Early 1900's Massive York Vault Door opened

I thought you guys might enjoy seeing the monster early 1900's York vault door I have spent the last couple days drilling. Finally got it open yesterday.

Nice, sounds like another job well done Doug, you know we have to see pictures of it open though, you can't leave us looking at the front of it!

More pictures will be forthcoming but probably not for several days. I am recuperating as the drilling was a real bear. It was about 19" to get into the lock. Fortunately I had a much younger helper on the job.

Hi Doug, this door deserves it's own thread, away from the miniatures. Sorry! If you don't mind please post your opening true to this builder. Also includes a famous Vault Engineer Benjamin Tripp as well as the first I've seen of a labeled Bank Engineer Thomas Bruce Boyd.

DH

Here are the first group of pictures right after the door was opened. Its not the biggest door I have worked on but it is the biggest drilled so far. That's a 24" drill bit. The door is 6 feet wide and about 8-1/2 feet tall. Note the inner heavy door. From what I have seen, this 2 door system was popular in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Then the really thick doors came in after that.

Doug that's very impressive, have to say hats off to you again there.
It always amazes me how you guys maintain pin point accuracy on those big doors with those hand held drilling set-ups.
The old Bux mag drill I used was a pain when using long drills and extensions but was in its favour a rigid setup, albeit a very heavy one. Even so it suffered a fair bit of wandering over say ten or twelve inches and the magnet gradually slipped down under its own weight. Even tightly cabled with a caravan winch it was never perfect.
But its only really when you've drilled in such circumstances that you know how difficult it can be, and how a tiny amount of gradual deviation leads to being way off target on a thick door like you've drilled there, which makes me understand and appreciate what you've done all the more.
Very impressive and worthy of the credit it deserves- hope you bill them accordingly complete with smug grin included !

Btw, if that's you in the photo and not your stunt double, you actually look vaguely familiar- wondering if we met lock impressioning at the NEC Convention in the 1980's but can't remember which year, around 87 or 88? Small world if we did.Not sure if you got the PM but let me know if you want any changes.

Almost forgot - beautiful door, don't seem to see so many with those fine steps, very nice.

Thank Huw, yes drill deflection was a big concern. However after years of fantasizing about drilling the 4 foot thick Cleve Fed door, I was somewhat prepared mentally. We did start off with a Baby Bux, hence the orange support strap, but switched over to the lever rig at about 9" deep. The 5 very thick layers of 5 ply hardened chrome steel interspersed throughout the door laminates made for slow drilling. Never been to NEC, so we haven' t met before.

Do you start with a shorter bit and then change out when you need the extra length?

What do you use as lubricant?

Nice drill job Doug and very impressive vault door, nice big lock with plenty of open space for a scope hole, had you serviced the door before, so you knew for definite the lock type?

Nice work Doug! Not many have the knowledge or ambition to complete that opening. I'm familiar with that door and it's location, impressive to say the least. Either your very short or that door is very large. ;)

A rare door in my opinion. I've drilled two of these Tripp doors of a smaller model and maker, both in active banks. Looks like the inner vestibule door didn't need drilling? It would have been nice with twice the pay day.

Congratulations.
DH