http://www.highton.org/DSC07042.JPG

Woke up to find my front door like this. Someone broke into the house.
As you can see the lock and handle didnt give much of a fight.
They even gave me a leaflet about new sercure door handles!

Are all door locks as crappy as this? The door is only a year old.

"Wibble" wrote in message
...
http://www.highton.org/DSC07042.JPG

Woke up to find my front door like this. Someone broke into the house.
As you can see the lock and handle didnt give much of a fight.
They even gave me a leaflet about new sercure door handles!

Are all door locks as crappy as this? The door is only a year old.


I had the exact same thing happen to me last month. Basically it's the euro
lock that is the weakest point. Lock is in two parts help together by the
screw that holds it to the door. They break the handle so they can get some
mole grips on the lock housing than break that. Job done.

You can get some locks that are designed to break before the join so if it
happens again the lock is not breached.

On Dec 5, 12:04 pm, "diy-newby" wrote:
"Wibble" wrote in message

...

http://www.highton.org/DSC07042.JPG

Woke up to find my front door like this. Someone broke into the house.
As you can see the lock and handle didnt give much of a fight.
They even gave me a leaflet about new sercure door handles!

You'd think they'd reccommend a less secure replacement to make their
job easier next time they want to break in.

Robert

"diy-newby" wrote in message ...

"Wibble" wrote in message
...
http://www.highton.org/DSC07042.JPG

Woke up to find my front door like this. Someone broke into the house.
As you can see the lock and handle didnt give much of a fight.
They even gave me a leaflet about new sercure door handles!

Are all door locks as crappy as this? The door is only a year old.


I had the exact same thing happen to me last month. Basically it's the
euro lock that is the weakest point. Lock is in two parts help together
by the screw that holds it to the door. They break the handle so they can
get some mole grips on the lock housing than break that. Job done.

You can get some locks that are designed to break before the join so if it
happens again the lock is not breached.



Does anyone know whether the "Oval" section lock cylinders are more
resistant to this kind of attack than "Euro" profile cylinders - they appear
to contain more metal, so might be stronger. You can see the difference on
this page:
http://www.directlocks.co.uk/squire-...rs-p-2509.html

In article , Simon
writes
"diy-newby" wrote in message ...

"Wibble" wrote in message
...
http://www.highton.org/DSC07042.JPG

Woke up to find my front door like this. Someone broke into the house.
As you can see the lock and handle didnt give much of a fight.
They even gave me a leaflet about new sercure door handles!

Are all door locks as crappy as this? The door is only a year old.


I had the exact same thing happen to me last month. Basically it's the
euro lock that is the weakest point. Lock is in two parts help together
by the screw that holds it to the door. They break the handle so they can
get some mole grips on the lock housing than break that. Job done.

You can get some locks that are designed to break before the join so if it
happens again the lock is not breached.



Does anyone know whether the "Oval" section lock cylinders are more
resistant to this kind of attack than "Euro" profile cylinders - they appear
to contain more metal, so might be stronger. You can see the difference on
this page:
http://www.directlocks.co.uk/squire-...r-euro-double-
cylinders-p-2509.html

They are stronger but neither can withstand a torque attack without
protection, there needs to be something beefy around the cylinder to
protect it and those ****metal door handles just can't hack it. I know
how to protect these cylinders on wooden doors but don't have the
experience on uPVC stuff to recommend a really strong replacement.
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

On Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:57:45 GMT, fred wrote:

In article , Simon
writes
"diy-newby" wrote in message ...

"Wibble" wrote in message
...
http://www.highton.org/DSC07042.JPG

Woke up to find my front door like this. Someone broke into the house.
As you can see the lock and handle didnt give much of a fight.
They even gave me a leaflet about new sercure door handles!

Are all door locks as crappy as this? The door is only a year old.


I had the exact same thing happen to me last month. Basically it's the
euro lock that is the weakest point. Lock is in two parts help together
by the screw that holds it to the door. They break the handle so they can
get some mole grips on the lock housing than break that. Job done.

You can get some locks that are designed to break before the join so if it
happens again the lock is not breached.



Does anyone know whether the "Oval" section lock cylinders are more
resistant to this kind of attack than "Euro" profile cylinders - they appear
to contain more metal, so might be stronger. You can see the difference on
this page:
http://www.directlocks.co.uk/squire-...r-euro-double-
cylinders-p-2509.html

They are stronger but neither can withstand a torque attack without
protection, there needs to be something beefy around the cylinder to
protect it and those ****metal door handles just can't hack it. I know
how to protect these cylinders on wooden doors but don't have the
experience on uPVC stuff to recommend a really strong replacement.

Do you think something like this would help?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190093892834&ssPa geName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009


Keith

In article , thelyricalterra
writes
On Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:57:45 GMT, fred wrote:

In article , Simon

Does anyone know whether the "Oval" section lock cylinders are more
resistant to this kind of attack than "Euro" profile cylinders - they appear
to contain more metal, so might be stronger. You can see the difference on
this page:
http://www.directlocks.co.uk/squire-...r-euro-double-
cylinders-p-2509.html

They are stronger but neither can withstand a torque attack without
protection, there needs to be something beefy around the cylinder to
protect it and those ****metal door handles just can't hack it. I know
how to protect these cylinders on wooden doors but don't have the
experience on uPVC stuff to recommend a really strong replacement.

Do you think something like this would help?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...90093892834&ss
PageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009

It's a brave attempt but I reckon I could still pop that in 30s using a
small variation on the typical attack (a 20s improvement on the usual
10s for such a setup).

Its weakness is that it has limited lateral stability and only has a
single bolt fixing. Both are understandable, the narrow styles of uPVC
frames make a wider fitting difficult to accommodate and current lock
mechs don't appear to have the additional holes required to make bolt
through furniture with multiple fixings more feasible.

I'd say it's better than nothing but don't expect miracles.

What's needed is a handle made out of something a lot beefier which
protects the cylinder from attack and bolts through top and bottom with
concealed head bolts but that's going to cost money that most won't be
prepared to pay.

Okay, bit of lateral thinking later, it may be possible to protect the
handle by fitting it within a tight fitting and hefty metal channel:

(use fixed pitch font)

Viewed from bottom:

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
H HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
H H
XX IIIICCCCCIIII XX
XX I CCCCC I XX
XX I CCCCC I XX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
=B=
=B= H,I Handle
=B= C Cylinder
=B= X Channel
B Bolt-thro' fixing (top & bottom)

There's still room around the cylinder which is bad or security so
adding the cylinder protector to mention could improve the situation,
mount it on top of the channel without cutting through to the PVC.

Manufacture is straightforward but non trivial as you'd need to cut a
Euro shaped hole in the base of the channel but an angle grinder would
shape up the rest & round off the ends of the channel nicely in no time.
Most aesthetic material would probably be stainless.

Other halves may consider it too ugly for house room but suggest it is a
visual deterrent to get round this.
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

In article ,
writes

Do you think something like this would help?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...90093892834&ss
PageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009

Here's another idea for strengthening original handle:

The problem with these is that they cheap, light and hollow castings so
they have no real strength.

A basic solution is to fill the hollow handle with wire reinforcement
then pot the whole lot up using epoxy to add strength. Points to watch
would be:

1. The area by the cylinder is particularly thin so the reinforcement
will need to be fine but strong, perhaps 22swg piano wire (degreased &
roughened).
2. Additional strength will come from continuous or overlapping
reinforcement, make sure reinforcing wires go all the way to the ends,
go round the fixing holes then return.
3. Roughen the inside of the handle and degrease it to encourage
adhesion of the epoxy.
4. Shield the handle mech with plasticene, there's no need to remove it
after as it will just squidge out of the way.
5. Use an old euro cylinder to mask the cylinder hole and to provide a
channel for the one in the door. Smear the cylinder with vaseline to aid
release.
6. Try to fill as much of the available space with reinforcement.
7. Use a tough long cure epoxy and warm it encourage it to pour into all
the corners and between all the reinforcement.

If anyone feels really exotic then I'm sure carbon or kevlar fibres
would do an even better job. Fibre loaded epoxy would prob do but I
think the thin areas around the cylinder need a little more in the way
of continuous strands.

HTH
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

"fred" wrote in message ...
In article ,
writes

Do you think something like this would help?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...90093892834&ss
PageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009

Here's another idea for strengthening original handle:

The problem with these is that they cheap, light and hollow castings so
they have no real strength.

A basic solution is to fill the hollow handle with wire reinforcement then
pot the whole lot up using epoxy to add strength. Points to watch would
be:

1. The area by the cylinder is particularly thin so the reinforcement will
need to be fine but strong, perhaps 22swg piano wire (degreased &
roughened).
2. Additional strength will come from continuous or overlapping
reinforcement, make sure reinforcing wires go all the way to the ends, go
round the fixing holes then return.
3. Roughen the inside of the handle and degrease it to encourage adhesion
of the epoxy.
4. Shield the handle mech with plasticene, there's no need to remove it
after as it will just squidge out of the way.
5. Use an old euro cylinder to mask the cylinder hole and to provide a
channel for the one in the door. Smear the cylinder with vaseline to aid
release.
6. Try to fill as much of the available space with reinforcement.
7. Use a tough long cure epoxy and warm it encourage it to pour into all
the corners and between all the reinforcement.

If anyone feels really exotic then I'm sure carbon or kevlar fibres would
do an even better job. Fibre loaded epoxy would prob do but I think the
thin areas around the cylinder need a little more in the way of continuous
strands.

HTH
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

Or, just put a dog bowl outside

In article , diy-newby writes

"fred" wrote in message ...

A basic solution is to fill the hollow handle with wire reinforcement then
pot the whole lot up using epoxy to add strength.
Or, just put a dog bowl outside

:-D

fine until it gets nicked
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

wrote in message
...
On Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:57:45 GMT, fred wrote:

In article , Simon
writes
"diy-newby" wrote in message
...

"Wibble" wrote in message
...
http://www.highton.org/DSC07042.JPG

Woke up to find my front door like this. Someone broke into the
house.
As you can see the lock and handle didnt give much of a fight.
They even gave me a leaflet about new sercure door handles!

Are all door locks as crappy as this? The door is only a year old.


I had the exact same thing happen to me last month. Basically it's
the
euro lock that is the weakest point. Lock is in two parts help
together
by the screw that holds it to the door. They break the handle so they
can
get some mole grips on the lock housing than break that. Job done.

You can get some locks that are designed to break before the join so
if it
happens again the lock is not breached.



Does anyone know whether the "Oval" section lock cylinders are more
resistant to this kind of attack than "Euro" profile cylinders - they
appear
to contain more metal, so might be stronger. You can see the difference
on
this page:

http://www.directlocks.co.uk/squire-...inder-euro-dou
ble-
cylinders-p-2509.html

They are stronger but neither can withstand a torque attack without
protection, there needs to be something beefy around the cylinder to
protect it and those ****metal door handles just can't hack it. I know
how to protect these cylinders on wooden doors but don't have the
experience on uPVC stuff to recommend a really strong replacement.

Do you think something like this would help?


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...093892834&ssPa
geName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009


Keith

It looks like this manufacturer has taken the idea a bit further:
http://www.locksonline.co.uk/acatalo...ity_Plate.html
, but what I really want is a door handle with a backplate made from solid
steel, or at least solid aluminium.