Hey /diy/
My Girlfriend is in charge of the gas bill, and she neglected to pay it, even though i had more than enough money to cover it when she did not.
They did what they always do and turned the gas off. I repayed them but they will not come out until the 7th of march to turn the gas on.
I dont really want to live in a <50F house all week, so im going to turn it back on. However ive never seen a lock quite like this one. Im trying to open it while keeping the lock intact. I do not have bolt cutters to cut it off. Ive included me 2 years in mspaint diagram of the lock. The large bulbous end is deep, and the circle below is a diagram of the inside that doesn't show depth really well. Its basically one long rod with a conical end inserted into the bulbous end. around the conical end is a flat metal cone cut into 4ths with a ring around the topcovering 3/4ths. I have never seen this type of lock before. youtube has nothing on this particular lock and i cannot seem to see the ball berrings onit, if it even has any. Any advice or suggestions?
>inb4 pay the gas bill
Wear an extra sweater
Get a replacement price on the lock from them then weight up if you are willing to cut it off.
I know some contractors who are regularly faced with being given the wrong keys. They ring the customer and quote them a price per hour to sit and wait for them or given them the option of cutting it off. You can guess what normally happens.
>>955438
Pay the bill. If you bypass the lock you are committing theft. They may decide to not restore your service at all then. They may decide to call the police and press charges. Is it worth having a criminal record over? Just pay the bill.
>>955448
You clearly didn't read the post. I paid the bill. We are in good standing with the gas company. I owe them $0.00. They just "cant get a service guy out until the 7th" Which is insane for this temperature. Theft of what? Gas I'm paying for? a $4 dollar piece of metal?
Buy a space heater from Walmart and return it when your gas is back on.
this will not add well
>>955452
enjoy your reconnect fee
>>955438
Burn your girlfriend instead. Her fault, your solution
>>955438
It looks like a cross lock... Can we get a picture of the actual lock?
Cross locks have four banks of pins, but they can still be picked. You need a special pick which is worth about $10 from China.
If it's actually a tubular lock the you need a tubular lockpicing which is worth about $8.
Obviously picking this lock may get you into trouble with law enforcement so make you'll have to decide if it's worth it.
>>956152
Actually, if you want to break into a tubular lock you can go true /diy/ and make a pick with an old tubular lock key, if you have it lying around.
Steal some of your GF's hair pins, grab an old key.
Next, look at the grooves on the key, grind those down all the way to the handle of the key.
Bend the hair pins so you can lay the straight part along the grooves, secure with a rubber band around key, not too tight mind you.
Of course cut the pins to size, that should be obvious.
Next push the front of the key to someting flat, so that the end of the key and the pins are all nice and flush.
Push 'key' into the lock and wiggle, it should open.
Cross locks are a bit different and you'll indeed need the tool for it.
Do you still have eletric? Also why are you still dating that child? 14 year olds don't understand how bills work. Find a fucking woman.
Use an alternate source of heat. Like eletric heaters. Or go take some time off and take a trip somewhere.
>>955447
>contractor
>resident
The two are not the same and if you cut off locks yourself as a customer of the supply firm you're liable not only for the cost of he replacement lock but any and all charges they want to put on top, because you know, gas supply is a service, not a right and their pipeline is theirs to control only.
>>955452
OP, regardless of the fact you don't owe money, if you'd have paid on time this would have been avoided.
You can pass the blame to your partner but you're the one complaining about being cold. Take control of your life nigger.
Check the legalese where you live. Some jurisdictions the gas company cannot legally up and shut you off for an unpaid bill during a defined winter period if gas is your primary heat source, or if they can they may be required to restore service within a specified timeframe. Just onowing that you know and were willing to not follow up is enough motivation for them to "find" someone to restore your service that day.
>>956219
If the alternative to picking it is to use Bolt cutters then you have nothing to lose.
Picking any lock carries the risk of damaging it irreparably.
>>956221
But let's be honest; he won't be able to pick that lock unless he has some previous experience in lockpicking.
He should go straight to the bolt cutters.
>>956238
Pretty much.
Unless he knows someone who's into lockpicking and willing to risk breaking the law. I doubt a licensed locksmith would be willing to do it, even if he was your friend.
If it is a tubular lock though, even amateurs should be able to pick it with the right tool. They're not great security.
>>955438
Ignore all these bitches.
Gas Tech here. You take a marette (aka wire nut) of the correct size (i think blue fits) and you press it into the end. basically anything that is cylindrical and the correct size will work. the idea is you want to slide something over top the pin in the centre and press on the little tabs equally at the same time. i usually use channel locks to push it in. crappy pic related.
>>956262
once you squeeze the marette in hard it should stay and then the lock will just pull apart.
op you should try /adv/
i would just throw that bitch out, but maybe they can offer other suggestions to save your relationship. hog the covers so she learns from her mistake
Have fun with all the fines you are going to pay for removing/breaking that lock. Just borrow an electric heater from a friend and use this situation as leverage in bed
>>956262
You're essentially making a makeshift tubular lockpick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SplpqbbAzqs
>>956277
It's more of a self-impressioning attack, which is how a common tubular lockpick works.
It should open the lock, as long as the wire nut is not too hard or too soft.
And that the tubular lock doesn't use different types of springs for the pins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO1eC0SCMx4
>>956287
This
>>956272
>Have fun with all the fines you are going to pay for removing/breaking that lock.
There are no fines. Do you really thing any gas company gives a damn over that $ 2 lock? Too much of a hassle.
>>956366
>Do you really thing any gas company gives a damn over that $ 2 lock?
You could keep it on the up and up by calling the gas company, and telling them.
I really need the heat back on, my baby is turning blue, and you can't get anyone out for a few days, is it alright if i turn it back on, and save you a trip out here.
maybe they send someone sooner, maybe they say ok
>>955438
In many northern states, it is illegal for your gas company to cut you off during certain months (varies by state) or when the temperature is below a certain threshold, even if your bill is delinquent.
Read up on your local laws.
You may be entitled to pursue legal action, or at least threaten it if they don't put your gas back on right the fuck now.
>>956366
You're absolutely naive if you think a gas company won't exploit any money they can from you.
>>955438
>They did what they always do and turned the gas off.
That's illegal in most places during winter months.
Also, stealing is illegal. Pay the bill and get the guy out to remove the problem and get your gas back. Otherwise, FUCK OFF YOU PIECE OF SHIT THIEF.
>>956546
>What is reading comprehension?
He's paid the bill. Waiting for the gas company to come and remove the lock.
>>956626
Cutting off the lock and taking the gas is still theft. They have to give it to you.
>>955438
This is DIY. Tell your idiot girlfriend you need to generate warmth for a few days.
That involves anal.
>>955452
Its not your gas until you burn it if your just leasing the tanks.
>>955438
At this point, we still don't know what type of lock is OP's.
>>956954
Its only stealing if you bypass the meter.
>>957086
Tell that to the judge.
>>957099
Your not going to see a judge unless you bypass the meter. Theft of service is when the meter is removed or bypassed.
>>957142
Cutting a lock off to get the gas is also stealing and damaging property. It probably also falls under some "tampering" law as well since the OP is obviously not certified or authorized.
>>955438
>ask gf to pay bill
>she doesn't pay it for probably several months
>eventually OP pays himself the bill
wew lad
maybe you should try growing a backbone
>>956437
You think they'd wanna risk a suit if they were in one of those states? They'd be painfully aware of it, and the gained cost of ignorant customers NOT taking action is not higher than the potential payout for a suit. That's how lawsuits are supposed to work...
>>957319
I had the "privilege" of taking a call from an old lady who was scamming the power company by refusing to pay her bills, they shut off for a few hours but a call from her lawyer had it back on. So yea utility companies will turn off due to unpaid bills in the middle of winter because most people don't know of that law about primary heating and even then most people will just roll over or wait for it to be fixed without putting up a stink.
In the case of this call she was scamming because she had it put in that she had to use an oxygen pump to keep breathing when she really used pre canned air. So she was boasting about not paying the bower bill in over two years.
>>957145
Hope OP knows what he's cutting.
>>959135
It would be helpful if OP could provide us with an actual pic
>>955456
Underrated post
>I don't want to cut off the lock to turn my gas on
>The gas company is going to know you did it anyways if they look at the meter
That said, the tech probably won't and then you're free and clear anyways.
Unless it is one of those new smartmeters.
Why didn't you slap that bitch when you found this out? Also, if you can't cut the lock, just get an electric heater from burgermart.
>>955438
Here learn from the master, now you will have a permanent key
https://youtu.be/h1cCtApECOE
is OP freezed to death?
