Homebrew Plug Followers

[Servalite6354]

I've been trying to find some stuff around the house that would make a nice plug follower.

I just made to plug followers out of grade 6 bolts - a half inch and also a seven-sixteenths inch shafted bolt. I cut off the threads and filed the sharp edges. The bolts had about two inches of "un-threaded" shaft below the head.They work great.

I bought some dowel rods the other day, one size was too big, the other works great (1/2 in. again).

Also, there was a craft brush -the kind with a black foamy tip - the wooden handle was slightly under 1/2 inch - it works a bit looser than the 1/2 inch dowel rod.

Has anyone else ever tried the bolts? What do you use for a PF?

[djslacker]

flexible rubber tubing works well. If you buy a size that is a little big, then you cut a slit down one side, and then fold it in on itself to make it small enough to fit into the plug that you need. It helps when you are dealing with a wide range of plug sizes.

If you have a bad one sitting around, maybe a thick extension cord would work for the smaller padlock plugs.

The "spindle" part of the holder that CD-R's are sold in.

A Sharpie might work for some plugs.

Just walk around your house and look at anything that is small, long, and kind of hard.


And get your mind out of the gutter.

[Servalite6354]

A Sharpie might work for some plugs.

Just walk around your house and look at anything that is small, long, and kind of hard.


And get your mind out of the gutter.

lol

I thought about a Sharpie, but it has a rounded edge at the end. I suppose you could cut that off, though.

[Brianpojo56]

At some of the small hardware stores they'll have a little display (Sometimes labeled 'The Metal Center') They've numerous sizes of brass and aluminum pieces. Take a piece of the 1/2" hollow brass tube and file a notch in the end and you will have a plug follower that will work on all your standard cylinders (including the residential schlage with the elliptical end on the backside of the plug). Oh and it won't do the Corbin Russwin large sized plugs.

[raimundo]

I have an aluminium tube type of follower, its necessary to put a crushed piece of paper in it because pins and springs can drop into the tube and launch out the other end.

I have an old solid steel rod follower, it will fall out of the lock under its own weight if you are not careful,

Half inch wooden dowel is an old standard for followers, and you can quickly file any necessary shape on the end of it as the situation requires.

Many cheap advertising pens have a barrel that is useful as a follower, your looking for the thick ones, and the ends usually just screw off

I saw someone on you tube using a rolled up piece of cardboard, not thats a real anywhere anytime mcgyver.

[Archive555]

I've used the CD holder thing a couple of times, but I had to cut a section out of the side, then fill it with hot glue so it was solid

[Eyes_Only]

A 6mm or 11/32nd deep socket works well too for most locks.

[Urbex]

Wooden dowels can make awesome followers, and same with the metal rods suggested above.

For Master Lock cores, I use a standard BIC pen

[test]

Hi,

I find I normally need a plug follower when I am fixing a loose lock for a friend or doing a demo. This invariably happens when I don't have my kit with me.

I have a few good followers made out of wood dowel in my kit. They are always my first choice as I've milled the ends to easily hold pins while i'm repinning a lock.

However if all you want to do is remove the plug, I normally end up using a simple pen wrapping paper around it. Add a little tape and you have a perfectly functional follower.

just my $0.02

[apb]

for certain locks AAA and AA batteries can work in a pinch.

[maintenanceguy]

I've used a rolled up piece of paper lots of times. It expands on its own to fit any sized cylinder.

[alarmsun]

A lengthwise rolled up Business Card works well, especially if it's from a locksmith shop...

TODB

[Shark500]

honestly, i just use a piece of rolled up printer paper.

even used a post-it note once!

as a side note, the body of the "Dyno Kwick Pick" is a plug follower for standard residential locks [schlage, kwickset, knockoff brands of the previously named brands]