What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the rain.


mark

mark wrote:
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the rain.


mark


IME stay away from anything made of brass, and whichever type you buy, soak
the entire thing in WD40 (inside a sealed plastic bag is best) for a few
days prior to using it outside, then, each year, give it another
soaking....all mine have lasted for years doing this.

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

"Phil L" wrote in message
...
mark wrote:
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the
rain.


mark


IME stay away from anything made of brass, and whichever type you
buy, soak
the entire thing in WD40 (inside a sealed plastic bag is best) for a
few
days prior to using it outside, then, each year, give it another
soaking....all mine have lasted for years doing this.

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008



Screwfix do a Stainless Steel disc one that seems ok, I have several
of them round the farm.Though I do squirt wd40 in them occassionally.

AWEM

"Andrew Mawson" wrote in message
...

"Phil L" wrote in message
...
mark wrote:
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the
rain.


mark


IME stay away from anything made of brass, and whichever type you
buy, soak
the entire thing in WD40 (inside a sealed plastic bag is best) for a
few
days prior to using it outside, then, each year, give it another
soaking....all mine have lasted for years doing this.

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008



Screwfix do a Stainless Steel disc one that seems ok, I have several
of them round the farm.Though I do squirt wd40 in them occassionally.


Have found one on the screwfix site. Thanks


mark

On 11 Dec, 21:50, "mark" wrote:
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.

Best? Abus Diskus Plus. Failing that, a decent copy of it.

It's a "disc" padlock, which is a good design for outdoors. Rather
than small pins to control the lock and a shackle relying on loose
locking balls and a bit of spring assist, the rotating circular
shackle of a disk is moved positively by turning the cylinder. It'll
get just as sticky as a straight shackle, but you've got much better
"wiggle" to move it loose afterwards.

It's a close shackle, so it's hard to cut off.

It's a simple design with fewer ways to make cheaper and nastier - so
the cheapies are still reasonable.

The Diskus Plus also uses an Abus key patent for keys actuated by the
angle of a cut in their face, not a pin depth. This makes them secure
against picking, but also far more robust against worn keys and
internal stickiness.

Never put WD40 near a lock, and 3-in-1 is even worse. They're sticky,
so they collect dust in the future. Good fix today, bad for next
winter. Best thing (esp. indoors) on a pinned or wafer lock is just
dry flake graphite (flake, not pencil) which you buy in a little
puffer bottle from a locksmith or decent hardware shop. Couple of
quid, lasts a lifetime. For outdoor stuff, the PTFE gun oils (Tri-
flow, Break-free) are hard to find but good and weather resistant.
For re-assembling lever locks (i.e. "mortice" locks) after
dismantling, use a light grease or vaseline.

On Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:52:10 GMT, "Phil L"
wrote:

mark wrote:
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the rain.


mark


IME stay away from anything made of brass, and whichever type you buy, soak
the entire thing in WD40 (inside a sealed plastic bag is best) for a few
days prior to using it outside, then, each year, give it another
soaking....all mine have lasted for years doing this.

I have a steel Yale padlock bought about 1966 on my extension ladders
outside. Shot of 3in1 oil every year or so keeps it going. Generally
what you get is what you pay for

"mark" wrote in message
et...
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the rain.


mark


Screwfix sell a stainless padlock

or a big brute of a galvanized version

mark wrote:
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the rain.


mark

I've got a very cheap padlock on the garage, no idea of the make, and that
still works perfectly well after over 20 years without ever having had any
oil or WD40 sprayed in it. I'm not really sure why you'd expect only
something expensive or fancy not to jam in outside use.
--
Dave Baker

On Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:38:40 UTC, "Dave Baker" wrote:

mark wrote:
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the rain.

I've got a very cheap padlock on the garage, no idea of the make, and that
still works perfectly well after over 20 years without ever having had any
oil or WD40 sprayed in it. I'm not really sure why you'd expect only
something expensive or fancy not to jam in outside use.

I bought two shed padlocks over five years ago. Nothing special except
for a long shank.

Still working fine; occasional (annual) oil on the shank, and a bit of
graphite in the cylinder.
--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
http://www.diybanter.com

Never put WD40 near a lock, and 3-in-1 is even worse. They're sticky,
so they collect dust in the future. Good fix today, bad for next
winter.

This is conventional wisdom, and some locks do seize up and refuse to come
free with additional WD40. But, some locks do seem to tolerate them long
term, either a question of the clearances or lack of dust in the local
environment. 3 in 1 has very good corrosion inhibitors, so is particularly
effective on brass body steel shackle padlocks that get wet.

Best thing (esp. indoors)

that's the key point, graphite *may* give you galvanic corrosion on steel if
wet, especially if there is salt in the air

on a pinned or wafer lock is just
dry flake graphite (flake, not pencil) which you buy in a little
puffer bottle from a locksmith or decent hardware shop. Couple of
quid, lasts a lifetime. For outdoor stuff, the PTFE gun oils (Tri- flow,
Break-free) are hard to find but good and weather resistant.

Agreed

For re-assembling lever locks (i.e. "mortice" locks) after
dismantling, use a light grease or vaseline.

Agreed

Dave Baker wrote:
mark wrote:
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the rain.


mark

I've got a very cheap padlock on the garage, no idea of the make, and
that still works perfectly well after over 20 years without ever
having had any oil or WD40 sprayed in it. I'm not really sure why
you'd expect only something expensive or fancy not to jam in outside
use.

Me too, B&Q I think, brass, 4 combination, odd squirt of WD40. Been there
15 years.

Why does everyone slag off WD40, I think its great stuff?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:21:40 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Dave Baker wrote:
mark wrote:
What sort of padlock is best for an outside shed.
I'm thinking of one that doesn't jam after a few months in the rain.


mark

I've got a very cheap padlock on the garage, no idea of the make, and
that still works perfectly well after over 20 years without ever
having had any oil or WD40 sprayed in it. I'm not really sure why
you'd expect only something expensive or fancy not to jam in outside
use.

Me too, B&Q I think, brass, 4 combination, odd squirt of WD40. Been there
15 years.

Why does everyone slag off WD40, I think its great stuff?

It tries to be all things to all men.

It isn't a penetrating 'fluid'. PlusGas is very much better.

It isn't a lubricant. It may act slightly as lubricant, but not very
effectively. Powdered graphite is a much better lubricant for lock
cylinders, and PTFE spray (such as 3-in-one Professional) for padlocks
etc.

WD-40's best avoided for HT leads in cars etc - much better to simply
clean the leads with methylated spirit or similar.

WD-40 'is' a water dispersant, but its straw is too easily lost.
Having said that, I've lost the straw for my 3-in-one stuff... :-)

--
Frank Erskine

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:21:40 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:


Why does everyone slag off WD40, I think its great stuff?

It tries to be all things to all men.

It isn't a penetrating 'fluid'. PlusGas is very much better.

It isn't a lubricant. It may act slightly as lubricant, but not very
effectively. Powdered graphite is a much better lubricant for lock
cylinders, and PTFE spray (such as 3-in-one Professional) for padlocks
etc.

WD-40's best avoided for HT leads in cars etc - much better to simply
clean the leads with methylated spirit or similar.

WD-40 'is' a water dispersant, but its straw is too easily lost.
Having said that, I've lost the straw for my 3-in-one stuff... :-)


If WD40 were such a good lubricant (as many suggest), it would perhaps
be surprising that the WD40 company bought up 3-in-one.

The WD40 aerosol MSDS describes the product as "Anti-squeak. Moisture
repellant. Releasing agent". (Though elsewhere they do claim lubricating
properties.)

http://www.wd40.co.uk/

Also, if WD40 were such a good penetrating fluid, it would perhaps be a
surprise that WD40 brought out a 3-in-ONE penetrating spray.

(3-in-ONE is now used to brand not just light machine oil but silicone,
white lithium, copper grease, PTFE lubricant, penetrating spray and
degreaser products.)

When our exterior padlock starting to become a bit reluctant and look a
bit rusty round the edges after around 4 or 5 years outside, I sprayed a
touch of white lithium (no - not 3-in-ONE!) into it. It has been fine
for the last 3 years.

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

The message
from Frank Erskine contains these words:


WD-40 'is' a water dispersant, but its straw is too easily lost.

Straw? Buy it by the 5 litre container and use it from squirty bottle!

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:39:33 GMT, Appin wrote:

The message
from Frank Erskine contains these words:


WD-40 'is' a water dispersant, but its straw is too easily lost.

Straw? Buy it by the 5 litre container and use it from squirty bottle!

Better still, don't buy it at all, since it's so pretty useless.

HTH -

--
Frank Erskine

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:39:33 GMT, Appin wrote:

The message
from Frank Erskine contains these words:

WD-40 'is' a water dispersant, but its straw is too easily lost.
Straw? Buy it by the 5 litre container and use it from squirty bottle!

Better still, don't buy it at all, since it's so pretty useless.

HTH -


It is good for one thing though.

On military aircraft that are left out in all weathers, a build up of
water that can collect under the countersunk head of the fasteners can
cause corrosion. This is one reason why a Water Dispersant was invented.
All military services use it for Water Dispersal.

Dave