Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:36 pm
Boat key
I got the photos ass backwards so bear with me. I was at a Restore Center a few days ago looking for fresh inventory as I usually do every couple weeks. First time I had ever seen a boat at this site so I asked about it. A guy said it came in a few days earlier. It needs a LOT of work. They wanted to see if the 75 HP Evinrude would start but they said the donor can't find the key. Well, that's all it took. I said that if they would remove the switch I would make a key for it. That's just what I did. First step was to determine the correct key blank. The B1, B2,B5,B6,B10,B11,Y10,Y13,Y14 all fit easily in the keyway. I narrowed it down to the B1 and B5. I chose the B1. Next I tried some original BASCO previously cut keys.None turned the switch. I then went to my set of 64 B10 try-out keys. The 8th key I tried turned the switch. So far, so good. Next would be taking the try-out key (6 cut) and transferring it to the B1 blank (5 cut). I put the B1 in the far right jaws until its bottom shoulder rested firmly against the jaw clamp. I placed the B10 try-out key in the left jaw and bumped it against the far left key gauge. Because the try-out key is a 6 cut and the working key will be a 5 cut I need to move the B10 key one cut to the left in the clamp and then tighten the clamp. The distance I moved the B10 key was approximately 1/16th" (+ or - a wispy black CH). The 1/16th" difference equaled to what the B10 key petruded from the keyway of the switch. I didn't gauge the keys from their tips because the angle of each key's tip differed. I cut two working keys on the Mini Speedex and used aluminum blanks. The key rack in photos is a 1950s Curtis key rack. More keys are on back. I hope this wasn't too wordy and got the meaning across.
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...Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air... Eagles, Hotel California, 1976
