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Thank You so much for this Xeo.



I don't want to jack your awesome post Xeo but this vid may help some ppl too. It's a cutaway showing what's going on inside:
(if it's in the wrong place please remove it mods)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOdOGKux2CE

Great video! Thanks. Someday I'm going to have to try one of these...

one thing I'm not clear on: do i first find the pin that is binding, as in "wanting to be raised to shearline" and then rotationally set it? And once i have the sidebar set for one pin, it should remain set for that pin unless disturbed significantly, correct?

The side bar is not independent per pin stack its one big sidebar. Have you taken your lock apart like we've suggested on lp101? You'll get a much better idea of how Medeco's work when you just have the plug in your hand with some pins in the plug and pressing the side bar in with your finger while rotating the pins with a half diamond. You'll notice the sidebar can go into the plug at an angle if enough pins are rotated to the correct angle, but if you for instance set pin 3 correctly, it wont get stuck on the sidebar because the sidebar fingers haven't entered the plug far enough yet.

Squelchtone

Some people set rotation and shearline independently, I set them at the same time. I think just go with whichever technique works best for you, or for the tools you're using.

When I used to pick Medecos I would find the binding pin just like picking any other lock, then raise the pin and rotate it in the same motion and set the shearline and sidebar simultaneously. Once the rotation is set correctly on any given pin it tends to stay that way unless you go perturbing things. For rotating the pins I just used a well polished, slender short or medium hook. Rotation is accomplished by which way you tilt the pick, where on the pin tip you place the pick, and whether you slightly push or pull as you lift the pin.

When I wiggle a set pin, if I find I didn't set the rotation correctly and it's in the pin's false sidebar groove, I release tension and start over. I keep track in my head what was the wrong rotation for that pin and rotate it differently the next time. My method entails partially picking, then dropping the pins and starting over multiple times while picking. Basically, starting over every time I guess a pin rotation incorrectly. I decode binding order and the pin rotations as I go along and keep track of it in my head or write it on a post-it note. Each time I start over I remember the binding order and the pin rotations that I got right from the last time, so picking goes quicker each time as I learn each lock's bitting and "personality".

Before you begin picking a Medeco, you can sometimes partially visually decode the pin rotations by looking in the keyway, either with your eyes if you have good vision, or with an otoscope. Just look to see if there are any visible sidebar grooves at the pin tips. Lift the front pins out of the way with a probe to view the pin tips behind it. It's easier on Biaxial and M3 than on the older ones, depending on whether it's a fore or aft cut. Success in visual decoding the pin rotations is dependent on your vision, lighting, which keyway, fore or aft pins, and even how clean the lock is. Usually it only works for the two or three pins towards the front of the lock.

This tutorial has been entirely revised!

This is a great tutorial... Thanks Xe0! My Medeco came in on Friday and I've been spending the weekend working through your instructions and getting a feel for things. I'm up to three pins pretty reliably, and my DCAP lifter is on its way. I'm sure it'll be a long while, but I'll get that Medeco dragon slain.