I just scored three Wms Hi-Hand machines. 1957. No keys.
What are my best options?
Drill em?
Buy a lock pick set and try to learn how to do it?
Buy a score of keys from someone and hope one fits?
(Topic ID: 280583)
Quoted from undrdog:I just scored three Wms Hi-Hand machines. 1957. No keys.
What are my best options?
Drill em?
Buy a lock pick set and try to learn how to do it?
Buy a score of keys from someone and hope one fits?
Personally I would drill them out and buy new locks.
Quoted from undrdog:I just scored three Wms Hi-Hand machines. 1957. No keys.
What are my best options?
Drill em?
Buy a lock pick set and try to learn how to do it?
Buy a score of keys from someone and hope one fits?
Are they numbered at all? I have a huge collection of old arcade keys if you have the numbers on them.
Lock picking is also super easy, most these locks are very low-security.
Quoted from Mikala:This method does work if you can find the correct file.
Great! Thanks! Once I get into them I can decide which doors / locks to keep. The plan is to end up with one good machine from the parts of all three.
Quoted from Mikala:This method does work if you can find the correct file.
This is a method called raking basically that’s covered by the lock-picking lawyer on YouTube. If you buy the rake tool it’s even easier.
This only works with the cheapo locks some of them are double-bitted, they’re harder to pick.
Quoted from Isochronic_Frost:Are they numbered at all? I have a huge collection of old arcade keys if you have the numbers on them.
Lock picking is also super easy, most these locks are very low-security.
No numbers. Thank you for the offer.
Quoted from Mikala:This method does work if you can find the correct file.
Isn't working with a nail file on these locks, but YouTube instructionals make things look easier than they really are. Maybe I just need to practice. I'll check out the lock picking lawyer, too.
You can drill it in less than a minute. Odds are the backbox keys are hanging inside the coin door. Avoid drilling near the backglass, replacing a broken backglass is comparatively expensive.
Could not drill it. Not in a minute or ten. The lock defeated my bits. The new Milwaukee metal / stainless bit I bought didn’t touch it, either.
Ended up drilling out the door all around the lock. (It’s ok, I wasn’t going to use this cabinet anyway.)
For all that work, I was hoping for some treasure inside !
I got a 1991 dime, a coin box in good condition , nesting material and some styrofoam.
The treasure I was hoping for most of all was keys to the back box. No luck.
These locks have jagged edges on both sides of the key.
Quoted from undrdog:Could not drill it. Not in a minute or ten. The lock defeated my bits. The new Milwaukee metal / stainless bit I bought didn’t touch it, either.
Ended up drilling out the door all around the lock. (It’s ok, I wasn’t going to use this cabinet anyway.)
For all that work, I was hoping for some treasure inside !
I got a 1991 dime, a coin box in good condition , nesting material and some styrofoam.
The treasure I was hoping for most of all was keys to the back box. No luck.
These locks have jagged edges on both sides of the key.
Yep that’s double-bitted. They suck to drill.
Chicago, IL
Take a big sturdy flatbladed screwdriver, the kind with the square shaft, and pound it into the lock as far as you can with a big hammer. Take a crescent wrench, size it down to the shaft, put a piece of pipe on the end if you need more leverage, turn in the direction the lock would normally turn (usually clockwise). It should break the lock apart (they're just pot metal) and turn it far enough to get the door open. No drill needed.
I have three heads I need to get into. The glass is old and I’m afraid to pound the paint off it. Think I’ll just take them to a locksmith.
And here I was thinking you picked up the Evel Knievel home edition, Fireball home edition, and Captain Fantastic home edition.
Quoted from newmantjn:I've probably drilled out over 100 locks and never had an issue.
I’ll be around all day today. C'mon by and show me how!
DuckDuckGo for “drill hardened steel”. Some good info out there. What works for me is starting with a small bit and working to larger sizes as needed.
Some videos and lots of marketing at this link: https://www.ttp-hard-drills.net/drill-bits-for-hardened-steel/
Reply
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!
Donate to PinsideGreat to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!
