH** » 10 Mar 2005 0:21

You could make your own with some metal stock and a dremel. It isn't easy though.

by **Romstar** » 10 Mar 2005 0:31

Find a sypathetic locksmith, and explain your plight.

$200.00 for a key is insane.

Romstar

by **Mr Ules** » 10 Mar 2005 6:53

Is it possible to buy the keyblank. I've encountered medeco's myself and I'd soon cut the key myself than worry about those dam $200.00 deposites.
Romstar, since we both live in Canada, how would I obtain such a key in this country??

by **raimundo** » 10 Mar 2005 9:51

Some medeco keyblanks are available, but if the lock has a locksmiths proprietary name on it like medeco on one side of the blank and FLOYDS on the other side, that is a proprietary keyway medeco has sold to the locksmith and while medeco may have sold it to another locksmith far away, it would be a difficult blank to get. however other standard medeco keyblanks can be modified with a burin, or some milling set up, I have made a medeco key out of a non medeco blank, and cut it to fit, but I was working as a jeweler at the time, (15 years ago) and had plenty of needle files and measuring equipment, and I had the lock apart on the bench, so I was fitting it with the plug and pins in hand.

by **Mr Ules** » 10 Mar 2005 18:36

interesting, but if the key had sidemilling, could you get a blank for that lock???

by **SFGOON** » 12 Mar 2005 16:02

Ules is on the right track with this one, let me add to it. Medeco locks have very restriced keyways, and can come in a wide variety of shapes. Some large institutions have a unique key shape that no other medeco keyway has. Even if you were able to get blanks, they are likely not to fit in the keyway. There are kits that use plasticine to quickly copy keys, though the durabiliy of them is qustionable. Do a search on this site and you'll probably be able to find what I'm referring to.

by **digital_blue** » 12 Mar 2005 23:23

Here's a thought... what do you suppose the landlord would do if you showed up at his door one day and gave him a copy of the key for the new lock that you just installed? Go buy a semi-decent lock and replace the medeco. Give the medeco back to the landlord when you give him a copy of the key and tell him that if he needs additional copies, you only charge $75.

db

by **digital_blue** » 12 Mar 2005 23:25

BTW, I don't think the plastescene key duplication thing would work very well because the materials you would use to cast are soft metals with low melt points. They are fine to duplicate from with a key machine, but not strong enough to use on their own.

db

by **kodierer** » 12 Mar 2005 23:53

goto the Medeco website, and find out who in your area is authorized to cut a medeco key for you.

by **feend** » 12 Mar 2005 23:55

Hi, I would as above, hit up a nice locksmith. We use our own version Medeco key planks at work. There are alot of different versions and not all can be easily had.
Second, more interesting option is to mill your own key.
I would try a vestment cast of the key. If done properly it will need only minor finishing to be functional. You could try to melt some regular key blanks for the metal.
I have not tried this yet but I'm sure it could be done. Since you have the key, and time to work on it you should be able to make something that would work...

by **kodierer** » 12 Mar 2005 23:56

http://snow.prohosting.com/sieben77/cia ... al_pdf.zip
There are ways to chemically strenghten a metal once this is done. I will look in my Chem book, and see what I can find

by **muscleboy34** » 26 Mar 2005 10:48

Thanks for all the responses, I'm looking into everyone's suggestions and by the way...no the deposit did not come with a bottle of lube but for those prices it should at least come with a keyring from Tiffany's :lol:

by **chopitup** » 26 Mar 2005 12:59

If you made a cast with soft metal, couldn't you make another mold (or just use the original key) and use plaster of paris which would allow you to use a stronger metal in casting? Blow torch and a crucible and I would think you would be able to cast a fairly strong key, though it would probably take a bit of filing to fine tune.

Copying Medeco Keys

Copying Medeco Keys

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