Just signed up for Foley-Belsaw locksmithing school...

[Wesson357]

Well I just signed up to get the free info. It should be several months before I have the time to take it so hopefully the price will be a bit lower by then.

[TimmieTheGeek]

This LP101 site is awesome! I have invested my entire weekend reading about half the posts and this afternoon got totally engrossed in the Foley Belsaw Course thread.

I've tried to get into locksmithing for several years, even begged several locksmiths to let me work for free but they seem to be a tight fraternity in my area (Southern Indiana). That didn't deter me. I just kept reading and talking with anyone more knowledged than me.

Then I stumbled on your extremely comprehensive site and that provided the final motivation to DO SOMETHING.

I started the wait and see game with FB and when the price comes down a bit I'll give in and get started. Meanwhile, I'm glad to be part of the group now and look forward to reading every new post. With such a motivated and talented family of enthusiasts, I can't wait to learn all I can and be able to understand and contribute to this field.

Mechanical things have always held my interest. Locks of all types just seem to be magical and special somehow.

Anyway, I look forward to the FB course and thanks to all for the encouragement I derived from your posts about this company and their course.

[Romstar]

Now that last post makes everything worth it.

Romstar

[davidgjr]

TimmieTheGeek, I know what you mean. I couldn't get a job with a locksmith here either. It has been the people on this site that gave me the confidence to go out and do it. People like Varjeal and Romstar and also many others will always be glad to answer any questions. I finished the Foley Course a few months ago. I am going to talk to the phone book people tuesday about an ad. I am ready to star working hard core now.

[TimmieTheGeek]

Thanks Romstar and davidgjr. Through knowledge gained courtesy of FB and the wealth of info on this forum, plus encouragement from members such as yourselves, I feel confident that if I be patient and concentrate on learning it will all pay off eventually.

I think we tend to be an society of instant gratification these days and maybe the pride and satisfaction of building a successful locksmith business only comes to those who accept the dues they have to pay to get there. I was in the private detective business for a while and getting into it was difficult for the same reasons. That business is a very tight group and nobody wants to train their competition.

My plan is to get educated, approach an established locksmith (all of them actually!) and see if I can just get in the door, then show them my endearing awe for their skills. Maybe once they realize I'm not interested in being a threat the real learning will commence.

Man, I love the potential of all this! I may not be able to wait for FB to drop their price much I sure am getting fired up about any professional education and training I can get.

This forum really rocks and maybe I have found my calling finally. Stay tuned.

[PickTrick]

I am almost complete with my FB course, i gotta say, it was pretty easy. I went into it a beginner to locksmithing in general, aside from all the information i gathered off the net, and i'm coming out ready to start work. I am waiting on lesson 26 with my supplies then i'm done.
I have to say, i found it alot easier then i thought it would be.
I had trouble impressioning my first flat key ever, but my cylinder key
was easy. I have to admit, i wish they added a little more information
to their course, they kept it very basic. I would have loved to get my hands on a few free car opening tools (i bought some) and some information on safes would have been great also, but i will learn that on my own, or from work. The car ignition chapter was ok, but i seriously didn't give it a second read, i had no hands on experience, no ignition lock to work with, so i didn't really grasp that as well as i wish i could have, they should have supplied a sidebar ignitition lock to drill, pick and send back. In my area, we have something called BCAA, and many people around here in the lower mainland, infact alot of people in BC are part of BCAA, and this is roadside assistance. They come out, change your tires, get your car started, open your car when you lock your keys. they are very trustworthy and all that, so alot of people call on them, instead of us locksmiths. I'm wondering if anybody else has something like this in their province or state, and how it reflects towards the amount of jobs you get doing automotive work. I also want to get advice on what type of drill i should look into purchasing. I want something portable and powerfull, to drill doors, i know what type of bits i want to purchase, so thats not a problem. I just want a quick review on a good drill you might have purchased recently that made you the happiest man or woman on the planet, i don't want reviews on what drills not to buy, i kind of already know what sucks. I have a grinder, and my key cutting machine is comming with my next lesson, soooo i'm all set and ready to pimp out the streets of vancity with my professional locksmithing techniques, thanks and peace out.

[Varjeal]

In Canada there's an outfit called the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) that is a combination of insurance provider, travel agent, and roadside assistance, and are very popular across the country. Providers such as yourself would be able to sign up with them to provide emergency services such as lock-out work of various kinds.

In my experience they often prefer tow drivers because they provide "more" services such as towing, changing tires, boosting, etc. Locksmiths generally get backseat to these guys. Also in my own experience tow drivers in general are absolutely horrible in terms of etiquette and skill when it comes to car opening, I can site many past experiences of that.

However, in the particular city that I live in, I am on very good terms with the tow company that is contracted through CAA (I am not). If the driver comes across a vehicle with no keys, or they cannot open it for some reason, I get the call. Also, CAA has me on their list as a "backup" in case they cannot reach the tow drivers or they are simply too busy. I prefer it this way because I get to charge MY rates and I get collect immediately, whereas being a contractor through CAA you can wait between 30-60 days to get paid at CAA rates, which are much lower than my own. When I'm called by CAA they have already let the customer know that I will be collecting on site, and then the customer takes the receipt into CAA for reimbursement. A nice arrangement for all.

I don't particularily enjoy doing automotive work (other than openings) so it balances very well. I must also say that On-Star has brought me some decent business as well, but that's a topic for a different thread.

Drill advice is also for a different thread, but I'll throw in a teaser anyways. Get a Dewalt XRP (black grip) 18V (make sure they're the long life batteries) and two extra batteries. It won't let you down.

[toomush2drink]

I too use the 18v dewault, after borrowing one off a friend i saw why they cost a bit more and went and bought my own. It is now possible to get spare batteries off of ebay for them but they come with 2 as standard.

If you are going to look at drills the thing to really look out for is how much torque they have as that is where the cheaper ones fall down even though they have the same battery power. That dewault has about 45mn i think without looking it up which is enough to get your wrist stronger

[Buggs41]

I love my 18V Dewalt ( Black & Decker ) drill. It delivers all the torque you would ever need. Sometimes it will stop while using a 'nail eater' bit while boring holes in double 2X4 studs. I switch it to 'low gear' and it continues on.

One very nice feature of a battery drill, is that it will not sprain your wrist if the bit stops. This is due to it not having an induction type motor. On the induction type, the magnetic field continues to rotate, and the armature tries like hell to keep up with it. It really doesn't care if you have a strong wrist, or have the drill near the 'family jewls.'

[PickTrick]

I will deffinately go check out those drills, i know i had to get a drill with great torque, so thats awsome. I also aren't too thrilled about doing car work, especially with airbags, but i will do openings, i got my 16pc pro-lok premium kit in today, with the best car manual ('03) so i already went to my dads garage to open his car (yeah it was honestly fun) I also got a hardbody flex light, i gotta admit, it is all worth the money, i already looked through that manual to see the cars my family and friends have, and i got a great idea of how to open them all up, and i got the tools to do it properly and professionaly. i am thinking to put up flyers and advertisement as an emergency locksmith after hours (when the stores close down) from say 5pm - midnight i would be available for extra money. Some other stuff i got was a LAB universal pin kit with spool pins, it goes for $159 american, and here in canada where i live it costs a person $60-80 to rekey a lock, so i will have my money back in no time, then i get to spend my hard earned profit on booze and chinese food! hahaha. Everyone enjoy your halloween. I'll be getting my computer soon (my computer was stolen and i lost sight of this forum for a while) but once i get my new computer i will be back to help people out with whatever they might need, i have aquired alot of experience with picking, and i have alot of locks kicking around right now. Hopefully i will have alot more soon, it's all about the garage sales.

peace.

[brosskgm]

I just received the paperwork to sign up for the course. They tell you to reply right away to get the pick gun, some have asked what the course has. Received their info 10/21/2004

Basic Locksmithing 30 lessons + 10 lab hands on.

3-in-1 Key machine

Advanced locksmithing course 11 lessions
Repairing/servicing safe, vault, high-security locks

Burglar & Fire Alarm 24 lessions
Burglar, hold-up, fire, smoke detection

Business kit.

Sounds well worth the $769.00.

No one has had anything really bad to say about it, and it seems that it is a good course.

Looks like I'll send of the fee's Monday.

[TimmieTheGeek]

Hey Brosskgm -

You might want to wait a little while on that course since they are known to drop the price a fair amount if you don't sign up right away. I got my information almost a month ago and haven't sent anything back yet so I expect to hear from them soon.

A couple of posts on this forum earlier related stories of the price of the course dropping to around $600 I think. I can wait to save that kind of money.

Just a thought for your consideration.

I have been getting their supplies catalog though and it has some nice things in it.

[brosskgm]

Oh well, already handed it to the post man.

I didn't want to wait any length of time. I hope to be ready for next summer.

I also look at that a little different than some might.

I'm in business now, and want to diversify a little.

I really wouldn't want someone to not do business with me at the time they talked with me because they might think I'll lower my cost two month's down the road.

If you wait for something to be lower cost, is it really the same quality?, will you be responded to in the same way?

Yes and No. We give some of our services free to customers to get a higher monthly rate from them. I still support them the same, but they also understand they got it for free, so they would expect to be priority if there was another customer that is paying full rate.

$50-$100 difference

I felt comfortable with their cost, so I paid it. If I felt it was to expensive, I would not have ordered it.

I looked at a couple other places offering it, and didn't feel comfotable and they were cheaper.

I'm in a small town, and this is why I decided to start this. One other Locksmith here (A customer of ours) can't keep up.

He said he could send me a few each month. He doesn't like nights, I'm up 1 /2 the night.

He knew I was looking to add something else to what I do, so mentioned it. Sounded like a good idea and I have never done it before. The price was right. Sure beet putting 5K-10K in to something like I have in the past.

I would not expect mine to be full time for some time. Little here/there is just fine. If it grows, then all the better.

Bob

[PickTrick]

If you call to order the course, you can tell them that the price was offered to you at $599 , you don't have to wait, i didn't. They know they
offer the deal at that price, even with the pick gun. So you don't have to sit around holding yourself waiting for a cheaper price, just call them right now.

As for the cheaper or better service. If you pay all the money up front (even the $599 cost) you get way better service, you get more packages of lessons at a time, less waiting on shipping times for lessons, it goes faster and they treat you better that way. If you pay month to month, they asume that u are doing the course slowly and they take a longer time to ship everything out to you. Thats about the only difference i heard from FB students.

[TimmieTheGeek]

PickTrick, thanks for the inside info! I think I'll give them a call this week and quit waiting.

I had read previously in these forums that paying all up front was the way to go so I will be doing that too.