I just finished the last of repairs on my Stargate that were a result of someone trying to butcher the locked doors open. All in all it amounted to repairing a totally kick in coin door, replacing entirely a back panel and repairing all the latching points. Completely unnecessary. Here are some suggestions.

I offer this information not to advise someone how to break in as it is easy to force a camlock and damage the surroundings without any sophistication at all and that is why all operators add locking bars etc. to their machines. Locking bars and padlocks are not covered here. This is covering the basic locks provided by the manufacturers to keep honest people out.

1. Get a key.

If the lock has a code number on the face of the cylinder then it worth contacting a locksmith and trying to obtain a key from code. If the code is distinctive i.e. it has numbers and letters in it example 2X351 then the likelyhood of it being isolated on code search software is pretty good. If it is just 3 or 4 numbers then it may be necessary to provide a manufacturer (not of the machine but of the lock). Some common cam lock manufacturers are Pundra, Hurd, National, Yale, Chicago and Fort. If it is an OEM lock you may find that a perticular manufacturer had a contract to buy all locks from one of these manufacters which could narrow your search. If you decide to pursue this route phone first and ensure the locksmith has code software (HPC CodeSoure is one example) and can pin down the key. On rare occaisions large volume manufactures will create their own code system and have it produced on their locks. In those cases you may be able to track down the manufacturer but from my experience I have found most of these older machines do not have the original locks.

2. Drill the lock.

If you cannot identify a camlock from other locks then do not attempt this. Camlocks are very predominant but not universally used. If your unsure check the service manual parts list. It will usually state "camlock". Also once you venture down this road if you require a locksmith to bail you out don't expect him to be to overjoyed. In an effort to save money you have removed his option of picking the lock.

You want to drill the lock because the lock is inexpensive and readily replaced; doors, panels etc. are not! With a camlock it will be set up to either unlock clockwise or counter-clockwise. 9 times out of 10 it will be setup clockwise since most people are right handed so that has become somewhat of a standard. I will discuss camlocks since this is most common. When drilling the lock you want to achieve one of two things. First if you are able to clear out the pins or wafers depending on the type of lock, you will overcome what is arresting it from turning and be able to force it open. When drilling I would suggest for simplicity sake go for the center of the cylinder (if you are able to figure out the difference between pins and wafers then for pins go slighlty higher) not a big issue though. Use a sharp bit for steel as it will cut through what is usually brass or white metal nicely. Most of that shine is just chrome plate. Each time the bit seems to jamb you have either encountered a wafer or pin. It is necessary to stop look and remove whatever you can get out of the hole at each of these points. Sometimes tapping on the cylinder will help these items drop out. If they won't come out then continue drilling. As you progess rearward you will encounter anywhere from 4 to 6 of these. When you get in about the length of a key take a large flat head screwdriver and jam it in the hole and try rotating left and right to see if you can get it to rotate. This may be stiff since you have F***ed up everthing inside, but that is normal. If this all fails then continue to drill right to the rear of the cylinder. When you go through the back of the cylinder you will destroy the fastener that retains the cam on the back. The cam will drop off and voila the door will open. Some cams are retained with a nut others a screw. If you are going for the rear and the cam does not fall off then go slightly bigger on drill size and drill again. Regardless what is on the back, eventually you will obliterate it and the cam will come off. You may even get lucky and when the drill jambs it may flip it open if was a clockwise opening.

3. Hire a locksmith.

If what you are working within is in close proximity to something quite valuable that could be damaged, Hire a locksmith. A broken translite is not worth the cost of have a guy come out and pick it open. If you encounter a tubular key or high security lock (i.e. Medeco, Abloy etc.). This person will be your best friend. The tube key locks can be picked with the right tools. The high security not at all and very difficult to drill. Call an expert if you encounter this or your in for a lot of destruction! In many cases they will be able to replace it or provide a key as well with this service. If you find a really experienced guy he may even impression a key for you which is making a key while opening the lock, an old trick. Don't be surprised if he sends you away while doing some of that voodoo stuff.

Keep the destroyed bits until you get a replacement. Camlocks are generally carried by locksmiths. Average range is between $8 - $12. You can find some over $50 if you want the high security Caddy. Find one with a storefront near you. The diameter of camlocks are standard but the lengths of the body and cam vary with standard increments being 1/8 of an inch i.e. 5/8, 3/4, 7/8, 1, and 1 1/8 etc. The length is considered the distance from the rear of the lockface to the rear of the body. You need to match the lengths and get a cam that has the same offset as the original to get everything to line up snug. If your cam is unsual and you didn't destroy it, bring it along and see if there is a manufacturer that it will adapt to. In most cases they are not non-standard but just in case. Otherwise you may have to reproduce your own out of steel.

Lastly if it is just for your own collection you may want to order locks on the same key for all your machines, or at the very least if there are several on one machine have them the same (it's more original and professional). This is known as keyed alike. You can do this with even the inexpensive manufacturers but there is a catch. With the low cost locks there are limited number of keyed alike groups so you may have the same keys as someone else. Not a big issue if the machines are in the house.