- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 2,486
Well, we are in the middle of a pandemic so decided to find a shop project so I didn't have to wear a mask and
interact with the rest of the world. I wanted a spare key for my newly acquired motorcycle so decided on that
for the morning project. If course I could put on a Covid-19 mask and show up at the Honda dealer and have them
make me a key or at least get a key blank but opted for something more interesting. I measured on the existing key
and found it was about 75 thousandths thick. I have some brass stock, not really the right dimensions so milled
off 21 thousandths to get the right thickness. The piece I had wasn't wide enough so I could see there would be
some brazing involved in the project. First I milled in the appropriate grooves with a slitting saw using the vertical mill
and an end mill to get the rough shape for the key. After that there was a lot of filing and fitting to do, all the while
comparing my key to the original. This was all done with small files of various shapes. Finally the key fit in the bike
and after a few more trial filings and a bit of Dykem, it worked perfectly. I brazed on two side pieces to widen the key
and ground it down using a grinder to get the shape I was looking for. Then a bit more filing and polishing and it was
done.
In the last photo on the right is a piece of the flat stock I used as a basis for making the key.
In the first and second photos it looks a little crude but was braze welding on the two tabs to make the
key wide enough to be useful. In the third picture, the key is installed in the motorcycle lock and works
just as well as the original. Sometimes it is fun to challenge yourself and see what you can do. There is
nothing prettier than nicely polished brass and even more satisfying that it works as intended.
interact with the rest of the world. I wanted a spare key for my newly acquired motorcycle so decided on that
for the morning project. If course I could put on a Covid-19 mask and show up at the Honda dealer and have them
make me a key or at least get a key blank but opted for something more interesting. I measured on the existing key
and found it was about 75 thousandths thick. I have some brass stock, not really the right dimensions so milled
off 21 thousandths to get the right thickness. The piece I had wasn't wide enough so I could see there would be
some brazing involved in the project. First I milled in the appropriate grooves with a slitting saw using the vertical mill
and an end mill to get the rough shape for the key. After that there was a lot of filing and fitting to do, all the while
comparing my key to the original. This was all done with small files of various shapes. Finally the key fit in the bike
and after a few more trial filings and a bit of Dykem, it worked perfectly. I brazed on two side pieces to widen the key
and ground it down using a grinder to get the shape I was looking for. Then a bit more filing and polishing and it was
done.
In the last photo on the right is a piece of the flat stock I used as a basis for making the key.
In the first and second photos it looks a little crude but was braze welding on the two tabs to make the
key wide enough to be useful. In the third picture, the key is installed in the motorcycle lock and works
just as well as the original. Sometimes it is fun to challenge yourself and see what you can do. There is
nothing prettier than nicely polished brass and even more satisfying that it works as intended.
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