On 5/1/2015 8:29 PM, bob haller wrote:
I repair office machines and one of my customers has a rolling cart they lost the key for, and they now want use the stuff in that cabinet.....

I tried getting keys from the cabinet supplier but they didnt work...

has anyone ever drilled out a lock?

I would rather avoid damaging the cabinet much. and other than flip or flop have never seen anyone drill out a lock. on flip or flop they just start drilling, but never show what happens.


Yes, I've drilled out scores of them. I had a sideline business repairing
arcade games, pinball machines and such. One problem was that the workers
were continually losing keys. Typical 'flat-key' locks take about a 1/4" or
3/8" standard bit and a few minutes. 'Cylinder-key' locks take a bit longer
since you need to center-punch first.

The really buggers are locks such as those made by Medeco and used on
change machines and high-value vending machines. _Those_ require a bit of
initial drilling to get a start and then, of all things, a carbide masonry
bit (at least that is the best I ever found). Those lock bodies have
hardened steel rods buried in them which catch the drill bit so a heavy
corded drill and a lot of caution to avoid a broken wrist. With those I
sometimes expended two or three cheap bits because of dulling and breakage.

Your typical cheap cylinder cabinet lock should be gone in a couple of
minutes with a combination of drill and screwdriver.