El Cheapo DIY Stage 1 Build up Locksmith Van Fitout Help

[El Toro]

Hi Guys,

New Project 2011. I HAVE NOT DONE THIS BEFORE

I bought I van and going to kit it out as a locksmith van. I think I will need some input as I have never been in a locksmith VAN.

I want to build it as a mobile key cutter, engraver to ID peoples TVs items in case of theft, lockout service, repin, install doors, change locks.Sometimes go to fleecemarkets etc. I cannot afford all the gear for the Auto market, transpoders etc.

There is also a strong focus on DIY, as where I live there is a lot of ristrictions & they won't sell me the gear i need.

Design Principle Arrangements

I am going to install a bench at the rear of the van, so ideally I will be working from outside the van like those mobile coffee vans, not inside as my head cannot clear the roof, even with a mini stool. This saves the middle of the van for more caro, extra seats, etc. I am looking to service 2 - 4 surburbs, partime as I do not want to get big. No safe work.

so farCurrent arrangements & Costs.

Suzuki Carry Van. $550 1.3L it was the only van a could afford, I did the repairs on it myself
I have two key manual machines and heaps of blanks for $500
Free ilco rack.
1000wattt inverter.Ebay $38 ( I have questions about this)
Dremel & 20pk hacksaws $60
Vista print Car magnet X2 $38
Most power tools collected
Garden tools for probes $15
Whoopie Cushion for an Air Bag Tapped up with bicycle tyre pump pump it hehe it works! $12
1 Lockable tool box $????


Questions.

1)Is it better off installing the rack into the car as it has good info on it, or store it in boxes? The keys might fly around, what do other lockies do?

2)Is it better to run the inverter on its on seperate boxed battery? Or run it from the car battery, but this will conflict as the the battery is under the passeneger/driver seat, and would have to run all the wiring to the back where my machine is at the rear goin to be. Plus the leads look like THICK jumper leads, which the pass/driver seats will not close?

3) How neccessary are side shelves? Could you wing it by storing all your stuff in boxes?

Okay, I am going back to the garage and do some more work. I will post pics.

Any pointers or help muchly appreciated

[EmCee]

Hi El Toro

I don't think there's a 'common template' for a locksmith van. Each locksmith will design the van interior to suit their needs and ways of working.

Some locksmiths do not do mobile keycutting so they may not bother with a bench and might opt for small vans which are mainly storage places rather than having interior workspace.

Others have larger vans where head height is not a problem, so they can create a mobile workshop with room to sit and work inside.

As far as boards of keys are concerned, as long as the boards are fixed and you don't throw the van around corners or accelerate/brake hard then the hooks (as long as they have a fairly deep curve and are not overloaded) will be enough to hold the keys on the boards. If you drive regularly up rutted farm tracks, however, anything not firmly fixed is likely to bounce off any hooks as well as off shelves and out of bins.

If you're going to kit out a van then I suggest it would be good to have as much organised storage as possible to make it easy to find and access tools and parts.

You could make do with boxes if they are fairly strong and 'fit' together so they don't slide around on the floor too much, but it would probably be more convenient if you had boards with hooks to hang things from, shelves with lips to place things on, lockable areas, bins and buckets to hold small items, a couple of long areas to put longer tools and/or MPL mechs if you are going to carry them etc. One locksmith said he'd put a false floor in the van so that a complete door could be carried, slid into the space between the false floor and the real floor.

Big word of warning about the inverter - read LOTS about it. I'm no expert, but from what I read during my own researches, you must have a separate leisure battery for it. There is a fire risk with inverters so add a fire extinguisher to your list. You need an inverter that is powerful enough to handle the tool with the biggest power requirement and more if you want to use more than one thing at the same time (such as a key machine but also a light and also a charger for a cordless battery). Check the start-up power requirement as well as the continuous draw...ie the key machine might need more power to start when you first switch it on, and the inverter has to exceed that capacity, not just the running power requirement.

Cheers....

[El Toro]

Hi El Toro

I don't think there's a 'common template' for a locksmith van. Each locksmith will design the van interior to suit their needs and ways of working.

Some locksmiths do not do mobile keycutting so they may not bother with a bench and might opt for small vans which are mainly storage places rather than having interior workspace.

Others have larger vans where head height is not a problem, so they can create a mobile workshop with room to sit and work inside.

As far as boards of keys are concerned, as long as the boards are fixed and you don't throw the van around corners or accelerate/brake hard then the hooks (as long as they have a fairly deep curve and are not overloaded) will be enough to hold the keys on the boards. If you drive regularly up rutted farm tracks, however, anything not firmly fixed is likely to bounce off any hooks as well as off shelves and out of bins.

If you're going to kit out a van then I suggest it would be good to have as much organised storage as possible to make it easy to find and access tools and parts.

You could make do with boxes if they are fairly strong and 'fit' together so they don't slide around on the floor too much, but it would probably be more convenient if you had boards with hooks to hang things from, shelves with lips to place things on, lockable areas, bins and buckets to hold small items, a couple of long areas to put longer tools and/or MPL mechs if you are going to carry them etc. One locksmith said he'd put a false floor in the van so that a complete door could be carried, slid into the space between the false floor and the real floor.

Big word of warning about the inverter - read LOTS about it. I'm no expert, but from what I read during my own researches, you must have a separate leisure battery for it. There is a fire risk with inverters so add a fire extinguisher to your list. You need an inverter that is powerful enough to handle the tool with the biggest power requirement and more if you want to use more than one thing at the same time (such as a key machine but also a light and also a charger for a cordless battery). Check the start-up power requirement as well as the continuous draw...ie the key machine might need more power to start when you first switch it on, and the inverter has to exceed that capacity, not just the running power requirement.

Hi thanks for your reply,

Cheers....

Hi Emmcee,

Thanks for the tips.

problems so far.

1.Cheap inverter blew up, fast. It blew up under load ( do not buy cheap inverters, lesson learnt ) I have read about Pure sin wave inverters are the go, I will ask an auto elec. for this advice. or if anyone else can add, please do. luckly i did not blow the key duplicator .

2.Having troubles finding an ideal place to fit the board keys. I am thinking to mount behind the drivers/passenger cargo barrier ( which i do not have ) this is the the most level and flattest place I can find to mount.

3. I tried to u/l pics & cropped them, but still to big to upload - i will use another camera.

4. What is an MPL toolkit?, i tried to goggle this, and is still not clear.

5. I will use an MDF wood bench.

Thanks for your help once again, this is a great site.

Cheers.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

1)Is it better off installing the rack into the car as it has good info on it, or store it in boxes? The keys might fly around, what do other lockies do?

Everyone does things differently. I'll tell you what I do and you can go from there.

I have racks on both side walls on my truck. Compartmentalized and all able to be secured into place (so they don't go flying if I take a sharp turn). I've padded the drawers for storing products (deadbolts, door closers, knobsets, etc.). I rarely, if ever, notice "road rash" on any of the inventory.

I'd be leery of just storing boxes around the truck. I do the same with a full tool boxes (Dremel case, drill case, etc.) and I have to re-arrange them back into place at least once a week. They're in a corner; I'd hate to imagine where they'd go if they had full range.

2)Is it better to run the inverter on its on seperate boxed battery? Or run it from the car battery, but this will conflict as the the battery is under the passeneger/driver seat, and would have to run all the wiring to the back where my machine is at the rear goin to be. Plus the leads look like THICK jumper leads, which the pass/driver seats will not close?

I draw straight from the battery which is routed through the firewall, under a rubber mat, to behind the passenger seat. The inverter is mounted on the metal divider between the cabin and the rest of the truck. Never had a problem. Just make sure it's elevated or properly shielded to avoid issues.

3) How neccessary are side shelves? Could you wing it by storing all your stuff in boxes?

I'll always use them as long as I'm running calls. You can always stack up, as your inventory and tools increase. Stacking boxes is a bad ideas for more than one reason.

Properly mount your shelves; there's no such thing as overkill. I've welded 1/4" thick steel plates to the sides of my truck and then tapped (4) 1/4 x 20" holes to mount a bracket on that secures the shelves to the truck. Even then, I have to re-tighten them every 4 to 6 months. I also put insulation (both spray and strip) behind the shelves to prevent noise and movement.

You want quiet shelves and firm shelves. Movement is what puts "road rash" on your products. Shoot for that (if you go that route) and you'll have a good work truck that will serve you for many years.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

2.Having troubles finding an ideal place to fit the board keys. I am thinking to mount behind the drivers/passenger cargo barrier ( which i do not have ) this is the the most level and flattest place I can find to mount.

Hate to double post but missed this.

Don't hang your keys on a rack. Put them in drawers. You'll save space and sanity. Nothing will drive you crazier than a thousand key blanks moving around the entire time you drive. Not to mention, you'll never dump them if you take a sharp turn or have to brake suddenly when they're secured in a drawer, instead of rack.