And the fitters don't help matters either sometimes....

[horsefeathers]

Hi

Just did a call to a chap who initially thought someone had tampered with his euro. Got there to find the euro pushed well into the lock and almost out the other side (the inside). He had his key so I wedged the barrel to the side of the lock with a screwdriver and using long nose pliers inserted the key a couple of pins (door handle prevented key bow from going any deeper), turned a fraction to allow a little bite then pulled cylinder back towards me. Wedged again and inserted key fully, turned to allow cam to sit a 6 o'clock and pulled back to correct position and turned key - job done!

On investigation it turns out that the retaining screw had worked it's way out. Owner had inserted key and turned (cam went to 6 o'clock) and ended up pushing the cylinder half way out the other side. Panicked and withdrew key turning cam back to 5 0'clock. Not understanding the cam concept he obviously tried to force it further out (inside) and also tried to claw it back.

Turns out that the retaining screw was barely an inch long - i kid you not - and was only two threads into the euro. Over time it had worked loose but those two threads were all that were holding the euro in. I replaced with a longer screw and checked the other two upvc doors. Both had the same short screw holding the barrels in. Unbelievable! Replaced naturally.

Anglian Windows were the fitters. I can't believe that their fitters would be so ignorant as to what they were doing. Every euro i have ever bought has a screw at least a couple of inches long. In fact, i have never seen such short screws with any euro. So the fitters lack of care/training(?) has seen the customer pay a fair few pounds.

regards

wayne

[NKT]

I've seen a few like that. I figure the fitters get a screw, work out how long it "needs" to be, then chop them all to that length before starting doing all the installation. That way twist two turns and you are done, instead of using a decent length screw and taking 30 seconds!

[haribo]

They got of lightly I have seen council jobs with a euro on a wooden door held in with a six inch nail others with a wood screw and super glue!. Pay peanuts get monkeys.

[quicklocks]

went to a job. upvc door wont open. when i got there the door had dropped the frame was bent and had not been packed propery when fixed and to top it all the door and frame was fitted the wrong way round the old lady wondered why the carpet inside was wet. this i pionted out was due to the fact that the drainage holes were letting the water straight in to the house. i told her to get the firm who fitted it back and to sort it out. it turns out her son in law fitted it as a favor she said she would get him back

[NKT]

>her son in law fitted it as a favor...

Note to others, see Haribo's comment - you get what you pay for! She did.

[Kinglock]

Anglian windows kept me in bread and water for a while, all the cyls they use are GeGe and they all have the same backset mechs and yes all the retaining screws are very small. As a large company they look to cut costs and one example is that they only put 2 hinges on their doors. This saves them an estimate of £150k a yr. Just a thought i wonder how much they save on haveing small retaining screws a yr.

[quacking_duck]

But if they are using high-end expensive cylinders such as GeGe, why use a crap retaining screw? Surely they could save much more money by using good quality budget cylinders such as Asec, Zone or Esla and proper length retaining screws at a fraction of the price, but still relatively secure against picking.

[toomush2drink]

I agree with quacking dock and i dont get it at all especially as the cylinders come with a screw anyway, wheres the saving ?

[NKT]

No, the saving is in the 90 seconds or so saved per screw. Add up 90 x (hourly rate/60) x 500 houses. Of course, they don't realise (probably) that it reduces the security.

[quacking_duck]

"Well, there's the Merchant Hardware cylinders complete with screws ,
Or those Abloy Protec and the Araldite over there. Oh, and we've got these R11s and these inch and a half nails if you need them."

Sad thing is that the Merchant would probably be more secure.

I think I'll stick to my auld wooden doors and my Chubb 110s on my workshop.