Need to replace pin cover (mortise cylinder)

[Hardliner]

I have a mortise cylinder (GMS brand) that happens to be missing pins and the cover for the pin chambers as the photo below illustrates:



My other intact cylinder like this one has a thin piece of brass covering the holes, and it appears to be crudely crimped into place (and non-removable/replaceable).

I have a bunch of extra pins and springs so my question is, how do I best go about covering up the holes so that I can key up the lock? I tried making a replacement cover out of beer can material but that was a non-starter (couldn't get it crimped back into place). Current thoughts are a) get a lead fishing sinker, pound it flat, cut to shape then pound into place on the cylinder, or b) cut piece of streetcleaner bristle, fix in place with small amount of epoxy, then "caulk" the remaining space with more epoxy, or maybe this metal putty-type stuff that I saw in the hardware store.

Is there a "correct" way to do this?

[zeke79]

Tap the holes and install the correct small set or grub screws.

[Hardliner]

Good idea... I was looking for an excuse to buy some taps (I have another project that requires tapping a hole). However, I am concerned that putting even really short screws in would reduce the length of the pin chambers, causing greater compression of the springs/changing the physics of the lock. I have no problem changing pins with a plug follower and tweezers so being able to access the pins from above is of no concern.

[Shrub]

I would go with Zekes suggestion in your predicument but the easiest way would be to cut a bit of beer can then wrap some tape around the cylinder to hold it in place, its only a practise lock afterall.

Other than that you may get luck from a bit of copper pipe, cut a piece out of it and simply hammer it in.

You should find the sides of the slot arent perfectly square and should flare out slightly nearest the holes, slotting somthing in is the better way than hammering somthing on.

You could buy another lock and use the bit off that then buy another one to repair the one that youve got the bit off, then buy another one to repair that one and so on

[Hardliner]

Shrub,

I think I may go with some variation of your suggestions. I doubt I'll be able to find set screws locally without hassles, and really don't want to bother tapping, etc. I always wrap my mortise cylinders with electrical tape when picking anyway so as to avoid having the threads cut into my hand so covering the holes even with popsicle stick wood or something and then taping it up will probably work fine.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[zeke79]

In that case, use a nice piece of wood from a tongue depressor. Cut it to fit tightly and then brush a bit of water onto the wood to swell it tight. At that point you may wrap with tape if desired.

[Chucklz]

Personally I would go with small grub screws and tapping the cylinder. I would however go with a slightly smaller top pin to attempt to reduce the effects of the slightly smaller chamber.

[maxxed]

When replacing this type of cap I will make a piece slightly wider than the opening then fold it into a v. Place the piece in place then punch the tip down with a wide pin punch.

[Varjeal]

maxxed mentions the proper way to make the cover out of the flat brass. A tin beverage container should work well, as would a street sweeper bristle if there's enough material on the cylinder to stake over top of it.

Simply make your piece snug fitting so that it will slide into the groove from the end and not lift off, then take a small chisel and peen the edges of the cylinder over top of it in 4 places and you should be good to go.

If you have another cylinder you can rob parts off, you can also use the hacksaw trick to slide the cover off. Use a small flat and sharpened screwdriver to get it started, the put a hacksaw blade over top of the cover, give it a couple of taps directly onto it to get the blade to "bite" then tap the blade on the end firmly at an angle to drive the cover off. If you do it right you won't significantly damage the cover.

[maxxed]

If you have another cylinder you can rob parts off, you can also use the hacksaw trick to slide the cover off. Use a small flat and sharpened screwdriver to get it started, the put a hacksaw blade over top of the cover, give it a couple of taps directly onto it to get the blade to "bite" then tap the blade on the end firmly at an angle to drive the cover off. If you do it right you won't significantly damage the cover.

One should always remove every cap and cover from every cylinder before disposing of them. I have saved these pieces and have had them come in very handy.

Last year a customer had a lock glued, I was not able to remove the glue so I replaced the cylinder and left the old cylinder in a jar of acetone. Two weeks ago the same customer had the lock glued again so I found the old cylinder and the glue had disolved. I cleaned the lock, repinned it and everything looked good. Later I recieved a call that the replacement was not working, I found that the acetone had disolved the top cap( it was not brass). I assume it was exposing the cap to the air after soaking for a year is what started the process. I made the relplacement cap as I describled .

[raimundo]

tapping could easily go too deep and create problems, though its the way medeco caps the pin drillings. the thin metal such as from cans may be too thin to make an effective cap, if you found the right thickness of flat brass you could make a straight crease in it to a cross section like ^ then use a tin snips or file to make it fit in the groove loosly, put it in over the pin holes, and use the edge of some piece of metal to tap on that ^ to spread it against the edges, alternatly, varjeals suggestion of sweeper bristle would probably work well, I would cut the edges of that bristle to angles, /______\ and gently tap it into place from the open end of the groove.
another solution is to go to a locksmith and try to get some more old cylinders which are all useful replacement pieces, the cylinders, the pins, springs, retaining clips, screws, cams, etc.

[jgardhouse]

First quick, easy and cheap solution that comes to mind:
A bit of hot glue... Yank it off when you want to re-pin..

... Just thinking out loud!