What do I need for a one-man-van?

[AlwaysLearningDavid]

Hello everyone,

So after a year of being paid fast food wages and dealing with an unstable manager I decided it was time to leave the locksmith I was working for.

It was getting REAL tough making $400 a week and making the owner $500 a day.

Anyway, I've got me a van and all the hand and power tools I need. I also have a grinder and an inverter.

Now I'm just considering what I would need to stock it up and what machines I could get away with for just starting out.

For my machines I believe I can get away with a cloner and originate using precuts with each depth.

So I'm thinking I would get a crappy Xcam! from Ali Express. ~$85 USD


Then for my pin kit I sort of want to spend a little extra on it since it's used so much and I'm thinking of getting a Lab Super Wedge. ~$230 USD


Lastly, I'll need shims, followers, and a good set of tweezers. ~$50 USD

Then for inventory I would like.
2x KiK, Rim, and mort cylinders for KW1, SC1/4, and Yale 1/2 in brass, chrome, and venician.

And blanks.

And some precuts to get me started.

I would also like to get some knobs, db's, levers for kw residential and sc commercial and residential.

Lastly I'm going to get an assortment of cams and mailbox locks.


I really need to estimate what my costs are here.

I also figure that that should be enough to get started.

If a customer needs a falcon or a closer or whatever I could just tell them I need to order it and use McDonald dash to get it in a few days.

Is there anything I'm missing?

Is there anything you would recommend?

[AlwaysLearningDavid]

Oh!

And do you think kwikset, schlage, and Yale keys will be enough?

Or do you think I should get some weiser, falcon, arrow, or any other keys?

[billdeserthills]

I'd spend a lot less $$ on my pin kit and a lot more on my key machine
if you get brass KW-1 keys they can be used in Weiser, Arrow, Weslock & Dexter locks too

Congrats on becoming self-employed

[AlwaysLearningDavid]

Any recomendations?

[cledry]

Do you plan to do any commercial work or just residential and automotive? Based on your stock choice I assume you will concentrate primarily on residential work. When you do move on to commercial work factor in a lot of money for liability insurance. Most large companies will not do work without you carry a fairly hefty liability policy and you will need to supply COI as required for each company. There is a lot of expense that people often do not think about when starting a business. That $500 a day you were making for your boss gets used up quickly, it isn't all profit.

[billdeserthills]

Yeah my Liability insurance costs about $500 a year--the insurance on my van is 3 times that amount.

[AngryHatter]

The question is what do you expect people to pay for?

Re-keying existing locks?
Removing broken hardware?
Installing new hardware?

Commercial or households?

Most locksmithing nowadays involves as much in security installation as locks.
CCTV, sensors, smartlocks etc.

What do you plan to do for a living?

[billdeserthills]

Any recomendations?

Start off with a basic .005 universal pin kit spend $100 or less
I use a 9120 HPC Speedex 12vt dc in my van, but I have used an Ilco 008 12vt dc model
the 008 is a bit of a hassle to use, but it will cut accurate keys

You should contact a few distributors and get on a 'open account' basis
that way you can order what you need and pay up to 30 days later

You will need a website and possibly an SEO to optimize your incoming business,
if you want steady work. You'll need a set of car opening tools, I like Tech Train--
they also have a new updated car opening book available from Lockmasters
you'll need an account from Lockmasters too, if you wanna open and service safes

[AlwaysLearningDavid]

The question is what do you expect people to pay for?

Re-keying existing locks?
Removing broken hardware?
Installing new hardware?

Commercial or households?

Most locksmithing nowadays involves as much in security installation as locks.
CCTV, sensors, smartlocks etc.

What do you plan to do for a living?

Here in Arkansas you need a license to do anything alarm, like cctc, sensors, and alarms.

All you can do as a locksmith is access control.

My plan is to do everything eventually, but in the immediate future I'm looking to do rekeying, repairs, and installing hardware.

Commercial and residential.

[AlwaysLearningDavid]

Anyone have suggestions on getting new customers?

Ads seem like a waste of money.

A shop would help a lot, but not immediately possible.

[billdeserthills]

Anyone have suggestions on getting new customers?

Ads seem like a waste of money.

A shop would help a lot, but not immediately possible.

The only way to advertise these days is with a website, you can build your own site--
otherwise if in a small town, a newspaper ad will still net you some $$$

[AngryHatter]

Anyone have suggestions on getting new customers?

Ads seem like a waste of money.

A shop would help a lot, but not immediately possible.

I wouldn't expect a lot of residential work such as that. It's cheaper to go to HomeDepot and buy a new lock than call you. At best you get a broken key or a duplicating sale.

I would look at commercial accounts - construction firms, commercial leasing firms, school systems (my gig), hotels, motels, self storage, apartment complexes etc.
(Self storage is good if they want to recover the locks rather than cut them. A shim and your done)

Things that surprised me were churches. They can have many locks of different age & sophistication.

I'd get some really good business cards and then bomb the neighborhood.

[cledry]

Yeah my Liability insurance costs about $500 a year--the insurance on my van is 3 times that amount.

Wow! Lucky you, our liability insurance is more than that just for a single customer! The school board requires 3 million! Most other customers require 2 million. Vehicle insurance a year, I wish it was just $1500. I guess it depends on the work you do and where you live.

Since you are a single van and your market primarily is residential based on your posts you are probably better positioned to offer advice to someone just starting out. For example if I start talking what stock we need to carry versus what a single truck just starting out it just wouldn't make sense.

[cledry]

Anyone have suggestions on getting new customers?

Ads seem like a waste of money.

A shop would help a lot, but not immediately possible.

I wouldn't expect a lot of residential work such as that. It's cheaper to go to HomeDepot and buy a new lock than call you. At best you get a broken key or a duplicating sale.

I would look at commercial accounts - construction firms, commercial leasing firms, school systems (my gig), hotels, motels, self storage, apartment complexes etc.
(Self storage is good if they want to recover the locks rather than cut them. A shim and your done)

Things that surprised me were churches. They can have many locks of different age & sophistication.

I'd get some really good business cards and then bomb the neighborhood.

School board can overwhelm a single locksmith, especially one with not too much experience. Not that the work is difficult but our school district is the 9th largest in the USA, 191 schools! They also stipulate that we must use Von Duprin, LCN, Schlage etc. no substitutions allowed. That must maintain sufficient stock to service the schools, that we are available 24/7 with a 2 hour window to service, and that if the manufacturer offers a 25 year warranty that we must warranty the labor for the same period! I really wish we didn't win the contract to be honest.

[cledry]

The question is what do you expect people to pay for?

Re-keying existing locks?
Removing broken hardware?
Installing new hardware?

Commercial or households?

Most locksmithing nowadays involves as much in security installation as locks.
CCTV, sensors, smartlocks etc.

What do you plan to do for a living?

Here in Arkansas you need a license to do anything alarm, like cctc, sensors, and alarms.

All you can do as a locksmith is access control.

My plan is to do everything eventually, but in the immediate future I'm looking to do rekeying, repairs, and installing hardware.

Commercial and residential.

Well, I would say you need a code machine, and a good accurate duplicator, and unless you plan to write out MK programs you should purchase a code program. You will likely want a code program or code subscription, I recommend the latter.

For commercial work you will probably want to invest in tools and stock for SFIC locks, the common keyway is A, but your area may differ. You should stock the common commercial keys and cylinders for them, then as you pick up customers with different key sections you can invest in stocking that. One mistake I see constantly with inexperienced locksmiths is substituting the master section instead of using the proper sectional key.

I would stock at a minimum 1 each backset and finish Adams Rite hook bolt, latch lock, and deadbolt (clones are fine for the hook bolt and the deadbolt), 1" and 1 1/8" mortise cylinders in both common finishes and keyways, same with rim cylinders but 26D only to start with. I would stock a couple of the import 9" closers in both finishes, some of the Yale clone closers with covers in both finishes, and the LCN 4040 copy in both finishes. You will also want to stock Adams Rite push paddles in both finishes. Doing commercial work levers in 26D, grade 1 and mostly grade 2 will be a common item. You will sell mostly entry and storeroom, not too many classroom functions or privacy and passage.