Calibrating ilco 045 HD

[SteveSharrow]

I have been having a lot of trouble calibrating my Ilco 045 HD key machine. Without having the calibration keys that came from the factory is there anything else that I can do besides keep tinkering until I get it right? In another thread someone went into depth about calibrating a Micrometric key machine and I used that advice as a starting point.

[jharveee]

I Googled, Ilco 045 manual.
There is a PDF, page 13 and 14 had some adjustment instructions.
something about reinstalling a Pattern key.?
Made no sense to me.
Do you have your manual?
I have a Foley belsaw 200 that uses 2 "Pattern" keys to align the cutter with the guide.
Sounds similar?.

[jharveee]

If you would like, I could duplicate my pattern keys onto some Kw1 blanks and send them to you?
Not sure if that's all you need?
Or if you had two like keys with the same cuts, you could use them.

[Werewolf]

Basic calibration for any duplicator:
Get 2 identical blanks , if possible high security or least high quality blanks.
Loosen the screw that holds the feeler.
Move the cairage so that the feeler touches the blank.
Then turn the adjustment knob or screw until the cutter just touches the blank.
Retighten the screw that holds the feeler.
Cut a few test keys.

[mastersmith]

I agree with werewolf....but, cutting wheels tend to not really be round. Turn the cutter with your fingers to make sure you are aligning with the highest point on the wheel. When you cut your test keys the material removed will probably only be on one side of the blade of the blank. It shound bisect the length of the blank right down the middle. The carriage on most machines travel on an arc to approach the cutter, most blanks do not hit the cutter exactly on the centerline.

[Altashot]

I never use the gauge keys or Go/No go tools. I can get much better results with...
...Generation key cutting.

For this to work, you have to have a machine that can duplicates a key that will actually work, doesn't have to work well, but close.

Start with a good quality pinned cylinder and it's key.
assure that the key works the cylinder very well without being "clicky" or tight.
Duplicate that key and test. Works? Ok, now make a duplicate of the duplicate.
Still works? Keep duplicating the previous duplicate. (Or, as the namesake of the procedure, the previous generation.)
Starts to get clicky?... Cut too deep. Starts to get tight?... Cut too shallow or the spacing is out. If the distance of the first cut from the shoulder is different,
you maybe dealing with a spacing issue. The spacing MUST be addressed first.
Now adjust your machine, a tiny bit, I mean not even a hair, like less than 1 thousanths of an inch. adjust it shallow or deep, depending of the issue.
Try a new generation of keys starting again with the original and tweak accordingly as you go.
If, and I mean if you can get your machine to cut 10 generations, stop messing with it. It's as tweaked as it's going to get.
I say IF you can, because many machine won't go that far. By the time you get 5 good generations, it's normally accurate enough for everyday use.

M.

[SteveSharrow]

Thanks guys i got it making keys that work for several generations in a few different locks. I am really impressed with this machine too.