key cutting

[alan9858]

hi guys newbie needs help i go on my course in 2 weeks time nearly got all i need but cannot find a supplier for a key cutting machine new or used in uk anyone help
thanks

[Shrub]

What course?

SKS sell a lot of machines and sometimes have second hand ones in, most the other places also sell them, just have a ring around after whatever course your going on and see what prices they are.

[alan9858]

hi shrub
how do i get in touch with sks

[Shrub]

Email, sales@skskeys.co.uk
Website, www.skskeys.co.uk
Tel, 01442 291400
Fax, 01442 863683

[alan9858]

hi shrub
thanks for that a bit of luck on that on i am not far from there tomorow
cheers alan

[pinky]

For 2nd user machines try north west keys, 0151 9441187 www.nwkeys.co.uk
they stock recon and new machines of all kinds.

i know a guy selling a number of 2nd user smarty 2 cylinder cutting machines at £300 all in, fully reconditioned with new cutting wheel etc, as good as new.
It depends what you are after. a good light use machine is the tempest from sks, but a pain to use and keep changing wheels, a good dual machine is the SKS cyclone.

are you opening a shop or a market selling keys ? as if not and going mobile, then you will find little use for the machines, as you will cut very few. a good add on later on, but money is better spent in other places when setting up.

[alan9858]

hi pinky
i am setting up mobile and need all the help i can get with what i need and dont need , so you are saying dont get a machine just yet, can anyone tell me what i need to set up a mobile locksmith business i have got a van just need to fill it
thanks

[pinky]

alan

have you researched your area to discover the most common lock types fitted, ie , what do the councils and housing associations fit ? as id advise the decoders for these locks.

as an auto locksmith, i need all my machines on the van, all 4 as im always cutting auto keys on site.

but as a domestic locksmith, in past 3 years ive only cut 8 keys on site whilst fitting locks, thats it, this is not your most urgent investment.

You will need adequate tools and picks, and adequate stock to suit your area, and adequate advertising to get any sort of work in to use these tools, approx £4000 of advertising will get you a very modest income at best.

if you havnt fully researched your area yet, id do this as an urgency.

[spudfoden]

Hi alan, i personally as a mobile locksmith would not be without my keys machines. I pesonally on wednesday cut 24 keys (14 cylinder and 10 mortice) for a pub that was also offering rooms. 2 weeks ago i had a local retirement development get me in to cut 43 keys (12 cylinder and 31 mortice). As i say i would not be without them. I can offer to all my customers keys cut on site. Every key i cut is then tested in the door so that i and the customer know that all keys are working before i leave.

Pinky you must have been using the wrong sales technique.

[SteveW]

Ive found my key machine to be one of the best investments Ive made. I bought a C888 from citysafe about six months ago and its easily paid for itself already. I find myself cutting keys on nearly every job. The best one so far was 152 cylinder keys for a block of flats (haha laughing all the way to the bank).

How much you use a key machine depends on the work you are doing. I generally seem to do about a third openings, a third fresh fits/changes, and a third other odds and sods. But even on openings i always ask if the customer wants any extra keys and nine times out of ten they always say yes. That's too much business to ignore so i would say a key machine is a great investment.

If you get a machine i would recommend a dual machine that cuts both cylinder and mortise keys. It saves a lot of space and weight in the van. I looked at all the dual machines on the market and the Cyclone and C888 are by far the best but i would say the C888 has the edge and is a lot easier to use than the cyclone.