Replacement Singer Sewing Desk Key

I think my sis-IL got bit by the restoration bug and recently she had purchased a vintage Singer sewing machine, complete with the foot powered treadle table. The drawers, however, didn't come with the square key and luckily weren't locked. With that in mind, I figured having just completed my own DIY skeleton key, I could make a sewing table key, too. Let's get to work.

CRS round stock

16 gauge flat stock

welder but you could probably get away with epoxy for the head of the key

Lathe, or a lot of file work

Marking tools

Drill and bits

Sandpaper of various grits

Rotary tool for detail

Hack saw

Angle grinder

Clamps / Vise

Calipers

Stamps / Stamping machine (optional)

Check out this video of my process and my other videos on YouTube here.

Picture 1 was a rough sketch I drew up from various online shopping sites. Luckily, the bit of the key was all generally the same: 1/4-inch square. The rest of the throat and head of the key were designed roughly from "real" keys but I needed to make it my own through experimentation and skill building on my lathe.

With that in mind, I looked in my components bin (you gotta have a components bin) and collected my materials. Time to chuck it up.

After chucking up the shaft, I marked the areas according to my sketch (pic 1-3). Basically, it would be the bit, the throat, and the 'Do not proceed' area. With that, it was time to get turning and I don't have much (or any??) experience turning steel so the initial sound made me wonder if I was set up correctly. Satisfied by interweb research, I proceeded. I mean, I was basically an expert now ;)

Taking my time, I got to a design of the throat I was satisfied with (pic 4-7). Additionally, I reduced the diameter of the bit (pic 8-10) and cleaned it up a little with a scouring pad.

Time to cut the piece off and for that I used my trusty hack saw (pic 11). I assume people do this? Keep the lathe running while the hack saw does the work. I honestly do not know but I figure, work smarter not harder. After a few moments, the key was free (pic 12-13).

Using the manual powered hack saw, I cut a slot to fit the head (pic 1-2) and cut a piece of 16-gauge steel to the rough shape.

For the head, I hogged out the insides with a drill press and the outside with an angle grinder. I just traced round objects I had around the shop with a sharpie. Afterwards, I filed the detail to my satisfaction (pic 3-5) and removed the marks with acetone. Pic 5 shows the set up for welding the head to the throat, so let's do it.

The head was pretty much press fit and I bet if you didn't have slop in your sawing like me, you could do just that. Having just received a new welder, I went that route (pic 1-2). After it was secured, I filed down my nasty amateur welds and wound up with my key (pic 3-5)!

This step's title sounds like the name of a Scottish pub or something...but I digress.

I used my belt sander to remove the bit material to a square shape that was 1/4 x 1/4-inch (pic 1-3). This needed to be a hair under it turns out but I didn't have the lock with me (which would have been smart in hindsight).

This key was already one of a kind but I thought it would be cool to stamp her name on the head. I have my Schimdt stamping machine I won cheap at auction so why not (pic 4)?!

After a cleanup / buffing (pic 5), the key was 99% ready.

Pics 1-4 show the movement of the lock. When I delivered it (as a surprise Cmas present, btw, that is why I couldn't take the lock home), I quickly found out it was a hair too wide and I needed to file it down and all sides of the bit in order to fit. After some on the spot filing, I got it to fit properly. Now the key is hers and she was very excited, especially for the stamping of her name! Mission Accomplished!

I hope this inspires you to try something new and get out of your comfort zone. Sure, I could have just bought one online as a gift but where is the fun in that? I was also very nervous to turn steel on my lathe but that was a good a chance as any, I figured. I learned a lot from this project and I think it turned out okay. It does function which is half the battle, right?!

Thanks for following along and I hope to see you on the next one. Peace!