Twenty Years Ago
Charles Cole explained how to troubleshoot a Sentry 1610 safe lock. David Davis showed how to open an old Herman lug door safe. Jerry Levine reported on boroscope systems which are stocked by Lockmasters. Hugh Curry provided an overview of various electronic safe locks. Tom Gillespie demonstrated opening techniques for the Audi A6 when using Pro-Lok opening tools. Jerry Levine explained how to service Weslock lever sets. A listing of known safe cabinet manufacturers was included in the May 1996 issue. Jerry Levine also serviced the lock system on a Dodge Intrepid. Mark Moneta wrote of ways to exploit our locksmith market segment. U.S. Lock Distributors was the subject of an article. The Buddy Logan system for coding a Ford wafer lock was explained. Jerry Levine also showed how to rekey those pesky WeiserBolt locks. Laurie Simon introduced his Dalax hardware cross reference system. A reader opinion article discussed the need for locksmith legislation. Louis George explained the locksmith and builders hardware distribution chain. Milt Wolferseder opened a Shaw-Walker file safe.
Ten Years Ago
Jerry Levine reported on Marks USA classroom intruder locks, still an important product today. Rick Duskiewicz reported on New York City photo-luminescent signage codes enacted after the World Trade Center disaster. Jerry Levine installed a Sargent 7500 interconnected lock system. Rod Oden demonstrated ways to service IC core lock cylinders when the control key is not available. Gale Johnson explained how wafer tumbler locks are masterkeyed. Tom Gillespie suggested how to control access with electric strikes. Tim O'Leary outlined the features of a Kaba E-Plex 2000 lockset. Jerry Levine assisted in the installation of a McKinney continuous hinge. The HIT-38 speed mortiser was the topic of an article. An informative article listed a programming chart for Ford P.A.T.S. keys. Brent Johnson, Auto Tech Security Systems, recommended selling automotive keyfob replacements. Where are they now? Kaba Ilco explained the virtues of their Triax A/T code machine. Steve Young described problems locksmith might have with indexing and laminated auto glass. Tim O’Leary provided answers on delayed egress requirements.
Home Brew Solution
They say necessity is the mother of invention. A locksmith called our office asking if there was an adaptor made for holding IL1/1041H Illinois key blanks in the key machine vise for duplication. I have a small milling machine and accepted the challenge.
A short piece of aluminum angle stock served as the material. The final form of the adaptor had to be "L" shaped. An initial run past the milling cutter thinned a portion along the top of the angle stock. A second run removed additional material to form the "L" shape. The finished aluminum strip was cut into lengths approximately the same as the length of an IL1 blank. The adaptors hold the original and blank perfectly parallel in the key vise. There are probably several other key blank shapes which could be more easily duplicated by using similar adaptors. The whole job took less than 30 minutes.
