Fence Smart Lock - August Lock 3rd Gen

I wanted a smart lock which I could unlock and had a spare August 3rd Gen lock lying around. This will not fit the other round August lock models.

The latch is reinforced with a screw. From my tests, its easier to jump the fence, or break it, than to break

Parts needed:

• 2 qty - M3 x 16mm screws
• 1 qty - 10x3" outdoor wood screw (to reinforce the latch)

Other parts - Outdoor wood screws needed to attach the adapter and lock to the fence/wood. This might vary depending on if you have shims and the placement of the adapter, latch, and strike.

These are the parts I used:

• 2 qty - 10x1.25" wood screw (strike)
• 4 qty - 10x2" wood screws to hold the latch
• 2 qty - 10x2.5" wood screws to hold the lock mounting plate

How to construct:

• Its recommended that you put wood or find an area to mount the base/adapter where  it will be level with the strike.
  • In the following picture, I used a piece of wood
  • However the wood wasn't a perfect fit, so I also printed shims to put it perfectly even
    • I included a print profile for various shim sizes

• The latch needs to be reinforced with a 10x3" screw
  • It is a very tight fit so you might need to clamp the latch to fit in the screw

• OPTIONAL - There is a hole in the driver designed to allow an M3 screw for reinforcement of the “crank” motion
  • I didn't need it because the latch moved very smoothly but if the latch is not aligned, the driver/lever could break and the M3 screw could be used like rebar to strengthen the layer adhesion and prevent breakage.

• Press in the stopper into the latch

• Thread the 2 M3x16mm screw through the first arm
  • through both the latch and lever into the 2nd arm
  • Try to leave a gap between the arms and the latch/lever so that it can swing freely

• Fit the lever and drive through the lock plate and connect the bottom plate

• Thread the latch through the base latch holder and screw the base into the fence
  • Check if shims are needed here for the base. I will include a separate print profile with shims.

• After screwing in the base, screw in the lock plate as well

• Next is to install the strike
  • Note shims are available also for the strike if needed
  • Have the latch in lock position, to help with alignment
    • Note that this is a difficult step as its easy to misalign and the latch is critically dependent on the latch alignment with the strike

The setup should look like this before you install the lock:

• You can test the fitment by turning it with your fingers
  • If it is difficult, the smart lock won't fare well either

• You should now be able to attach the lock
  • Be aware of the position of lock vs unlock
    • Use the August app to calibrate lock vs unlock positions

• To attach the cover, thread 1 piece of filament (1.75mm) through the hinge to attach the cover to the joint
  • The hinge is friction fit

• If the hinge is loose, you can flatten the edge with a soldering iron

Edit 12/26/2025:

If you're looking to strengthen the strike, you can add some steel which will make it very strong:

The galvanized steel used is called: Hanging Tape Galvanized Steel:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/AMERICAN-VALVE-1-2-in-to-4-in-dia-Galvanized-Hanger-Iron/3223489

Amazon Alternative: https://a.co/d/2u0RUFr

With steel reinforcing the latch and strike, its highly unlikely that this will break before the rest of the fence does.