Key machine setup

[jdeacon]

Oh dear. I must be being thick this morning.

I've got myself a little portable, light-use, Tempest key cutter/copier machine, as mentioned by a couple of people hereabouts. I'm very pleased with it. Very sturdy (apart from the size of the motor, as warned and expected) and it seems to be pretty accurate.

I want to change it over to do a lever-lock key. There are no instructions. I'm guessing it's the plain cutter rather than the wedge-shaped cutter; and I'm guessing it's the plain, thin guide rather than the wedge-shaped guide. However, at maximum (or minimum depending on how you look at it) adjustment, I can't get the guide in to the same depth as the cutter.

I tried put the pin key cutter and guide back in, with no problem. I put two blanks in and was able to get it properly adjusted, but with the lever cutter and guide and a couple of blanks, I can't seem to get it to the correct adjustment.

I've checked that the lever key blanks are the same and are in the same positions in their vices.

[Shrub]

Youll have to show a pic with the problem, you must have somthing the wrong way round, do the vices turn round to hold differant blanks and youve got one turned?

Show a pic and we may be able to sort it for you.

I cant tell from the pic in the sks cat but you may find somthing on the net somwhere with a better pic so you can see if there are any differances.

[jdeacon]

Here's the setup for pin cylinder keys, which works fine:
[Warning: all these images are over 100K; they're more like 200K]

http://www.larkhallservices.co.uk/locks ... 170009.JPG

Here's the same setup in the calibration position - perfect.

http://www.larkhallservices.co.uk/locks ... 170010.JPG

Here's the gauge and cutter that I think are for lever lock keys. I haven't put on the adjustment ring, as that only serves to bring the gauge towards us. The problem is that the gauge is too far towards us before we start. And the gauge is hard against its pillar.

http://www.larkhallservices.co.uk/locks ... 170007.JPG

Here's the other view. It's probably difficult to see, but the cutter isn't touching the blank when the gauge is touching its blank.

http://www.larkhallservices.co.uk/locks ... 170008.JPG

The vices can be swivelled, and I have checked that they are both pointing the same way.

Much appreciated if anyone can see what I'm doing wrong, and provide my "Doh!" moment for today.

(And I'm going back, right now, to put the safety cover back on!)

[Shrub]

Yes brass swalf is a real pain in the eye

3 things,

1. Does the guide go in fromthe other side at all?
2. Is there by any chance a collar already stuck on the guide? is it a second hand machine?
3. Any chance of a close up of the guide holder in 3 axis?

If it comes down to it you may have to machine the guid down so it doesnt have that step on it, if you cant do it send it to me but it may have a collar stuck on it already as i said above.

Im sure someone on this site has one or has had one, SKS may be able to give you some help over the phone, John is very good at what he knows and as its a machine they sell im sure he could check for you.
If its second hand could you ask the first owner for advice?
If its brand new the instructions should be with it and so you should ask where they are from wherever you bought it.

[jdeacon]

Spot on Shrub. Thanks.

It was a new machine, from John at SKS. There wasn't a collar; but comparing the two gauges, you could see that the machining of the lever gauge hadn't been exact and a lip had been left behind the thread.

http://www.larkhallservices.co.uk/locks ... 170011.JPG

Encouraged that I wasn't being a complete idiot, I popped the gauge in the poor man's lathe and took the lip off. Everything is fine now.

The "instructions" was a single sheet of paper that simply showed the undoing of the cutter wheel retaining nut - And got the sense wrong! - it's a left-hand thread.

These,

http://www.larkhallservices.co.uk/locks ... 170012.JPG

were in the bag of bits. I can't even see a bolt small enough to accommodate them, let alone what they're for.

Thanks again,

[toomush2drink]

Have you got this sorted yet ? I have this machine and dont have any problems with it. The things in the bag are to help line up keys with no shoulders like certain car keys and some mortice keys without collars like pipe blamks. You place the metal strips into the slots in the key clamp vice to push the key blank tip up against.

[jdeacon]

Yes, toomush, all sorted. I was just unlucky. The manufacturers had not finished machining the lever key gauge. Now I've removed the excess metal it fits and the machine works very well. I'm pleased - it fits its purpose very well.

So the other bits (in PC170012.JPG in my previous post) go in the vice slots. I was thrown by the hole drilled in them, but that must just be keeping them on their keyring!

Did you get more than one sheet of "instructions" with yours?

[Shrub]

Glad your sorted

[toomush2drink]

The instructions are poor but luckily i have a fair bit of experience with key machines.