Prison work

I do alot of mechanical security maintenance work at the local prison, Lotus Glen Correctional Center (wiki it)

I'm just wondering if any other lockies work in the big house.

And if anyone has any questions about what sort of locks and systems they use, fire away.

i'd be pretty intrested in how the security is there. do they use lever locks on the cells? they have done for years over here

Lew

[j0siah7]

I would like to know what kind of door cylinders they use? Like medico or assa or sumthin?

there are a few different blocks, the older blocks use Padde electronic strikes for spine movement, with individual cells having both a day lock and nightlock in a single unit.
This consists of a daylock, KABA 20S 201 cylinder and the night lock is a 5 lever override bolt throw.
The daylocks are all masterkeyed, but the check keys are issued to prisoners to lock during the day. the nightlock key will override the daylock, either locking or unlocking the door on its own.


Newer blocks have Southern Steel 10120AM electro-mechanical locks in them. They're a pain in the arse because the strikers are fitted to the door, with the lock mounted in the wall, but the strikes have pissy tig welds on them, so some big boys actually figured out they could really kick at the door and the strike would break out.
they were literally kicking open prison cell doors. What faith in our prison system I have.
Another thing that goes wrong with them is a small resistor inline with the motor seems to burn out. removing and bridging the line seems to work fine, so we don't even know why they're in there at all.

[j0siah7]

so have you had a chance to try and pick any of them?

you try getting some picks into a prison. or getting a lock out.

I get the keys handed to me, and on an hourly rate I'm not there to fiddle.

I've got a few 20S cylinders around, but most of the time the only reason we've ripped them out is because they have been damaged or are so badly worn they're waiting to be turned into fishing sinkers.

[j0siah7]

well I guess thats true, you would probably be tackeled or sumthin if u went in there with picks lol

[m0ose]

Actually, this was a great thread of you. I was planning on scoring a job in a local prison or the highzute Mexican one up the road, or a local college, either way, yes, great information. So quick question, is the whole prison run on an electronic locking system? Or is it a mix bag? Also, how many other locksmiths are on job there?

Oh, and I know it's not the best question to ask, but he, if you want to answer, whats the pay rate?

[selim]

These are the only jail lock's that I've delt with,not very secure,but check out the key's,the gard's can use them as a weapon I am told.

They are Folger Adem's,and I think they have been into jail locks for a long time. Maybe in a few year's I can advance to prison lock's.

So quick question, is the whole prison run on an electronic locking system? Or is it a mix bag?

Mixed bag. The original center was set up 19 years ago, They've added the last block 7 years ago, and I believe another addition was added somewhere in between. The two newest cell blocks are Southern Steel, fully electronic with mechanical override. The oldest are as I said, Padde electronic locks for block and unit access, but mechanical for individual cells.

Also, how many other locksmiths are on job there?

Myself and my boss. We're on 24/7 callout, we don't work for the prison itself. We work for QBuild, the state department of public works. They issue contractor work for any and all government related work, electrical \ plumbing \ locksmiths \ cleaning \ etc.

Oh, and I know it's not the best question to ask, but heh, if you want to answer, whats the pay rate?

I believe, I'm not certain as it's not my job to worry about the financial side of it, that it's a tender system for the work. We submit pricing for general stuff, and for the next few years anytime we charge out, we use those prices. be it keys, new locks, hourly rate, service call, etc.
I think the hourly rate is $44(AUD), for one tradesperson.

[m0ose]

So quick question, is the whole prison run on an electronic locking system? Or is it a mix bag?

Mixed bag. The original center was set up 19 years ago, They've added the last block 7 years ago, and I believe another addition was added somewhere in between. The two newest cell blocks are Southern Steel, fully electronic with mechanical override. The oldest are as I said, Padde electronic locks for block and unit access, but mechanical for individual cells.

Also, how many other locksmiths are on job there?

Myself and my boss. We're on 24/7 callout, we don't work for the prison itself. We work for QBuild, the state department of public works. They issue contractor work for any and all government related work, electrical \ plumbing \ locksmiths \ cleaning \ etc.

Oh, and I know it's not the best question to ask, but heh, if you want to answer, whats the pay rate?

I believe, I'm not certain as it's not my job to worry about the financial side of it, that it's a tender system for the work. We submit pricing for general stuff, and for the next few years anytime we charge out, we use those prices. be it keys, new locks, hourly rate, service call, etc.
I think the hourly rate is $44(AUD), for one tradesperson.

Awesome! Thanks for the info. Myself, I'm not sure where I'm going to end up. The actual places I want to work won't hire me until I'm 18, and the best I can get is prolly a hardware store, but who knows. Thanks for the info though, I've been wondering about that for a while now.

Awesome! Thanks for the info. Myself, I'm not sure where I'm going to end up. The actual places I want to work won't hire me until I'm 18, and the best I can get is prolly a hardware store, but who knows. Thanks for the info though, I've been wondering about that for a while now.

Whatever you do, if you end up working at a hardware store, DON'T LISTEN to what the other workers there tell you about cutting keys. EVER.

I'd estimate about 20% of keys that come over the counter at our shop are the old "I got a key cut at <hardware store> but it didn't work..."

I swear, if I ever find a hardware store worker who can cut keys properly, I'll beat them up. They are good for business!

[m0ose]

Awesome! Thanks for the info. Myself, I'm not sure where I'm going to end up. The actual places I want to work won't hire me until I'm 18, and the best I can get is prolly a hardware store, but who knows. Thanks for the info though, I've been wondering about that for a while now.

Whatever you do, if you end up working at a hardware store, DON'T LISTEN to what the other workers there tell you about cutting keys. EVER.

I'd estimate about 20% of keys that come over the counter at our shop are the old "I got a key cut at <hardware store> but it didn't work..."

I swear, if I ever find a hardware store worker who can cut keys properly, I'll beat them up. They are good for business!

Lol, I've come to realize that myself. A couple people I know went out and paid like 25 cents to get a key cut or some crap, well, they get home and it doesn't work. I know of a few places who judge completely by handle on the key and don't even attempt to match keyways to second guess it. All they do it match length. Then, their machines, Chevy fucking Chrysler are they off. No one keeps good upkeep between cuts. It can be off by a mile and they don't give two shits about it. My machine, I keep that damn thing to a T. If its off by a smidge I take the time to realign it and make sure it's all up to par.

I swear, one of the reasons I do want to work at one of the local places is because they honestly need me to cut their keys.

[chieflittlehorse]

Do you have any pictures of prison made picks or bypassing tools! I've read an article from a prison locksmith; he had to account for every tool they had in the shop, he reused pins (budget reasons), did maintenance, etc...

I've read that a prisoner once made a high security key out of a toothbrush by carving into the toothbrush.... the prisoner escaped!

Haha, no. The prison I work at is pretty laid back. Lotus Glen's nick name is "Club Lotus". The population is 75 - 80% indiginious, and they're fairly peaceful by nature, they keep everyone in check.

They do have a cabinet full of things they've confiscated from prisoners, like shivs and sharpened rulers and so on. I've seen one key looking thing, it was made from a steel rod, a washer welded on the end and a piece of flat steel welded on the other end.
No way was it ever going to work a lock, and it wouldn't do them any good if it did.

But yeah, no real escape attempts at this prison. The only one that anyone knows of was a crim hid in a cupboard that left the carpentry shop on the back of a truck, but a guard looked inside and asked him what he was doing anyway.