How to break into tubular locks?

joemagiera

Thread Manager
Joined
Mar 22, 2003
Messages
6,162
Reaction score
1,073
Picked up a gumball machine that has what my local locksmith labeled "smaller than normal" tubular locks. He didn't have a pic to fit it and didn't have the proper tool to drill it.

Any advice/clues anyone?
 
Picked up a gumball machine that has what my local locksmith labeled "smaller than normal" tubular locks. He didn't have a pic to fit it and didn't have the proper tool to drill it.

Any advice/clues anyone?

I would find a different lock smith. There has to be more than one in IL.
 
The locks are made of brass. All you have to do is look into the lock and drill right above each tumbler with a bit that is a little bigger than the tumbler. After you drill out the metal above each tumbler, turn it upside down and dump the pins out and turn the post with a pair of pliers.
 
Google "Blair roto-broach". These are made for drilling spot welds in sheet metal but they make quick work on those tubular locks.
 
Here is a picture of an ace pick and a code/copy cutter. There are basically 4 different sizes of ace locks. If you look in the first picture you can see the 3 of the 4 sizes of guides over on the left, one is on the machine. After you pick the lock you use the depth guage to determine the cuts and you set the code machine for those depths and cut the key. So, once you pick the lock, you have the key.
 

Attachments

  • DSC01330.jpg
    DSC01330.jpg
    29.6 KB · Views: 35
  • DSC01327.jpg
    DSC01327.jpg
    21.5 KB · Views: 32
Here is a picture of an ace pick and a code/copy cutter. There are basically 4 different sizes of ace locks. If you look in the first picture you can see the 3 of the 4 sizes of guides over on the left, one is on the machine. After you pick the lock you use the depth guage to determine the cuts and you set the code machine for those depths and cut the key. So, once you pick the lock, you have the key.

Please tell me you're in the Chicago area so I can hire you to pick this and give me a key!

Assuming I'm out of luck and you're not in Chicago, when I call lock smith shops, I take it I need to tell them I have an ace lock that needs picking. How can I tell them the size? Like I mentioned, I brought it to one place and they didn't have that small of a pick.
 
No sorry I am in NC. I belong to (ALOA) Assoc Locksmiths of America and they have a finder. You might try to call some of them. I can drill them out like I posted and you can not even tell unless you look REALLY close. I could post a picture in a day or two how to do it. I just did 2 of the exact same thing for a guy I work with. I thought they were still here in the shop but he took them home already.

http://www.findalocksmith.com/search.aspx

I forgot to add look in the hole and see how many tumblers you can see. "real " ace locks have 7 tumblers, if yours has 4, you are toast. Also if the face of the lock says ACEII you are also toast. They use springs with different pressure that defeats the picks.
Travis
 
Last edited:
look in the hole and see how many tumblers you can see. "real " ace locks have 7 tumblers, if yours has 4, you are toast. Also if the face of the lock says ACEII you are also toast.

So non-ace locks with 4 tumblers are better than ace locks?

What do you do with 4 tumbler locks and ACEII locks? Is drilling the only option (and then replace the lock)?
 
Ace locks are a little more secure just because not everyone has ace picks where everyone with a paper clip thinks they can pick a wafer lock. There are also different kind of "regular locks" ones with wafers and ones with zip pins or cylindrical tumblers.Here is the difference.

DSC01331.jpg


DSC01333.jpg


DSC01334.jpg





Cylindrical tumblers are much more secure but you can make wafer locks much smaller.

I took a black marker and marked where you need to drill the metal away to let the tumblers fall out then you can turn it with pliers, If you drill the holes small enough, You cant barely see that the lock has been drilled. I drilled the metal away and gave my coworker a blank key so he could use it to lock and unlock it.

If yours has anything but 7 tumblers you will have to drill.
 
Joe, out of curiosity, why wouldn't you just drill it and get another $5. lock for a gumball machine?
 
Sometimes the locks are special to one manufacturer and you wont be able to find a replacement. Especially on older machines.
 
Back
Top Bottom