Tubular lock pick DIY

[Stray]

well I decided to start a post on my attempt to make a 7 pin tubular lock pick.

Why? Well the answer is simple, I like making my own picks, and i'm cheap.

at 70+$US i'd rather attempt my own, and see how much it can cost.


This post is a step by step of my progress, and hopefully it will work out.

Wish me luck.

When it's completed and tested to make sure it works i'll post all dimensions (in inches and mm's) so that it can be duplicated by anyone who has access to the equipment.




So without further adieu...


Sunday (Total material cost approx 14$ can make about 7 pick "blanks")

-Took measurements from a tubular lock key using a vernier caliper.

Then went to work on a piece of aluminum 1/2 inch bar stalk I have. (chose aluminum because it is easier to work with on a lathe and since i'm a beginner well... don't judge too harsly....) I know aluminum is soft but I think it will hold up well enough

So after drilling out the hole, and bringing it down to the right measurements i've got this.



Tested it in a tubular lock and it fits snugly yet still allows the pins to move freely.


Next post will be my attempt at cut the lines that the little pushing bars move along.

I'm still not quite sure how I will be doing that accurately but I'm running over a few different ideas. (If anyone knows how to do it easily feel free to post)

As for measurements I am going to find the distance between each dimple on the key and just transcribe them onto my bar.

Well until my next bit of work.

[globallockytoo]

I'm still not quite sure how I will be doing that accurately but I'm running over a few different ideas. (If anyone knows how to do it easily feel free to post)

When you've determined the exact spacings of the 7 different cuts....cut them all to the deepest possible depth.

Then attach (in whatever method you have predetermined) your spring steels pieces in line with each spacing. Make sure you allow each spacing pick (spring steel) to move freely but tightly inside the collar (or whatever you will use to keep them tight around your pick body)

Be sure to make your spring steel pieces long enough to bend the ends so that you can reset your depth adjustments if necessary.

Good Luck!

PS. When I was in trade school many years ago, we made tubular picks as a class project and were graded on the final result. If the pick worked, you got reasonable marks, but it needed to look wothwile too.

[snapcarp]

Next post will be my attempt at cut the lines that the little pushing bars move along.

I'm still not quite sure how I will be doing that accurately but I'm running over a few different ideas. (If anyone knows how to do it easily feel free to post)

I remember reading about using the change gears in the headstock to index the work at desired spacings.

By using a gear of the correct size (number of teeth) or combination of gears, divisable by the number of sections required, and a temporary device to lock the gear train, the work could be indexed and locked at the correct position.

For cutting the slots, how about a parting tool mounted on it's side in the tool holder and run along the side of the pick body by turning the wheel on the saddle, increasing the cut with the cross slide.

A basic shaping operation with no power on the lathe

I hope this helps rather than complicating matters.

Good luck

[snapcarp]

Sorry

Got my "Quotes" mixed up

Doh !!

[Stray]

Thanks for the feedback to both of you.

Today I didn't get much of The pick accomplished. All I did was transcribe the spacing between the pins onto my pick blank.

I used a pretty low tech procedure to do it.

Cut a piece of paper so that one side is equal to the circumference of the Pick blank.
Find its length, and then divide it by eight to get the spacings between the pins and where the notch is. (or you can take the diameter of your pick and pi*d it and divide that by 8 )

Lastly you tape it back onto the blank and simply mark where each line is on the pick. (Used a compass to mark the lines to keep them thin and evenly spaced. When I tried it up against the lock I have, it matched up nicely)

Tommorow if I'm not called into work I'm going to attempt to get most of the non pretty part of the pick done.

[Stray]

I've gotten the main work on the groves done. (Taken me a while because I have had things to do). So with a bit of refining i will have those done. Hopefully I will get this pick done soon.

[Moto42]

I'm very interested in this project, how is it coming along?

[Stray]

Its on the back burner for a while due mostly to the holiday season, and a few inconviences. (most of my free time lately has been between 11:30pm and 2:30am, using power tools whilst parentals are sleeping is just not a smart thing to do. )

I have everything planned out (parts needed and such) and no time to actually make it.

As soon as i get it going again I will post my progress though.