A while back, I lost the original key to my 240d. This kinda sucked but at least I was able to go to the dealership and get new keys cut after showing my title. All well and good, right? Well no, these new keys suck. Since then I've broken both of my new keys. The metal key itself just rips right out of the head. Clearly something has changed in manufacturing over at MB, but I wasn't about to give them more of my money for a crapass product, so I made my own key head.



It's made from a chunk of Zebrano I picked up from a woodworking store for 2 bucks. I cut two wafers from it, routed out a part of one of the slices with a rotozip with a depth guide so the key could set in there. Then sanded the mating surfaces smooth and glued with tightbond III in a vice. After that I had a workable key again, and began sanding the wood into the shape of the original key. The hole was created with large drill bit, and finally finished with Minwax Polyshade in Honey Pine. It's not perfect and obviously hand made by someone with little woodworking experience, but it's strong and looks pretty good and matches the Zebrano wood dashboard of my 240d.

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Own:
1970 Mercedes 250c, 1976 International Scout II, 1982 Mercedes 240d, 1997 Honda Accord Wagon, 1998 Acura Integra Type-R, 2009 Mazda5.
Owned:
1974 International 100 pickup, 1975 International Scout II, 1981 Mercedes 240d, 1985 Mercedes 300SD, 1988 Honda Accord, 1988 Ford Thunderbird, 1991 Honda Accord, 1996 Geo Metro, 1996 Ford F150, 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, 1997 Honda Accord, 2003 Acura TL-S, 2003 Yamaha V-star.

Cool.

Odd the new keys would fail. I believe they are Ilco and made in Italy. Since my keys were wearing out visibly I decided to get a "master" copy made. A new key I would avoid using. Was $20 at a key maker. I have used it a few times and the head seems strong and secure. Wonder if your dealer sourced out some lesser (read: cheaper) keys.

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1991 560 SEL / 185k miles
1992 750il / 17k miles - project car

Haha! If you want it done right... do it yourself I always say...

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85 190E 2.3(SOLD)
86 230E (-->300D) sold
87 300D (-->300TD) sold
68 250S w/ a 615 and manual tranny (RIP)
87 300TD (SOLD)
95 S280 "The KRAKEN" (Turbo 2.9 602 transplant) traded
86 190E 2.3... current project

A good solution to a common problem, well done.

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83 SD

84 CD

I've broken several of the new keys head. They suck. The old ones are molded with the key in the plastic. Now they are just inserts and they tear after a while. The originals last a looooong time.

I've made 5 or six keys over the past few years. A couple for myself and several for other members. Here is one of the latest. It's Zebrano(Zebra wood) with 8-10 coats of Polyurethane. I'm still working on trying to match the interior finish color. I can't seem to darken up the light grain like the dash wood is.

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Wow, that's really impressive looking. Mine is a fair bit cruder, but I plan on making at least one more and the idea was that this one is more of a prototype to figure out the process to make one. The way I got it darker was just to use two coats of the Polyshade. I just dipped the key in the can, let it dry then dipped a second time. The quality of the finish isn't nearly as nice as yours, but it was at least a simple process.

Interesting to note we chose different directions for the grain. Do you feel one way works better than the other? How thin are you able to make the key head itself? Mine is somewhat chunky, but I was afraid of going to thin and breaking it easily again.

Two more pictures.

This one shows the grain better.


The thickness of the wood.

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Own:
1970 Mercedes 250c, 1976 International Scout II, 1982 Mercedes 240d, 1997 Honda Accord Wagon, 1998 Acura Integra Type-R, 2009 Mazda5.
Owned:
1974 International 100 pickup, 1975 International Scout II, 1981 Mercedes 240d, 1985 Mercedes 300SD, 1988 Honda Accord, 1988 Ford Thunderbird, 1991 Honda Accord, 1996 Geo Metro, 1996 Ford F150, 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, 1997 Honda Accord, 2003 Acura TL-S, 2003 Yamaha V-star.

My first one wasn't quite as nice, I've definitely hone the process, but eash key still looks a little different. Mine are maybe just a tick thicker than the original key heads. But I try to keep them as close to the original dimensions as I can. Zebra wood is so hard that grain direction probably doesn't really matter, but since the twisting action could potentially brake the grain when it's in the direction that you've got it I put it the other way., though I've never had one brake.

The trick with the finish is that it darkens everything. So if you put really dark finish on you darken everything so the relative balance between the dark and light grain stays the same. Where as all the trim wood in the car the light and dark grain are more similar shades. It may just be that the trim is 30 years old and the light grain has darkened up more than the dark grain.

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I have gone through the problem also. bought a new tumbler and one additional key for the 240 when we first got it. Feb 2010. since that time I have purchased 2 new plastic key head from the dealer. the side of the plastic splits out. first time I was starting the car, and second time was opening the dor, heard a tinkle, and the key fell to the ground and I was holding the head.
This last time I found a key at PNP, pulled out the little lock in piece and removed the key. so we will see how long this one lasts. good price too.....free.

This is BIODIESEL300TD`s thread on the wood key head.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/256867-wood-key.html


Another way of doing it, he man style. Hammer and Anvil and brute strength.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/2568220-post25.html


Or do a search, "wooden key head" etc...






Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

I've got one coming my way today, thanks to this post.
While I do this one I'll snap some pics as I go for a little DIY, so all can enjoy a nice wood key.

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Your keys really look nice. Can you tell me how I could get my key to look less mottled? I'm thinking I can just wetsand it once the poly is fully cured, what do you think?

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Own:
1970 Mercedes 250c, 1976 International Scout II, 1982 Mercedes 240d, 1997 Honda Accord Wagon, 1998 Acura Integra Type-R, 2009 Mazda5.
Owned:
1974 International 100 pickup, 1975 International Scout II, 1981 Mercedes 240d, 1985 Mercedes 300SD, 1988 Honda Accord, 1988 Ford Thunderbird, 1991 Honda Accord, 1996 Geo Metro, 1996 Ford F150, 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, 1997 Honda Accord, 2003 Acura TL-S, 2003 Yamaha V-star.

When I do it I put a coat of Polyurethane on, let it dry for 24hr or so. Then hit it with some really fine steel wool. Then put another coat on, then repeat. For me it take several coats to get it really smooth and shiny. I usually put on 8 or so coats.

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One could try adding a medium amber stain to the wood before finishing it... I've found that the wood coloring and grain pores on the interior trim is closer to cocobolo than to zebra wood. But if you try cocobolo, be sure to wear a mask... The dust, even though it smells like cinnamon hearts, is really really toxic...

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All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by and do nothing.

Too many people tip toe through life, never attempting or doing anything great, hoping to make it safely to death... Bob Proctor

'95 S320 LWB
'87 300SDL
'04 E500 wagon 4matic

OK . . . how much you charge to make another one for a long-term (3 car) member?

Also, am not a fan of min-wax, which is a water-based stain. Too often, whatever is being stained comes out looking like zebra! I found that using good oil-based stains gives a more uniform stain. Personally, I enjoyed working with Deft stains, which were one of the few oil-based stains readily available. Unfortunately, when I was making my computer desk, and matching bookcases (1991), there were only two shades readily available . . . natural & dark oak!!!. I mixed the two together (50/50) and got the medium oak that I wanted. Gramps is still using the computer table, and I'm still using the coffee table and bookcases. At the time, I used DeftThane, which was oil-based, for the finish. I would think that polyurethane in the can would be a great alternative for finish, using the high-gloss version. I think that may still be in oil-based. As long as the oil based stain is allowed to dry, there should be no problem with any finish you wish to apply.

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1983 300D, the "Avocado"
1976 240D, 4-spd the "Pumpkin", SOLD to Pierre
1984 190D, 2.2L, 5-spd, my intro to MBZ diesels, crashed into in 2002

Such BS to buy a factory key and have it fall apart in little time. I brought 2 about a year ago after a hardware store one broke in my door lock. I would imagine that a replacement should be given at the dealer, especially with a raised voice in front of other customers.

Key heads are only a few bucks and seem to last at least a year.

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