# Christmas Padlocks



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Here are some more wooden padlocks for Christmas presents. 

Since I made my last series I have been experimenting with ways to make a stronger shackle.
I have come up with some good ideas around Sticks suggestion of laminating them , After making up a dozen or so in various ways, I have come to the conclusion the BB plywood is the fastest,easiest way to go. So 3 of these have BB shackles and one is a laminated one out of Ash and walnut veneer. 
I made a board out of a thin layer of ash ,several layers of walnut and other veneer criss-cross layered, glued and pressed together and then cut and shaped the shackle. I think it is the nicest looking of the bunch. 
I did several other shackles in other ways, which I will post in a separate thread how I did them.

The locks are made of Peruvian Walnut, Lacewood/mahogany, Stacked P. walnut/Aromatic Cedar/mahogany/maple.

There are a couple of more in unfinished stages that won't make it in time for this Christmas

Herb.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

man those are nice Herb...


----------



## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

Nicely done, Herb. As always.


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Just incredible Herb! You've got one hell of a talent there. The laminated idea for the shackle really takes it to another level


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Good job, Herb.


----------



## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Too cool!! 

there just arn't enough hours in the day


----------



## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Herb,

Really Great. I can't imagine how to even start as well as to be able to build one of those.


----------



## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Very nice.


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Very nice indeed.


----------



## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Herb they get better and better with each batch you make. I don't know if you can improve on them anymore.


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

MEBCWD said:


> Herb they get better and better with each batch you make. I don't know if you can improve on them anymore.


The ones that give me the fits are the combinations. They will work ,but not consistently. I am going to try and figure out how to smooth out the operation. I can get them to work because I know the way they are put together , and can bang them on one side and then it moves the locking pin such that I can open them. But if I hand them to someone they can't get it open. The wooden guts don't have the mass or friction-less movement that metal does. And these are replicas of metal ones. But they are more or less ornaments anyway.

Herb


----------



## MYB506 (Dec 5, 2012)

Beautiful work Herb.


----------



## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Herb Stoops said:


> The ones that give me the fits are the combinations. They will work ,but not consistently. I am going to try and figure out how to smooth out the operation. I can get them to work because I know the way they are put together , and can bang them on one side and then it moves the locking pin such that I can open them. But if I hand them to someone they can't get it open. The wooden guts don't have the mass or friction-less movement that metal does. And these are replicas of metal ones. But they are more or less ornaments anyway.
> 
> Herb


Really nice job, Herb...very unique...they get better and better...my vote for the laminated shackle too...

Might waxing the heck out of the innards help the combination locks work better...? mylar (or such) film between the moving parts, maybe...?


----------



## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Very impressive. I particularly like the one made of lacewood (I have a supply of mahogany that I plan to turn into a buffet for the dining room and want to make the door panels out of lacewood veneer on MDF).

Have you thought about making a jig and laminating the shackles out of strips of veneer bent around the jig? - this would make the shackles appear striped when viewed from the front and may be be a little more visual as the layers would follow the curve of the shackle.


----------



## thomas1389 (Jan 4, 2012)

Geez!! They're nice. Really nice.


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Wow...just Wow!!!


----------



## Roy Drake (Feb 10, 2014)

I like them, Herb.


----------



## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Wow Herb those or gorgeous!


----------



## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Herb Stoops said:


> The ones that give me the fits are the combinations. They will work ,but not consistently. I am going to try and figure out how to smooth out the operation. I can get them to work because I know the way they are put together , and can bang them on one side and then it moves the locking pin such that I can open them. But if I hand them to someone they can't get it open. The wooden guts don't have the mass or friction-less movement that metal does. And these are replicas of metal ones. But they are more or less ornaments anyway.
> 
> Herb


Herb,

I think you are on the right track in making them work better by smoothing out the mechanism. Maybe a little sanding with a finer grit paper and a little wax.

I know when I made the latches for aircraft cabinetry if they did not operate smoothly i would polish the matching surfaces with finer and finer grit compound and they would work great.


----------



## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

A Master Craftsman indeed. Beautiful work Herb!


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I'm thinking that wax may be more problematic as time goes on , hard to say .
If the parts had that clear coating stuff on them and then sanded with emery cloth , would that possibly make for a smooth action ?


----------

