Mills High top back removal (no key)

[par4n1]

Ive spent 2 days trying to pick my first lock ever on my Mills High Top. After countless hours of searching the net Ive come up empty. There is no locksmith I can find in Richmond Va that can pick my bell lock. (neither can I). Then I came across a post to remove the back with pressure by seperating the wooden base from the bottom door lip. Well ive tried that and im afraid of breaking something. Eventhough Im fairly close it still reeks of the "what the hell was i thinking" syndrome.

Then I read were I can brake the reel glass and unscrew the lock from the front if it doesnt have the secondary lock plate. I dont want to do that either.

I did learn that my wooden base has the same serial # stamped in it thats painted on the machine so I dont want to ruin the wooden base. Sombody tell me to stop prying with puddy knives and screwdrivers please

Can I grind down the 4 countersunk carrige bolts and and remove the wooden base?

[altort]

Ok I'll tell you to stop prying, I have read that post and I don't think it can be done with out the risk of braking something, I also don't think that if you can get the bottom of the door by the base you will be able to get the top of the door off of the bonnet or be able to unlatch the bonnet.

Grinding the four carriage bolts from the base may not be your solution as well instead you can try and grind the two smaller carriage bolts that hold the bonnet latches in place, one on either side by the top rear, by doing so and than driving the cut off bolts in to the cabinet you will be able to lift up on the door and bonnet at the same time and work it off, there is two other small wood screws holding the front side of the latches from the inside but they should not be that much of an issue.

Just be patient and take your time.

[watlingboy]

I have broken the escalator glass of a Mills Extraordinaire and made a long screw driver and removed the screws of the plate that hold in the lock. It is nice to keep an original lock but it is a $35 to $50 lock and you have to weigh buying a new lock with drilling, breaking or prying on your machine.

Watlingboy

[atac]

On any Mills silent thru hightop, you can grind off the back bar rivets and pry off the door, usually bending the top of the door a bit, but that's easy to straighten. You do risk breaking the bonnet. I think if you're repainting the machine anyway, I would grind the rivets and pry it off. But, if not, I would drill the lock. Yeah, original Mills locks are around $50, but they are plentiful and very easy to find. On QT and Vest Pocket, the lock is so much scarcer and more expensive-- so, on QT's you can grind the rivets and take off the back casting to get access. On Vest pockets, grind the door rivets and pull the door off from the bottom.

[par4n1]

Thanks guys, I'll prob wait it out a little longer. Funny I tried to use my pocket vest key in the high top wiggling it around for a few minutes and saying a few prayers. I didnt realize they were different locks but the key does fit right in it. I may look in to breaking the elevator glass, its deff a thought.
Thanks again

[mechanic]

POPPING THE WOOD BASE IS AN EASIER FIX THAN BREAKING GLASS ALL OVER YOUR MECH. WOOD IS EASILY REPAIRABLE AND / OR REPLACED.

[terick2104]

I can't believe the advice that you are getting. You are told to break the reel glass or break the escalator glass or grind off the rivets on the back bar and then pry the door off and last but not the least bad advice bust off the back of the wood base. DRILL THE LOCK! Don't damage your machine to remove a lock that when you are done you still don't have a key for. DRILL THE LOCK and replace it with another Mills lock.

[SLOT DYNASTY]

Par4:
By all means, STOP prying on any area that will result in breaking a casting. Also, all you are going to do by prying at the bottom
of the door, is break your putty spatulas. Even though some have ventured into breaking glass to get to the back of the lock, you
will have a mess of glass going into your mechanism. Your best bet, is working the base, as 'mechanic' mentioned. If you are up to
that challenge, it would be best described over the phone, and I am sure 'mechanic' can best explain it, as he has done it quite a
few times.
The best way of all, is to be patient, until a stash of Mills keys come your way. I know, 'fat chance of that'! Some locks have the
key number stamped on the outside of the barrel, but the style you have usually doesn't. This lock would have the number on the
backside, and would only be visible with a light through the reel glass, only if the backplate is not behind the lock, but it's worth
a look-see anyway. If you could come up with a number, I would look through my stash of Mills keys.
Bill

[thepennyarcade]

I agree with terick2104,
DRILL THE LOCK
Recently I purchased a Mills Futurity with no key, NO way was I going to damage anything. Locks are easy to find and relatively inexpensive.
Can you imagine what I would call myself if I damaged the bonnet casting on newly acquired Futurity for the sake of a lock?
If you have an original machine/cabinet, why would you want to damage the wood/patina by trying to grind off a carriage bolt head or break off the back lip area.
You would loose the bone stock originality of the machine, they are becoming harder to find.

[terick2104]

Good luck trying to find a key for the lock that fits. I read some ware that there are like 70,000 different combinations for a Mills lock. DRILL THE LOCK!