Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Lock n load

Again, it has been another busy day. Because I moved house a month or so back, I had to change the details on my drivers license and my registration documents. I'd tried to do that before, at the local DMV office but they couldn't do it because I was still recorded as being a non US citizen. I had to go to a special office, 45 minutes away. Well, I got there and they duly changed me over to being a US citizen and changed my license and registration details. I got a swanky new license with a photo that makes me look like a deranged serial killer. Then came the painful bit - the fee was now $25 up from $10 the last time.

I might have been a bit more relaxed had South Carolina's finest been attending to speeding motorists. There I was, puttering along at 45mph (the speed limit) thinking about changing lanes in a mile or so in order to get ready for a left turn when I heard the roar of a straining engine. There was a swoosh and a sports car shot past me with its engine literally screaming. A second later, another sports car screamed past. Both had to have been doing well over 100mph. Needless to say there was no police car anywhere near. Given that the road across the dam has very limited visibility and room for maneuver, had anybody changed lanes or been in that lane, there would have been fatalities. And South Carolina's finest - nowhere to be seen!

Having got the documentation done, I headed to Irmo Lock Company who sold me the two locks for the side and rear doors of the bus and had the one planned for the side rekeyed so that both locks take the same key. It reduces the number of keys I need to carry!

Then I headed home and used the new hole saw I bought the other day to finish cutting the hole for the lock. Well, the old hole saw had messed up because it was blunt and the hole hadn't gone quite right. Still, the inner hole isn't that important. I trimmed it with my angle grinder. Then I cut the outer hole.

Fortunately, the hole went into precisely the right place and the lock fitted perfectly. I had to trim the lock bar - its marked in 1/4 inch lengths ready for trimming. The last one I trimmed with my saw. This time I did it with my angle grinder.

And the final result - a working side door lock. Now I can open both doors from the outside. Of course, the big thing is getting a way of unlocking the front door. That's somewhat harder!

The front door has a sprung latch that locks the door very well. It just can't be opened from outside. My idea is to put a solenoid that will raise the latch, operated by a key. The solenoid is something I'll have to make myself. The key lock might as well be a motorbike key lock since they're weather resistant.

About the only other thing I did was to add a latch and a handle to the bedroom door I hung yesterday. The door has warped which is annoying but not that much of a bother. I still need to put a stop behind the door but here's the door. With a stop, no light will shine through.

Inside the bus was 105F (40.5C) so sweat was pouring off my brow, working. It was while I was working that I received a dinner invitation. Of course that had to be rescheduled as there was no way I could be ready in such short order. My lady couldn't have managed it either. The bus ius getting loaded with locks now!

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