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Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 11:05 am
by tpark
How do people do this if they don't have a code machine that can handle that blank? The sleazy answer is to code cut the pattern onto a regular blank and duplicate it onto the premium key. Are there non-Best machines that do an acceptable job of this?

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 11:12 am
by Anarchy_won
Best Keys are normally cut using a key punch not a key machine,

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 11:25 am
by jeffmoss26
Correct...you really want the proper combinator.

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 4:13 pm
by tpark
jeffmoss26 wrote:Correct...you really want the proper combinator.

That makes sense - my punch can't handle the wide keys, but it looks like if I get a second sfic kit, I could modify the key holder to support the premium keyways. This is a hobbyist project, I want to rekey some of the premium keyway cores that I got off Fleabay.

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 7:32 pm
by tpark
I've modified a clamp assembly and it works great! This trick only works for certain profiles (WA,WB,WC,WG, WH, WY clamp up OK) but for those profiles it is good. Now I have additional keys for my WA Best cores.

The modified clamp is on the right. The W series keys are 40 thou thicker, so I had to remove about that much so it would fit correctly. The critical holding point is at the bottom of the key, and another important point is the tip notch, since that's the reference point for the location of the pins. The bottom of the key section is 80 thou for both WA and A, so I didn't have to do anything there. I had to remove material where the fatter part of the key bulges out - I made it flat so it would work with other W profiles.

modified_clamp.jpg


This shows keys mounted in the modified/unmodified clamp assemblies.

mounted_in_clamp.jpg


The clamp assembly in the Pak-a-Punch.

wa_in_combinator.jpg

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 9:19 pm
by mdc5150
And there goes your punch. Those keys will chew it up. The Pak-a-Punch is great in a pinch but it is not meant for doing those thick keys.

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:24 am
by tpark
mdc5150 wrote:And there goes your punch. Those keys will chew it up. The Pak-a-Punch is great in a pinch but it is not meant for doing those thick keys.


The thickness of the bitting area is 50 thou on the A and WA keys. It does vary a bit (some samples were 46 to about 53) but it's nominally 50 for the blanks I've tested. Some of the JMA blanks I tested were 40 thou, but I think that's more of a cost saving measure. I agree that if you're doing a lot with IC cores a better punch is required, but for casuals like me, this works fine.

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:38 pm
by malfunctionjunction
I cut these on my 1200. I use the B vise and a shim that I made by cutting a flat brass safe blank just past a 9 in all positions using the Best A2 card, so the cutter never comes into contact with the shim/has to cut 2 things at once. I know it's not a punch, but the few keys I have made using this method have worked great, even in cores with original pins. I think modifying a vise for the pak-a-punch is quite ingenious. The only thing I could see that being hard on is the blade, which is replaceable.

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:04 pm
by malfunctionjunction
Figured I'd add some pictures...

I haven't tried this on left-hand keyways (WD & WE) but I have tried it on a couple of different right-hand keyways with great results.

Photo of the shim:
shim.jpg


Edge view of the blank and shim in the B vise:
side.jpg


Overview of the blank and shim in the B vise:
top.jpg

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:46 pm
by JSwistak
[quote="tpark"]I've modified a clamp assembly and it works great! This trick only works for certain profiles (WA,WB,WC,WG, WH, WY clamp up OK) but for those profiles it is good. Now I have additional keys for my WA Best cores.



This is an awesome idea, exactly they type of solution I was looking for!

Re: Cutting keys for Best SFIC core Premium keyways.

PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 1:42 am
by Pick-Fu
malfunctionjunction wrote:Figured I'd add some pictures...

I haven't tried this on left-hand keyways (WD & WE) but I have tried it on a couple of different right-hand keyways with great results.

Photo of the shim:
shim.jpg


Edge view of the blank and shim in the B vise:
side.jpg


Overview of the blank and shim in the B vise:
top.jpg


Hey thats kind of cool, I cut BEST keys on my 1200 as well... I may have to try a shim as well
I wanted to get another B jaw and grind it so it fit just the BEST keys... maybe