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Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:09 pm
by twenglish 1
Won it on ebay, I am unsure of the exact model, has the 9/16th thick shackle "BN 12 44" is stamped down the side, unsure what the BN means but the 12 means key number 112 and the 44 is the year, correct? Anyways I plan on attempting to make a key for it soon, 112 is 0, 45, 90 I watched Bosnian bills video on it, now the 90 is the tip correct?

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:19 pm
by Riyame
twenglish 1 wrote:Won it on ebay, I am unsure of the exact model, has the 9/16th thick shackle "BN 12 44" is stamped down the side, unsure what the BN means but the 12 means key number 112 and the 44 is the year, correct? Anyways I plan on attempting to make a key for it soon, 112 is 0, 45, 90 I watched Bosnian bills video on it, now the 90 is the tip correct?


Incorrect, Bill was wrong with that info. These were not even made until the late 80s or early 90s I believe.

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:33 pm
by twenglish 1
Thanks for the correction, I was gonna say it sure seems to be in very good shape if it was from 44!

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:51 pm
by Robotnik
BN would likely refer to Burlington Northern railroad, which today operates as BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe)

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:58 pm
by twenglish 1
Do they sell key blanks for these anywhere? Or would I be better off starting from scratch with some 5/16 round stock?

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 8:08 pm
by Robotnik
twenglish 1 wrote:Do they sell key blanks for these anywhere? Or would I be better off starting from scratch with some 5/16 round stock?


Round stock :smile: . As I recall from a previous thread, the manufacturer (and railroad police) are rather touchy about these blanks/keys.

It's pretty straightforward to make keys, just labor intensive.

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 8:18 pm
by twenglish 1
Well that's completely understandable, especially with all the terrorism today, so the 12 on the lock means the 112 key number right?

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 8:26 pm
by farmall
twenglish 1 wrote:Well that's completely understandable, especially with all the terrorism today, so the 12 on the lock means the 112 key number right?


Correct on the 112 key. I've seen the keys made from jumbo size cotter keys.

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 8:26 pm
by Hugo Martel
Nice lock how much did you paid for it???

Hugo Martel :circlip:

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 8:41 pm
by Robotnik
farmall wrote:
twenglish 1 wrote:Well that's completely understandable, especially with all the terrorism today, so the 12 on the lock means the 112 key number right?


Correct on the 112 key. I've seen the keys made from jumbo size cotter keys.


I've made keys from both steel and aluminum round bar; the latter because my bench grinder died and I needed something easier to hand file. About $3 at Ace HW for enough metal to make several keys.

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 8:52 pm
by twenglish 1
I post some updates when I attempt to make a key, probably gonna use brass and rough in with dremal then fine tune with a file, and I paid $50 plus 10 for shipping, good deal?

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 10:19 pm
by LockButcher
I've never made a key for one but if you don't want to spend a lot on rod stock a 4" 5/16 shoulder bolt is about $0.79 and you can cut off the threads and head and it should bear enough 5/16 stock to make one.

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:54 am
by twenglish 1
Never thought of that, that's a good idea, just thinking it seems to me that the 112 key would not be key retaining if I am thinking of it correctly, unless I'm thinking of the cuts backwards

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:00 pm
by twenglish 1
So after two fails attempts at cutting keys I guess I will need to be more precise, do these locks have pretty tight tolerances? Has anyone received one of these locks that wasn't functional? Also is it normal for the very front disk to turn further than all the rest?

Re: Finally got my hands on a S&G Environmental

PostPosted: Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:48 pm
by GWiens2001
twenglish 1 wrote:So after two fails attempts at cutting keys I guess I will need to be more precise, do these locks have pretty tight tolerances? Has anyone received one of these locks that wasn't functional? Also is it normal for the very front disk to turn further than all the rest?


Tight tolerances - not really. Non functional? Guess that can occur, but they are very basic. First disc turning further than all the rest normal? Yes.

If you cut the keys at 0, 45 and 90 degrees angles, they usually work fine for me. Funny enough, but that (0, 45 and 90 (or ABC) looks to be the bitting for a 112 key.

Gordon