Wooden Lock

[doubleddaved]

From the spring 2012 SW&C.
Lock on left is oak with walnut, key is maple and walnut.
Lock on right is walnut with cherry, key is maple and walnut.
I have 1 more on the work bench that's going to have a Lexan front so you can see the mechanism inside and how it works.
This was a fun project.
The wooden chain might be coming soon if I find the patience.
Dave

[Greenfield_Bob]

Nice work Dave

Bob

[Bayward]

I agree, real nice work. My lock is almost finished. I have a piece of wood set aside for the chain, but do not know if I have the patience to do it.

Bob

[Rolf]

Yup nice work.!

[Wood Dog]

Sweeeeeet job on those Dave.

[handibunny]

I'm tempted. Nice job, Dave. Looks really good!

[Cutting Cathy]

Those are awesome Dave!!! How did you get the key so perfect?? My key looks terrible! Do try the chain. I have mine cut and rough sanded. It wasn't too bad!

[Bayward]

For me the key was the most difficult part of making the lock. I threw two keys in the waste can. Okay, actually one and a half. The first one looked so skewed I threw it away before I even glued the blade and head on the shaft.

For the second one I made a jig to hold the dowel so the head and blade would be in the same plane. Then I cut the slots for the head and blade too wide. I tried to salvage it and even had a coat of finish on it when I decided I did not want anyone to know I had made it.

Bob

[doubleddaved]

I had made a jig also for cutting the key on my bandsaw but I imagine the scrollsaw would also work.

1st picture) Align with marks on tape,cut to left,cut to right and remove whats left between the 2 outer lines.

2nd picture) Either mark your dowel or use a stop for your slot depth

3nd picture) .003 thickness difference between left side and right side.(acceptable)

4th picture) Then I flip dowel end to end and put a piece of 1/4" stock about 4 " long in the slot I just cut to amplify the error and square it up.

5th picture) Squared up,start over

Than I sand the parts to fit the slots.

This works for me,I've only made 3 keys but they all look good and are keepers.

Dave

[Block]

A wood chain to go along with it would look nice, but it looks like a LOT of work.

[Cutting Cathy]

Dave are you just using double sided tape in the jig to hold the dowel firmly?? I'm not quite understanding pictures 4 and 5? Is that a walnut dowel?? So many questions I have!!! I really appreciate you posting pictures on this, I'm such a visual person!!! Thanks so much!!

[doubleddaved]

Cathy,
Since the dowels vary in diameter I used just cheap masking tape around the dowel so it's a snug fit in the jig.I just apply a little downward pressure with my fingers and that keeps it from moving. yes the dowel is walnut bought from Rocklers.
Pictures 4 and 5 are just squaring up the slot that I previously cut on the other side by inserting a piece of 1/4 stock by roughly 4-5"( use tape so it's a snug fit on the 1/4 stock)and using a square, once I get this side square the other side I cut will be square.
Dave

[Bayward]

I made a jig of the same design as Dave's. I also used a bandsaw to cut the slots on the one good key. I slotted the blade end of the dowel and installed the blade on a dowel that was intentionally about two inches too long. Then I chucked the uncut end of the dowel in my lathe and bored the hole in the blade end.

Boring the hole on the lathe kept the hole centered in the dowel. Centering the hole was one of several problems I had with the second key. The drill bit walked a little when it bit into the wood. It was not much, but noticeable and it bothered me.

With the blade installed it was easy to get the head end slotted in the same plane as the blade.