Key Duplication Question

[freakparade3]

I was duplicating keys on my Foley-Belsaw machine today and for some reason the keys will work fine for locking, but catch when unlocking. They work to unlock, but not well. I know something needs adjusted, but can't figure out what. Any ideas? Also, and input why they work one way and not the other would be much appreciated. I can't figure it out. Thanks.

[blackfoot]

buy a foley belsaw key micrometer to help see how your machine is cutting its well worth the forty dollars ............the foley machine is interesting to work with................the self reading mic will give you numbers within thousands of and inch you get off mre than 10 thousands and the key starts to hang up ..............some manufacturers are even less than that like best brand no room for error................have fun.

[Eyes_Only]

I know the FB key machine came with gauge keys to help adjust the cutter but for me that just didn't work out well. Instead I use regular key blanks to align it. I adjusted mines so that the cutter pretty much doesn't even graze the blanks when giving it a run. This was the only way I could help prevent the stickiness feeling you described.

Also if you make duplicates out of duplicates the quality of the key will degenerate so you are bound to encounter some problems after a few generations of the same key.

[jimb]

You could be out of alignment left to right. Instead of trying to keep this machine aligned both ways I started lining the keys up with the gauge and the cutting wheel when duplicating a key. This way I only have to keep the depth of the cut adjusted.

[Shrub]

This sounds like it could also be a burr on the key,

You are cleaning the keys up before trying them arent you?

You are also trying a lock that youve not been picking arent you?

[zeke79]

I have never used the belsaw machine but some machines cut the bitting surface at an angle due to the carrage being poin a pivot which feeds the key in an arc. This arc will cause one side of the key to be cut higher than the other. This may be your problem. Inspect your keys and see if you can visually see and angled cut from one side to the other.

[freakparade3]

Shrub, yes. I am cleaning the keys before I use them. I am making keys for locks that I have been picking, but I replaced the pins and springs first. I am copying the factory keys for these locks.

Zeke, What you said sounds like that may be what is going on. I'll check it out. If that is the problem, how do you fix it? I have used the machine before with no problems, don't know why this is happening now. I'm wondering if it could be the blanks I'm using. I previously used the ILCO blanks Foley sent, the problems started when I was using Access+ key blanks.

[maxxed]

I have had this problem also, when I rekey weiser and kwickset locks to the same key I have to use the kwickset keyblank. The thinner profile of the kwickset keyblank will cause the key to rise when turning left and fall when turning right as it slides on the second groove. If you are trying to cut kwickset from weiser keys fitting into a weiser lock add .010 and it will work ok.

[zeke79]

Are you cutting deeper cuts or shallower cuts than what you were working with before on the ilco blanks? The brand of blank should not matter at all. UNLESS YOU USE A BLANK KEY TO CALIBRATE THE MACHINE. In that case, the keys in both vices HAVE to be the same brand.

There will be a point on the swing of your carrage on the pivot that the machine cuts perfectly straight. The more you are past or before this point the more of an angle you will see. The angle should not be severe enough to cause problems UNLESS your machine is .005-.007" off in adjustment.

Cut a key and measure it against your original. Do your best to be accurate as you will be measuring the high side of the cut likely. You will have to find a happy middle in your adjustment that allows the key to work smoothly both directions I would say. Say your target cut is 235 and your machine is cutting a 243. You will have to take into account the low side of the cut also. It may be best to adjust to .236 or .237 on the high side so it puts your low side of the cut around .233 or .234. This should help solve your problems.

[freakparade3]

I went back today and loosened everything up and started over with setting up the machine. It's working perfectly now. Mabye I just didn't have something tight enough before.