In each bi-monthly episode of DiResta (every other Wednesday at 2pm PST), artist and master builder Jimmy DiResta (Dirty Money, Hammered, Against the Grain, Trash for Cash) lets us into his workshop, to look over his shoulder while he builds whatever strikes his fancy. On this episode of DiResta, Jimmy reverse engineers a key to open a vintage lock. -Stett Holbrook
Materials/Supplies:
- Steel rods
- Vintage lock
- Mineral oil
Tools
- TIG welder
- Lathe
- Hand saw
- Files
- Hammer
- Bench grinder with wire wheel
- Calipers
- Vice
- Hard styling clay
Jimmy’s Notes: I collect many things that inspire my thinking and inventing. Vintage locks and keys are always very clever in their design. In this video I make the key for a large door lock I picked up at a flea market in upstate New York. Inside the lock you can see a brass plate that is the main mechanism. It was handmade by someone many years ago. I wish there was a YouTube movie of the person making this mechanism: adjusting the spring tension and bending the plate just enough to get the parts sliding perfectly… this internal plate seems to have been made 50-100 years ago and it still works! I like reverse engineering the keys for these locks it is a great mental exercise.
12 thoughts on “DiResta: Skeleton Key”
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embedded video no work on my browser. Here’s a direct youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfN5SBVEAk4
There was a temporary bug with YouTube yesterday. It should be working now.
This is one of the coolest videos I have ever seen – I love collecting old skeleton keys and have wondered recently how to reverse engineer them – I don’t do metal work – been drafting for 40 years.
Remember kids, don’t leave the lathe chuck key in the chuck, and wear gloves while TIG welding to protect your hands from harmful UV radiation. Don’t be a Jimmy!
:-)
And also remember to NOT, under any circumstances, do any measures or marks on the piece while the late is spinning!
And don’t use the half nuts to power feed the carriage.