Making Working Wooden Locks: Complete Plans for 5 Working Wooden Locks

Making Working Wooden Locks is a practical woodworking guide from Tim Detweiler. This digital PDF edition is available for instant download after purchase, giving you immediate access to the complete plans. The craft of making working wooden locks is explained from the first pages through the final finishing steps.

The book provides step-by-step instructions for constructing five working wooden padlocks with no metal parts. It covers materials, safety, tools, finishing, and includes drawings for each lock.

Book Overview

Making Working Wooden Locks is a project book for woodworkers who want to build something unusual. Tim Detweiler, known as “The Lock Man,” designed and made wooden padlocks entirely from wood. The book contains complete plans for five locks: a warded lock with key, a three-number combination lock, an antique lever lock with key, a railroad switch lock with key, and an antique push key lever lock with key.

The opening chapters cover wood selection, shop safety, essential tools, and finishing tips. Later chapters present each lock with drawings and detailed instructions. The intended reader is a woodworker who enjoys a challenge and wants to make a memorable gift or conversation piece.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• Complete plans for five working wooden locks, including keyed and combination designs.
• Advice on choosing hardwoods for lock bodies, shackles, keys, and wooden springs.
• Shop safety tips and lists of basic, intermediate, and advanced tools.
• A recommended finishing method using polyurethane and foam brushes.
• A gallery of the author’s wooden locks and detailed drawings.

Why This Book Matters

This book preserves a rare woodworking tradition. Tim Detweiler was making all-wood padlocks at a time when no one else was known to do so, and by January 1999 he had made 3,500 wooden padlocks. His work was featured in Woodshop News and The National Locksmith, and his locks have reached customers across the United States and in at least nine foreign countries.

For woodworkers, these plans offer a unique project that combines craftsmanship, patience, and mechanical ingenuity.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download, so no physical item will be shipped. The PDF file is available as soon as your purchase is complete.

You can read it on compatible Kindle apps, tablets, desktop computers, mobile phones, and most PDF reading applications.

FAQ

How do I receive the book?
After purchase, you can download the PDF instantly. No physical copy is mailed.

Can I read it on my e-reader?
Yes, the standard PDF format works with Kindle apps, tablets, and other PDF readers.

Does this include a physical copy?
No, this listing is for a digital PDF edition only.

Download Making Working Wooden Locks today and start building a working wooden lock from your own workshop.

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