New approach for hotel keys

[Lee Schierer]

We recently returned from a trip to Switzerland, France, Germany and Netherlands. In Switzerland the keys to our room were RFID cards made of two pieces of laminated walnut. You can see the two key cards below.

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It appears that this is an attempt to get away from plastic and use renewable resources.

[Jim Becker]

The same approach is being used with nearfield communications and smartphones to unlock hotel doors. It's nice that the wood/RFID idea is also in play. The typical plastic cards used have a limited life and even if "recyclable", they may be around for a very long time in the environment.

[Curt Harms]

I guess they could be used for spreading glue just like I use the plastic ones so yeah, they're okay. Some hotels in the U.S. are using similar if not the same technology; just place the card on top of a plate that is part of the door handle and the door unlocks. (Very) near field communications like Jim says.

[glenn bradley]

I guess they could be used for spreading glue just like I use the plastic ones so yeah, they're okay.

I too try to re-use cards. Ones that mic at 1/32" get set aside.
Gift Card Uses.jpg
I keep a few on a chain for stack-able shims for non-critical use.

Gift Cards as Spacers (2).jpg

[Jim Koepke]

A lot of these used to come in the junk mail. Not so much anymore. There are stacks of them around my house and shop.

Good in the kitchen for scraping plates and such when cleaning.

They can also be used for like a shoe horn if needed.

Spreading glue and using as shims has already been mentioned.

They can be used with a piece of PVC pipe to make a glue applicator for dowels:

Glue Applicator.jpg

If you live in an area where it gets cold and frosts the car windows they are good for clearing the ice.

jtk

[Steve Demuth]

If you live in an area where it gets cold and frosts the car windows they are good for clearing the ice.

jtk

I've scraped quite a few car windows with credit cards in hotel parking lots, when a rental care failed to have a real scraper in it, and I didn't notice until too late. I would not say, however, that they are "good for clearing the ice." Workable, but not much more.

[Doug Garson]

I'm used to hotels using RFID cards for room keys, nothing new there but cards made of two pieces of laminated walnut is new and a step up from the plastic ones. Maybe they knew you were a woodworker and had them made up special just for you. Wonder what they do when a goldsmith stays at the hotel?

[Bill Dufour]

I assume you stayed in the walnut suite. Did they provide free nuts to eat?
BilLD

[Rod Sheridan]

Some hotels I’ve stayed in had a reader in the wall you stuck your card in when in the room.

When it was removed, after a couple of minutes all the lights in the room except the entrance light lost power

It was a smart way to control energy use……Regards, Rod

[Jason Roehl]

Some hotels I’ve stayed in had a reader in the wall you stuck your card in when in the room.

When it was removed, after a couple of minutes all the lights in the room except the entrance light lost power

It was a smart way to control energy use……Regards, Rod

Almost 10 years ago, my in-laws took the family on a cruise to celebrate their 40th anniversary. We sailed on the Norwegian Epic, and it had this “feature.” I hated it, because it meant that the A/C shut down while we were gone, too, and the cruise was in the Caribbean, during our winter. Needless to say, the one place I found the most relief was in the ice bar—it was 10°F in there, the bar was literally made of ice, my glass was made of ice, and they handed out parkas and gloves to all who entered. I declined—wearing a t-shirt and shorts.