What does MACS stand for?

[d_goldsmith]

My search-fu is growing, yet I couldn't find this. Good luck googling MACS...

Mobile Air Conditioning Society
Mid-Atlantic Championship Series
Not to mention Macintosh[/b]

[Raccoon]

Well, since you don't have over 300 posts, you're probably not taking DB's certification test.

Maximum Adjacent Cut Specification

http://www.google.com/search?&q=Locksmithing+Dictionary
http://www.pillarcom.com/Section-1.html

[Romstar]

Well, since you don't have over 300 posts, you're probably not taking DB's certification test.

Maximum Adjacent Cut Specification

http://www.google.com/search?&q=Locksmithing+Dictionary
http://www.pillarcom.com/Section-1.html

Yeah, he got it in one.

Romstar

[d_goldsmith]

Awesome. Thank you. For some reason I didn't think to google a locksmithing dictionary.

[Krypos]

actually....their is a lp101 dictionary as well....

viewtopic.php?t=1069

it doesnt have MACs i dont think, but it is very helpful.

[d_goldsmith]

Some of this info is hard to find if you don't know to look for it

Thanks for pointing that one out, great info.

[digital_blue]

actually....their is a lp101 dictionary as well....

viewtopic.php?t=1069

it doesnt have MACs i dont think, but it is very helpful.

It does now.

I was kinda winging it on that definition. If someone can offer a better description of MACS, I'm open to suggestion.

db

[d_goldsmith]

Stan and kerri's:
abb. maximum adjacent cut specification. MACS exists because of the physical relationship between the spacing of key cuts, the increment between cut depths, and the angle of the cutter. As each of these three factors changes, so does the MACS. That is why the MACS can be different from one manufacturer to another, or even for different cylinder products within the same manufacturer, like Schlage full size keys and small format IC keys.

[Krypos]

wow. i posted something that actually changed the site for the better. score!

[Raccoon]

Nuh uh, *I* did.

[arris]

and also helped me out

[Krypos]

Nuh uh, *I* did.

puhhhhhlease....... i totally pointed out the lp101 dictionary, leading db to add MACS to it.

all me!

[Wreckmaster]

Sweeet.

My search fu is growing. I found this thread of the defination of a tem I was lost on. I am still lost, as I do not understand the defination. But, I really tried.

[gostone]

Ok,
here's an example of MACS = maximum adjacent cuts specifications
If you look at a key, you will notice different levels, or cut heights.
Many manufacturers go from say 1 to 9, so if you were to pin a lock for MAC 5 say. It would mean that from one step to the other could be no more than a difference of 5 steps. So a key that had a 1 cut next to an 8 cut would be cut to MAC7............

Generally a lock pinned to MAC 4 would be easier than say an equivalent lock pinned to say MAC7. This is because ther is a big difference between the pin heights.

Get it?

[Raccoon]

No. The MACS specification is static to the specific depth, spacing, and cutting angle spec. It has nothing to do with how much variation in the cutting you *want*. You don't just choose a MACS to your pinning, you pin to the MACS.

For example. If you cut a #1 depth into a key, then immediately adjacent to that cut, you were to cut a #9 depth. Watch as you're cutting the key. When you reach about #6 to #8 (depending on the lock), you'll notice that the wheel is starting to encroach on the #1 cut, and slowly your #1 cut becomes a #3. This is why the MACS rating is in place, to prevent a #9 cut from occurring next to a #1.