In this article we will talk about how to make locks for your garage or outbuildings yourself. As a rule, locks that are used in garages or outbuildings are made using simple designs. They are opened using special keys. Due to the fact that they are installed indoors, this makes them as invisible as possible. The production of such locks is carried out individually, taking into account all the wishes and capabilities of the owner.
It is quite difficult to select master keys for such locks; this is the main advantage when compared with standard models. We will look at what homemade locks are for use in garages and outbuildings, and also talk about their differences from those sold in stores and markets.
Features and types of homemade lock designs
A garage is necessary to protect a car or any other vehicle from external factors, including theft. As you understand, with the help of a garage you protect your car from the effects of precipitation and other natural phenomena. But there is no complete guarantee of the safety of your vehicle. To a large extent, the safety of the car depends on how strong and reliable the lock is.
There are several types of garage locks:
- Mounted.
- Mortise.
- Invoices.
- Rack and pinion.
- Mixed devices.
The main criterion that distinguishes these devices from others is the manufacturing method. But there are both factory modifications and homemade ones. We will talk about the latter in as much detail as possible. After all, homemade locks for garages are increasingly being used due to the fact that they are very reliable and more difficult to open.
What to look for
If you decide to purchase a factory copy, you need to determine its quality. Very often the price speaks volumes about the quality of the product. If you want to purchase a high-quality and reliable device, you will have to fork out and spend quite a lot of money.
The fact is that in this case the lock will not be made using stamping, as is done in most cases. It will be assembled by hand by professionals. There are several points that will help distinguish factory-assembled products from homemade products. As a rule, second-rate handicrafts are of rather low quality, hence we can talk about the low reliability of the design.
If you decide to make your own lock, you will lose quality - that's undeniable. And this will primarily affect the safety of the vehicle. Installing a lock is a very important step and must be approached very responsibly. There is one thing to consider when installing the lock. Normal protection will be provided only by a mechanism that is not noticeable or is not visible at all.
Original flower bed made of plywood
Plywood is widely used not only for creating home crafts. This material is very successfully used for the manufacture of garden figures, decorations, and flower beds.
- Depending on the wishes of the owner, these can be hanging flower pots, beautiful carts for flower pots, or vertical flower beds.
- For work, choose a more durable material, the thickness of which is more than 3 cm. It is also important to pay attention to the condition of the plywood, for example, the absence of cracks, chips, defects, and signs of delamination of the layer.
In independent work, detailed attention is paid to impregnating the finished product with a mixture of drying oil, melted wax and turpentine, which will protect the product from moisture and seasonal rains.
Expert opinion
Strebizh Viktor Fedorovich, leading construction foreman
The location of the hinges must be pre-calculated; even a slight shift will break the symmetry and the box will lose its attractiveness. If you want to clarify something, please contact me!
Operating principles of padlocks
Such designs are the most common; the entire mechanism is located in a suspended housing. In homemade padlocks, locking is carried out using a pin or other similar elements. They are inserted inside the mechanism. In order for the design to work, it is necessary to install special eyes on the doors that are planned to be locked. An arc is installed in them, which, in fact, performs the locking. But this design option has one very big drawback, which completely negates all its positive qualities.
This type of lock can be picked very easily. The fact is that such lock designs are installed on the outside of the building. Therefore, any attacker has direct access to it. Using a master key or grinder, you can easily open such a homemade garage lock. Most often, locks of this type are used for additional protection when combinations occur. In other words, there are several mechanisms used to lock the garage.
Homemade rack locks
Such locks are also quite popular, they have one advantage. They are mounted exclusively inside garage doors. Locking occurs using several sliding rods. The lock is opened using an individual key, which is installed in the well.
When you turn it, the latches are pulled out. The design of the lock is a little more reliable, but it can still be opened without any problems if desired. To do this, the locking elements are simply sawed off, or a key is selected.
Homemade designs
It is very common to find pinwheels used to lock garage doors. They work like a deadbolt. The design is simple, you can install it yourself. The operating principle is as follows:
- Eyelets must be mounted on the inside of the gate; they can be made of either metal or wood.
- A turntable must be installed in the center of the gate using a through bolt. It will be driven by turning relative to the central part.
- The ends of the turntable should fit into the eyes. This is how they lock the doors as securely as possible from the inside.
There are absolutely no parts of the castle outside. It is almost impossible to hack this design, so its reliability is very high.
Templates for cutting out figures for the garden | 6 acres
- for jewelry. Such wooden models have a traditionally rectangular shape, but the internal surfaces are lined with velvet, and the lid is complemented by a mirror. As a result, jewelry is not scratched and is convenient to try on;
- for jewelry, trinkets. A characteristic feature of this product are drawers that move freely inside the case. The number of retractable elements is unlimited, and a tight fit does not require special guides;
- A small box for treasured, memorable items. Made in the shape of a heart and great for storing letters, cards, photographs and other things;
- Puzzle . A rather complex product that simultaneously serves as a decorative decoration and a children's toy. A system of wooden gears, reminiscent of a clock mechanism, is installed here, and the lid opens after rotating the handle or one of the wheels;
- to hide a small amount of money. It is made in the form of a rectangle, but the external decoration is made to resemble a book;
- for needles, threads. Such wooden boxes usually have several compartments where you can store sewing supplies. The case is often complemented by a carrying handle.
Locks for swing gates
This is a type of latch, but there is a slight difference. Espagnols, as a rule, move in a horizontal plane and are usually used if the gate has one leaf. If the gate is swinging, then the elements are made of metal rods that move vertically in the eyes. These lugs are installed on the sashes. In order to lock the door as securely as possible, holes must be made in the ground with metal rods. They should be larger in diameter than the pins.
In order to increase the reliability and strength of the entire structure, it is necessary to install metal tubes of suitable diameter in the holes. It is advisable to concrete them after installation. But such constipation has one drawback. They can only be closed from the inside, so you will need to install an additional door. Typically, these locks are used if the garage is attached to the house or is located in the yard.
Plywood painting
- strength . The structure of the sheet is multilayer, which ensures a certain rigidity and resistance to deformation;
- availability . Available in any hardware store and sold in an affordable price segment;
- ease of processing. Cutting crafts does not always require a power tool; you can get by with an ordinary jigsaw;
- safety . The material is environmentally friendly, so you can even make toys from it without fear that your child will develop an allergy.
How to treat the surface → Room decoration → How to choose the right paint → Surface treatment technologies → Leveling and finishing the walls → Selecting and applying a primer → Removal from the surface → Stretch ceilings and technologies → Reviews and testimonials
How to make your own castle
Now let's look at simple instructions for making an overhead system with a valve. It must be driven using a special homemade key.
The design consists of the following elements (we will also consider their manufacture):
- First, the base of the castle is made. It is a metal plate; it is advisable to use it with a thickness of at least 3 mm. Plate diameter 10 mm.
- It is also necessary to cut two overlays from similar metal: width 22 mm and length 120 mm.
- Next, you need to bend these pads in a vice.
- After this, you need to make a valve.
- Make a guide tube, the outer diameter should be about 1 cm. The lock key should subsequently fit into it. The length of this tube depends on how thick the gate is. The edge of the tube must be cut at an angle of 60 degrees.
- At the first stage of assembly, it is necessary to weld the pads on the edges of the base. If elements suddenly become deformed after welding, they need to be straightened. If the curvature is small, it can be eliminated.
It is necessary to drill 4 holes in the corners of the plate, with the help of which the lock will be fixed to the sash. Install the guide tube into the plate hole. As a result, you should have a relatively cheap and simple homemade lock with a “secret”.
The bevel must be directed towards the overlays. After this, you can weld the tube to the base, but do not forget that these elements must be perpendicular. Next you need to install the linings and the valve. Two bolts with a diameter of M4 need to be screwed into the valve. The length of the bolts should be about 8 mm. These screws will limit the stroke of the valve. It is recommended to install spring washers under their heads so that they do not unscrew during operation of the lock.
Case Study
What can a car owner do if he wants to protect his car for little money?
One of the practical options, suitable for a garage located close to the house, is given below. The apartment or house is well protected , and the garage can only be opened from inside the house.
Garage doors can only be locked from the inside , using locks with powerful bolts, and it is advisable to disguise this power so that through the open garage it is unclear what exactly is holding the gate.
From the side of the gate, the garage can only be taken by a ram using a truck, but this case goes far beyond peacetime conditions, when crooks prefer not to make noise.
The owner enters the garage through a separate door in the rear wall of the garage. This door is also locked with an internal lock , but there is also a regular lock. Interior locks are solenoid-type electric locks that are controlled from inside the home via a cable that runs parallel to the garage's mains power cable.
When the door is closed with a regular lock , the solenoid locks . Opening a regular lock with a master key will give burglars nothing . And the owner himself, before leaving the house, opens the electric locks by supplying power to them and, thereby, unlocks the garage door for subsequent opening with a regular lock.
These electric locks should be installed in such a way that they attract as little attention as possible.
24V powered and require a few amps of current to operate and much less current to hold open (unless equipped with latches).
Some electric locks have latches that are also electromagnetically controlled. But most often you come across electromagnetic locks , which have a beveled bolt and fix it when the door is closed. Opening occurs after current is applied.
According to fire safety rules, when people are in the garage, the doors must open
instantly and unhindered ! How to do this is up to the owner, but this rule must be followed.
In winter, it is possible for the crossbars to freeze , but this can be dealt with and it is quite simple.
To do this, you should warm up the electric locks . The lock body is wrapped with fiberglass, then evenly with nichrome wire, 0.3-0.5 mm .
The length of the wire is chosen such that the solenoid warms up at room temperature to approximately 70 degrees Celsius .
The voltage source used is the same from which the solenoids are powered. must provide a current of at least 8 A.
The nichrome wire is then covered with a new layer of fiberglass, and you can also make a tin casing on top, and connect the nichrome wires with copper wires (preferably by welding, using coal from a battery and boric acid) and carefully bring them out .
In winter, after thaws and repeated frosts, it is enough to turn on the heating a few minutes before opening the doors and the locks will work flawlessly .
When working on this project, it is important not to show anyone the existence of such a cunning system and not to tell anyone how it works. All car owners love to brag to each other about their technical achievements, but this is not the case. Since the garage power (220) and lock control can be pre-routed in corrugated pipe, take advantage of this and don't tell anyone.
Let everyone think that you are installing lights in the garage . Otherwise, crooks can dig up the cable and open the garage according to your instructions.
Key for a lock with a "secret"
As a key, you must use a rod with a round cross-section, the diameter of which is 8 mm. The length should be about 15 cm. This is the optimal value. As you understand, making a homemade garage lock with your own hands is half the “trouble”; you will also need to make a “tricky” key.
You need to bend one edge at a right angle, this will be the handle that you will hold when opening. On the other side you need to form a cut at an angle of about 60 degrees. It is necessary to drill a hole near this cut. Next, make a groove. After this, assemble the key for the homemade lock with your own hands.
The secrecy of this design is ensured by the fact that key holes are drilled in the valve, and there can be an interval of 1 mm and above. This will provide the lock with the greatest number of security options. Similar homemade door locks are widely used in warehouses, outbuildings and garages.
