Get baked! Disassembling a Brass Padlock

[jordyh]

Nice trick.
I vaguely recall a thread by Illusion that did somewhat the same thing.
Wonder whether it's the same.

[jordyh]

Well, can't find a prior guide to doing this, so there you have it.
You're the first.

I vote sticky.

[raimundo]

hes right about the springs sending the covers off, there is no reason for the covers to move just because they probably cool down faster than the rest of the lock body. the springs did it.

[greyman]

Very nicely done. When I think of all those times I slaved and drilled out the brass plugs. Even finding them sometimes is a pain since they blend into the body. I should've relaxed more, then I would've thought of just shoving the thing on the BBQ!

[GutterClown]

2. the cover over the locking dog did not blow off, explain physics on this please

extreme heating then cooling produces a very sudden contraction of the metal. if he'd pushed the dog cover, it probably would of fallen out. But the plugs have springs behind them, and pushed out as soon as the plugs contracted.

3 boy are those pins drilling out of alignment.

four-pin lock, the fifth is a plug retaining pin (slightly offset, for some reason)

6 when you get around to testing it, what is the difference in temper of the body of the lock, or the shackle? notice anything, (some hardened shackles will not scratch with a file, others will, is that the boronsteel effect?)

I'd like to know this too. It would make a really good in-shop party trick if it didn't damage the lock.

[nothumbs]

Gave this a try on two locks, one small, one medium. No love. No effect, aside from discoloration, to the small lock. After the second attempt, one plug on the medium lock came partly out. Perhaps my BBQ is not hot enough? Also tried the broil setting in the oven (500 degrees F), no luck either.

Not sure what the next step in attempting to replicate this process might be. Suggestions from the group? Try different locks, more cycles...

[Raccoon]

I'm thinking a couple things might help with a lock that's giving you trouble.

Try doing this with a blank key inserted. This will increase the spring tension on the brass caps and help them pop off with more force. This will probably weaken the springs though, as they are being heated under compression and will probably remain in a compressed state. New springs shouldn't be big problem.

I'm also curious if holding the lock with tongs, while only dipping the brass cap side into the water, would help. This would cool and contract the brass caps, while keeping the body hot and expanded.

Perhaps an eye-dropper better aim or removing a specific cap, but it would have to be very cold.

Better still, try a can of "air duster" turned upside down so it blasts freezing compressed liquid-gas at the brass caps. This would be just as effective as liquid nitrogen, but easier to obtain. (Any electronics store or walmart)

[nothumbs]

Good ideas. Pulled the one plug that partially popped and found a spool pin underneath. Don't have a key for the lock but I can try to find a blank.

[unbreakable]

Gave this a try on two locks, one small, one medium. No love. No effect, aside from discoloration, to the small lock. After the second attempt, one plug on the medium lock came partly out. Perhaps my BBQ is not hot enough? Also tried the broil setting in the oven (500 degrees F), no luck either.

Not sure what the next step in attempting to replicate this process might be. Suggestions from the group? Try different locks, more cycles...

Did you use tinfoilon the Q'? Did you use the ice in the water? The objective is to get the lock as hot as possible, and the water as cold as possible...

Other than that, I dunno what to sudgest, othere than what raccoon said.

Unbreakable

[nothumbs]

Yup, foil over the lock during the heat cycle, ice in the water during the cool cycle.

Anyone else try this out? Success or not?

Maybe I need a cheaper lock?

[unbreakable]

Yup, foil over the lock during the heat cycle, ice in the water during the cool cycle.

Anyone else try this out? Success or not?

Maybe I need a cheaper lock?

Could be, maybe the covers on cheaper locks are more loose, and therefore pop off better...

I know my lock was cheapie...

I still have yet to try this on a lock with one large pin cover, that covers all the stacks...

Unbreakable

[Wrenchman]

Wasn't there a thread like this before where someone asked if they could bake a padlock in their oven and then dunk it in water to blow it apart? I think everyone shot down that idea when it was first posted. Neat project either way though.

Yeah, thats where I first heard it and got the idea to try it. I thought about it for a while, decided it could work, and gave it a go. I'm very pleased with the result, if I hadn't done this then the covers would have had to have been drilled, which wouldn't have been quite as nice.

Unbreakable

Yeah, that was me! Nice trick there, it is like foil baked potato.

Padlock in the Oven



Wrenchman

[raimundo]

For those who would try this, here is a varient, try holding the lock in a pair of tongs then dipping the edge that has the caps you want off into the coldcold water, this would tend to cool and shrink those caps, while the rest of the lockbody is still hot, still expanded, and only marginally cooled by the water since the mass of the lock body is all one big molecular heat sink and those parts re heat and don't cool separately.
when you dip the edge, the caps cool but don't share this accross the fitting with the larger body. the larger body cools a bit but not so much, perhaps just enough locally near the caps to let them fall out, or you may have to use the tongs to get a smack on the side where the caps are, to try to help them fall out.