doorsexteriorlock
I thought this was simple standard take out the old, plug in the new. However, I am switching from a Schlage to a GateHouse and the (excuse my lack of terminology) actual "lock", the piece that slides in the cylindrical hole in the side of the door, on my GateHouse is probably 1/2 to 3/4 inch thicker than the "lock" on the Schlage.
Now I have put the Schlage back on, but i want to swap it out. What do I Need to do in order to make the "lock" hole bigger to fit the new Gatehouse lock?
As for expanding the hole, I am still confident this post will answer your question.
Regarding the Schlage deadbolts, these are not great deadbolts. If you really want high security, you need to look at Mult-T-Lock or Medeco. These are far more secure for a number of reasons. First, they are made of much harder metals - if you feel them compared to another deadbolt there is a noticable weight difference. These deadbolts also often have balls at the end that push out of the bolt when fully expanded so it cannot be forced back in. Also, the keys for these locks can only be made (not copied) by the locksmith who originally created them (each locksmith is assigned a "keyway" and is the only locksmith who can produce the keys), this is handy if you have a cleaning lady or other service person since you can rest assure they cannot make a copy of the key for their friends. There are also metal rings you can put around a deadbolt that spin so that someone cannot use a wrench to twist if off.
If your doors hinges are on the outside then you can also look at having bolts installed on the inside of the door. This way, if the hinges are removed (pins popped out, or blown off with a shotgun), you cannot just pull the door off.
A heaver guage strike (the metal piece that goes on top of the hole where the deadbolt goes into) with longer screws will add extra strength to the deadbolt and hamper someone knocking down the door.
You can also place a cage in front of the door (which too has a deadbolt) but they are not attractive, and add an extra step to opening your door.
An alarm is useful but in a lot of cases, of someone knows what they want, they can be in and out before anyone responds.
A camera adds an extra layer of "don't mess with me" plus gives you a far better chance of identifying an intruder.
This style lockset is known as a mortise lockset.
Dis-assembly and cleaning won't hurt.
While you've got it apart, print the Baldwin diagram below, and note your dimensional differences. Some will be critical (holes for knob and deadbolt), others may be compensated for by strike plate adjustment or wooden block supports (under a shorter mortise body).
Backset (the distance from the door edge to the center of the knob) is a critical dimension that will determine what replacements are available. Modern backsets are usually 2 3/8", many older mortises are 2 1/8 and 2 (the new one below is 2.5)
This page lists some Baldwin mortises, they cover a range of backsets and door thicknesses. Googling "mortise locksets" will net you many choices.
Best Answer
buy a cheap set of holesaws. This one is only $8 if you use a 20% off coupon.
https://www.harborfreight.com/1-in-2-12-in-carbon-steel-hole-saw-set-11-pc-68114.html
buy a set that has the correct diameter holesaw. create a template by drilling the correct diameter into a scrap of 3/4" plywood. attach the plywood template to the door using clamps or screws. go ahead and drill the new hole in the door.
if it is the large hole on the face of the door, you can prevent splintering by drilling in two steps. drill the new hole only halfway deep. remount the template on the other side and drill the remainder.
if it is the small hole on the edge of the door, clamp a scraps of 2x4 to door, one to the front and one to the back, then mount the plywood template by screwing it into the 2x4 scraps.