Author Topic: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement  (Read 2056 times)

Mrs Pingu

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DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« on: 16 October, 2021, 06:35:08 pm »
I'd like to change the lock on the front door from a key to operate both sides to one with a thumb turn on the inside. Is this easy enough for a Mrs Pingu armed with only a set of screwdrivers to do?
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quixoticgeek

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #1 on: 16 October, 2021, 06:39:42 pm »
I'd like to change the lock on the front door from a key to operate both sides to one with a thumb turn on the inside. Is this easy enough for a Mrs Pingu armed with only a set of screwdrivers to do?

Yes, but don't what ever you do remove the cylinder, then close the door. Cos then you find you're locked out.

DAMHIKT.

Should be a simple screw to remove. Also you'll need the key.

J
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Mrs Pingu

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #2 on: 16 October, 2021, 06:52:50 pm »
Wise words. I should say this lock is part of the lever plate if that makes it any more complicated.
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quixoticgeek

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #3 on: 16 October, 2021, 06:53:30 pm »
Wise words. I should say this lock is part of the lever plate if that makes it any more complicated.

Shouldn't do.

J
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Kim

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #4 on: 16 October, 2021, 07:01:06 pm »
It's a bit like building wheels, in that the hardest part is measuring things and ordering the right ones.  Don't assume the lock is symmetrical.

TS007 three-star is what you want for resisting cylinder-snapping attacks.

If it's a thumb-turn one, you'll probably need to unscrew the handle from the door to pass it through.

(Also, barakta would point out that knurled knobs are a work of Stan, and you want something with at least a bit of shape to it.  I replaced the one on our front door with one of these, and she also likes the easily-identified grippy keys.)

FifeingEejit

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #5 on: 16 October, 2021, 07:02:22 pm »
The most likely thing to complicate the process is differences in lock barrel profile, a lot of the newer ones with 3 star security ratings have a lump sticking out the side, you'll probably have to adjust the shape of the hole in your door to allow for that, just needs a file and an extra supply of swear words.

Beardy

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #6 on: 16 October, 2021, 07:15:01 pm »
Also, when you measure the hole length for the new lock try and have a s little protruding on the outside edge as possible. If there’s nothing sticking out there’s nothing to get hold of to snap it.
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Mrs Pingu

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #7 on: 16 October, 2021, 09:52:47 pm »
It's supposed to be pissing with rain tomorrow, if it's not in the wrong direction I might try a bit of fiddling and measuring.
Those 3* Yale ones were one of the locks I'd been looking at.
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robgul

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #8 on: 17 October, 2021, 07:48:37 am »
We did exactly that when we moved here - Screwix for not much money - downside is having pay outrageous costs to get extra keys cut.

Feanor

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #9 on: 17 October, 2021, 08:10:24 am »
I've not done any fettling of those in particular, but if there's a myriad of variations and it's not 100% clear what you need, I'd Strongly Recommend taking the original to Lumsden, where they will have every possible variation and the knowledge to advise.

There are other variations where there's no knob or key-hole on the inside at all; its integrated with the door handle, and is operated by cranking the handle upwards to lock, and downwards to unlock. Good for emergency egress. Depends how complex the mechanism is. As I say, not my area of knowledge, but very much theirs.

Also, I've found keys cut by them are approximately an order of magnitude better than ones cut in a random key kiosk.

Mr Larrington

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #10 on: 17 October, 2021, 08:25:29 am »
Just a second.  Eurocylinder?  Why are you not fitting a BRITcylinder, as all true patriots should?

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #11 on: 17 October, 2021, 08:35:56 am »
We did exactly that when we moved here - Screwix for not much money - downside is having pay outrageous costs to get extra keys cut.
Same here, but I considered it a reasonable investment to get security locks & keys, and to get every door and external padlock  (almost)) with the same key.
To get new keys I have to quote a security number rather than just getting them cut.
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Mrs Pingu

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #12 on: 17 October, 2021, 11:14:28 am »
This is what's there now
2021-10-17_11-10-43 by The Pingus, on Flickr

2021-10-17_11-11-04 by The Pingus, on Flickr

(Am still getting used to inserting a key in the lock horizontally after 40mumble years)

Having read this it doesn't look like it should be that hard. Except maybe for FE's comment about the odd shape of the 3* locks. https://www.handlestore.com/blog/how-to-change-your-euro-cylinder-door-lock/
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FifeingEejit

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #13 on: 17 October, 2021, 11:54:45 am »
That horizontalism is a bit odd.

Just realized Kim shared a link to a lock, and it's the locks I bought.
So you can see the extra protruding bit I refered to.

That also shows you how to measure the lock barrel (You size each side of the lock by measuring from the centre of the screw hole.)

There are places online that will order the extra key from Yale if you want more than the 3 that come in the box (or was it 2 cannae mind, Iv'e got 3 for each door so nominaly I can leave a set with the parents and brother, but the brother is terrible for remembering keys so they're at the parents... My cousin lives along the road that might be a better and more sensible spare key depository)

Difficulty wise I'd put it as a 2/10, I didn't even need to get a hammer out

Mrs Pingu

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #14 on: 17 October, 2021, 12:06:54 pm »
10 points to the Yale website for having a woman in their video replacing the lock.
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Mrs Pingu

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #15 on: 17 October, 2021, 02:17:55 pm »
The current lock protrudes externally from the handle plate by exactly 5mm (45mm to back plate, 50mm to end of barrel). So I either replace with the same or something level with the handle back plate.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #16 on: 17 October, 2021, 03:05:00 pm »
The most likely thing to complicate the process is differences in lock barrel profile, a lot of the newer ones with 3 star security ratings have a lump sticking out the side, you'll probably have to adjust the shape of the hole in your door to allow for that, just needs a file and an extra supply of swear words.

D'oh, silly me.  I quoted the wrong post earlier so have deleted that one.  😊

That "lump" is I believe simply rotated to be  aligned with the rest of the lock body using the key when inserting the mechanism into the door.  Usually the lock being removed has a similar "lump" which needs aligning to facilitate removal.

I hope that I have understood this correctly.


FifeingEejit

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #17 on: 17 October, 2021, 03:06:21 pm »
I'm living up to my name on the horizontalism, what threw me was the more traditional style yale key in the image, night-latch barrels still do it vertically.

The extra bit I'm talking about is


It doesn't move, so if your previous lock does not have it, then since the hole in the door will be shaped for a cylinder without it, you've going to need to make a gap for it.

Edit to add:  It seems to be a Yale thing, by making sure I didn't file the final layer of the door it means the lock barrel can only come into the house, but I'm not sure if that's the real intent of it.
ERA don't do this.
https://www.erahomesecurity.com/security-products/window-and-door-security/3-star-door-cylinders/

Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #18 on: 17 October, 2021, 03:15:56 pm »
Ah, I see.  I haven't seen one of them before. 

FifeingEejit

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #19 on: 17 October, 2021, 03:18:57 pm »
I read your description as being that you thought I was meaning the lever that operates the actual locking mechanism in the door.

Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #20 on: 17 October, 2021, 06:10:41 pm »
I used to have to change locks on a frequent basis at my old house (don't ask), so got adept at the task. In my new house, I did exactly what Mrs Pingu did and fitted a thumb turn lock to my back door. I got one from Screwfix after measuring the previous one for size.

As mentioned, the key needs to be inserted into the lock and it helps to jiggle the key a little whilst sliding the lock in so that the pesky bit in the middle can find its way into the correct location.
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quixoticgeek

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #21 on: 17 October, 2021, 06:53:19 pm »
I used to have to change locks on a frequent basis at my old house (don't ask), so got adept at the task. In my new house, I did exactly what Mrs Pingu did and fitted a thumb turn lock to my back door. I got one from Screwfix after measuring the previous one for size.

As mentioned, the key needs to be inserted into the lock and it helps to jiggle the key a little whilst sliding the lock in so that the pesky bit in the middle can find its way into the correct location.

Just a note, do not fit a thumb turn lock if there is anyway someone could break a window or door panel to reach it.

J
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Mrs Pingu

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #22 on: 17 October, 2021, 07:05:43 pm »
Yeah that had crossed my mind. How about an arm sized triple glazed panel?
Thing is I don't want to have to carry my keys at all times and as Feanor says it's useful to have on an escape door.  You can just see the glazed panels in this photo.
2021-09-28_05-21-33 by The Pingus, on Flickr
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Mrs Pingu

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #23 on: 17 October, 2021, 07:09:36 pm »
I suppose I could just have the current spare key on a hook behind the vestibule door, out of fishing reach...
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FifeingEejit

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Re: DIY Eurocylinder key/key to key/thumb turn replacement
« Reply #24 on: 17 October, 2021, 10:25:20 pm »
Other than "why is there a bog roll holder in your vestibule" the interior but external hinges suggest uPVC?
In which case it's only metal that needs adapted if at all (I didn't have to put anywhere near as much effort into the porch door as the front door (composite).

With thumb turn all I needed to do was hold the thumby bit in the right place to get the lever plugs for sliding in.