Euro cylinders with thumbturns?

[D.M.Chapman]

Afternoon all,

Having just battled to get in the front door, I think time has come to replace the euro cylinder. It's been dodgy for a while, but I've been lacking a round tuit...

Having taken it out of the door, I'm struggling to find a match with a thumbturn on it (original didn't have one - and was a bit long really).

Ideally, I want a (I think) T45-35. Or possibly a T40-10-30. Or maybe a T40-30. Found several online sellers, found several ways of defining the size :-/

Piccy to explain:

line and darken part of the cylinder show the length of the bits that stuck out - it's a 90mm cyl but I think an 80 would be better.

As I say, I'd like a thumbturn on the inside as it's less than ideal having to find a key to get out (not to mention fire hazard...) but they appear to be impossible to find in this size. The longer bit is to the inside (in that photo, the key is in the outside end).

The few I can find with thumbturns all appear to be on the short end :-/

So, two questions:

1) what is that lock actually called? I always thought it would be a 35-45 but I'm not sure now.

2) is it possible to get a cylinder with a thumbturn on in this size? If so, where from?!

Cheers,

Darren

[Jim K]

just leave the key in on the inside?

Jim K

[D.M.Chapman]

Then you can't get a key in from the outside...

Problem is that the door is one of those stupid "lift to lock" doors.

Various visitors have a habit of lifting the handle as they leave, locking the door. If the key was in the lock inside it would be impossible to put the key in the outside and unlock the door :-/

Darren

[Jim K]

I can get a key in both sides on our "lift to shoot locks multi- locking whatsit jobbies" - maybe our cylinders are longer....

Does yours really "lock" when the handle is raised? i.e. not "just" shoot the bolts etc then wait for the key to turn to actually "lock" it? If it does lock, does that mean you can't go outside the house without ensuring you have a key? seems a bit bizarre...

Cheers Jim K

[Andy Burns]

Bizarre? Passing through an external door without patting your pocket to make sure you have a key to get back in, that would be bizarre!

[Steve Walker]

I've certainly been "locked out" on a number of occasions, when my wife has left her keys in the inside of the lock, preventing me inserting my keys from the outside - and ringing the bell wakes the baby :(

I have however found that not only can you get thumbturn cylinders, but you can get ones that allow a key inserted from one side to "push back" the other one, allowing you to open it.

SteveW

[D.M.Chapman]

Maybe - our back door is like that, front not. Backdoor cyl is 100mm so maybe that extra 10mm is the difference.

Nope, it really locks. And yes, it's a pain in the arse :-/

Darren

[D.M.Chapman]

All the thumbturn ones I can find appear to have the thumbturn on the shorted end of the cylinder. I need one on the longer end :-(

Any ideas if they are available anywhere?

Darren

[The Medway Handyman]

I'm dead lucky in having a 'proper' locksmiths shop about a mile away who stocks everything you could imagine.

If you get stuck I'll print the picky & take it in next time I'm that way. If they can't sort it - give up.

[D.M.Chapman]

Heh, cheers.

I'll try the locksmiths in Canterbury - they have been great in the past (I've not needed them for many years - hopefully still the same).

If I get no joy, I might take you up on that offer :)

Cheers,

Darren

[andrew]

These seem to have what you want, as well as a good explanation of their numbering system:

[D.M.Chapman]

Excellent - I've ordered one.

Thanks!

Darren

[Dave Osborne]

The slot in (roughly) the middle of the cylinder is usually 10mm wide.

If there are three numbers in the description, then the middle number will be the width of the slot. The other two numbers will be the respective lengths of each end excluding the width of the slot.

If there are just two numbers, then the numbers represent the length of each end from the centre line of the screw-hole.

Since the screw-hole is always in the middle of the slot, you can convert between two and three number systems by adding or subtracting half the width of the slot.

In either case if you add all the numbers together, you get the total length of the cylinder.

So a 45/35 is the same as a 40/10/30.

If you end up having to buy a lock the wrong size, better that it's too long on the inside and the correct length on the outside. On the outside, where it's vulnerable to attack, you don't want the cylinder sticking out of the escutcheon by more than 1 or 2mm (and preferably not sticking out at all).

That you can't operate a double cylinder when there's a key inserted in the other side is a security feature.

If the key (on the other side) is inserted, but not turned, you can insert the key on your side and push the other key out. If, however, the key on the other side has been turned, you can't push it out.

You can get specially modified Euro-cylinders which don't have this security feature and therefore, you can use your key to get in even if there is a key inserted and turned on the inside.

HTH

[freddy]

My partner did this.

Left key in lock on inside - went out side - and the door banged to.

Went to neighbours to get spare key - got it - it would not go in because of key on inside.

Called locksmith - he arrived - and opened door immediately with "something".

Just shows how secure such locks are :-)

I wonder what the "something" was?

(Cost 60 quid - neighbour now has a back door key as well :-)

[Michael Chare]

Yes, I have one:

[Jim K]

still with the old Yale rimlocks are we ? ;>)

[David Hearn]

Screwfix also do something similar I think:

[D.M.Chapman]

Not in the size I need they don't :-(

First place I looked.

Darren

[Andy Burns]

Yep, afraid so.

[Jim K]

intriguing.... what's the thinking?

Jim K