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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Springfield MA
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    4
    Country: United States

    Default Restoring a Mosler 5H lock case with new paint/coating, some questions

    Hello fellow lock hounds,

    It took me a while but I have managed to get my hands on a Mosler 5H friction fence lock with all the parts including the combination wheels which were not easy to track down. My serial number is 358 and is stamped on most of the parts. The lock came off a safe a farmer had in an Indiana field and I had him remove it for me before he scrapped the safe and sold off the other parts to other interested parties.

    The lock case is glossy black but has seen better days and although the brass parts are easy enough to degrease, polish, lubricate and put back together, the lock case and tube paint is chipped and I am not sure what process to use to strip them and repaint them.

    It almost looks like it is baked on enamel or porcelain, I would like to get the same look again, just not sure if I can use chemical strippers or if I need to have it sand blasted. I don't want to do anything to the inside of the lock case, and mine is the kind that is one piece, it does not have a cover and no 4 corner screws. I hope to post some photos tonight so show you my progress.

    I had pretty good luck last year refinishing a Yale 0700 lock and dial and I used automotive high gloss enamel on the dial, then I baked it in the oven. After that I used white Testors model paint to paint in the numbers on the dial and I wiped off the eccess. Because the black paint was baked on it didnt bleed when I wiped off the white. Dial came out looking like new.

    I'd like to hear your ideas on repainting the old cast Mosler lock case, thank you.

    Squelchtone

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    1,485
    Country: United States

    Default

    When you post pictures, could you explain why this is called a friction fence lock? I'd not heard that term before.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Springfield MA
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    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wylk View Post
    When you post pictures, could you explain why this is called a friction fence lock? I'd not heard that term before.
    I believe others call it a roller fence. Basically if you turn the dial to the right, the driver has a gear attached to the back of it, which turns a gear that the roller fence is mated with and that rotation makes the roller fence move out of the way and never test the hang change wheel pack, but if you turn the dial Left the gears make it so the fence rides the wheelpack and tests to see if it can drop in.

    Yale OC-5, Mosler B-6, and others use the same mechanical operation.

    like in this photo from google:
    160593451461 1

    Squelchtone

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    I'll take a stab at describing the action here. A small amount of friction is introduced to the fence via a small flat spring hidden between the fence and the tube it fits on. This tube is fixed to the gear below the fence. The screw you see down the center is a long smooth shoulder screw the gear and its tube rides on. This small amount of friction guarantees the fence will follow along with the gear. Any obstruction to the fence movement will stop it but allowing the gear to continue turning. Once the wheels are in alignment with the driver gating, the correction rotation of the gear will bring the fence down into the wheel pack and the driver can now retract the bolt. Clear as mud? Doug

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    1,485
    Country: United States

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    Thanks for the explanations. It turns out I have one, a Yale made for Herring-Hall-Marvin (an LOBC version), but I hadn't heard the term friction fence. Mine is a little hesitant about opening and it might be that the friction needs to be increased. Is there a way to adjust the friction?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    They were not designed to be taken apart, therefore no simple adjustment. At least that was the case in the one I disassembled a long time ago. I will look at one again and check it out more closely.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    46
    Country: United States

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    Is there any reason the gear would be hard to turn? The one I have doea not spin freely and in fact takes quite a bit of effort to turn. Ive cleaned it out so I don't think there is any gunk restricting the rotation. I'm thinking it's bent somewhere but the gear sits flat on a flat surface.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    Usually the friction fence begins to fail to engage due to too little friction. But too much friction would result in harder dialing and increased wear of the fence on the drive cam. One thing you might try is to heat the entire fence assembly with a propane or Mapp gas. Get it up to about 1,000 F. Quench it in water and try it. If no improvement, take it up higher up into the red range. Again let it cool and try it. his may not work but it is worth a shot.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Country: United States

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    Thank you. I'll report back on the results.

    Any idea why this is binding? I was wondering if the internal springs are the culprit.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    46
    Country: United States

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    I think I found what is causing this to bind. It appears the spring has worked its way down the shaft and is binding on the gear face.

    Is disassembly the only option?

    Click image for larger version. 

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