Rare key machine

[I Pik U]

A small table to cut in ward cuts;







Left sid efor duplicating regular keys, manually or automatically;



A video rotating the drive gear, throwing the levers to feed the right sides;

[I Pik U]

Those old Yales are still quite common. The Jensen wasn't really very well built so not surprising they didn't get much use.

We put two Jensen machines (two locations) to a lot of use, cutting keys for large master systems, etc and never had any problems with them.
Still use them today over others sometimes.

I think it's what you get used to.
Have this Framon which was bought with other items.
I'm sure she's a great machine for her day, but don't use her much.

[ptlockguy]

The Jensen Microdial is based on a Unimat lathe. I bought a Unimat at an auction a couple years ago and just recently acquired another. I'm planning to convert one into a clone of the Jensen. Each picture I see helps me understand more of the details. Thanks.

[I Pik U]

Some more pictures of the Jensen;

[jeffmoss26]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing. A collector I know has one of those machines but I have not seen it yet.

[billdeserthills]

Those old Yales are still quite common. The Jensen wasn't really very well built so not surprising they didn't get much use.

We put two Jensen machines (two locations) to a lot of use, cutting keys for large master systems, etc and never had any problems with them.
Still use them today over others sometimes.

I think it's what you get used to.
Have this Framon which was bought with other items.
I'm sure she's a great machine for her day, but don't use her much.

Framon actually outfitted many of this model with a rotating head, so they could do everything the newer machine does

[slik4x4]

Does anyone have a manual for the Jenson Micro-Dial? I am getting back into locksmithing and this is the only machine I kept when i got out. It was a gift from a locksmith widow for helping her with her husbands inventory and equipment. Just need to know how to zero it in or calibrate it. never used one so kind of at a loss here. The spacing dial has been removed so I know it needs some major calibration, . Thanks

[billdeserthills]

I would wager nobody has a machine like this. Even Ilco had no knowledge of the machine.

What it is is the standard Ilco universal code machine, with a difference. It has a copy dog! This was one of the most accurate code machines in its day.

The two screws between the cutter and the pulley, along the top of the cutter shaft are actually there because the bushings in your machine are shot. They push directly upon whatever is left of the bushings to allow the cutter shaft to become pinched tighter and is an old locksmith's trick to get out of rebuilding the machine, yet still regain the original accuracy for a bit longer

[I Pik U]

Does anyone have a manual for the Jenson Micro-Dial? I am getting back into locksmithing and this is the only machine I kept when i got out. It was a gift from a locksmith widow for helping her with her husbands inventory and equipment. Just need to know how to zero it in or calibrate it. never used one so kind of at a loss here. The spacing dial has been removed so I know it needs some major calibration, . Thanks

We do in the shop.
I will usually measure a key blank with calipers first, the put the blank in the Jenson and turn the depth wheel until the cutter just touches the key blank.
Compare the depth dial reading to my earlier caliper measurement, and adjust if needed.
Spacing is a little more work to adjust, and will check the manual.
It usually stayed true, the spacing, rarely needing adjustment.

[shutterstuff]

Wow. I thought I had a one of a kind, but I guess with the custom modifications it still is. I picked this code machine up from a retired locksmith along with a lot of other stuff. It has taken me a while to master this thing, but it is accurate and works great!

[I Pik U]

Interesting machine shutterstuff.
How does it work?
What do the two adjustment controls do, the one on the left and the one bottom center?

[cledry]

Interesting machine shutterstuff.
How does it work?
What do the two adjustment controls do, the one on the left and the one bottom center?

Left is your spacing dial and bottom is the depth dial.

[cledry]

I would wager nobody has a machine like this. Even Ilco had no knowledge of the machine.

What it is is the standard Ilco universal code machine, with a difference. It has a copy dog! This was one of the most accurate code machines in its day.

The two screws between the cutter and the pulley, along the top of the cutter shaft are actually there because the bushings in your machine are shot. They push directly upon whatever is left of the bushings to allow the cutter shaft to become pinched tighter and is an old locksmith's trick to get out of rebuilding the machine, yet still regain the original accuracy for a bit longer

Nah, they are just little short screws because the Gits oilers were shot so I popped in some screws while I tracked down the correct ones from McMaster

[billdeserthills]

I would wager nobody has a machine like this. Even Ilco had no knowledge of the machine.

What it is is the standard Ilco universal code machine, with a difference. It has a copy dog! This was one of the most accurate code machines in its day.

The two screws between the cutter and the pulley, along the top of the cutter shaft are actually there because the bushings in your machine are shot. They push directly upon whatever is left of the bushings to allow the cutter shaft to become pinched tighter and is an old locksmith's trick to get out of rebuilding the machine, yet still regain the original accuracy for a bit longer

Nah, they are just little short screws because the Gits oilers were shot so I popped in some screws while I tracked down the correct ones from McMaster

Yeah that makes sense, you would need a screw on each side to do it right

[shutterstuff]

Jim, do you have any idea if these machines you and I have are worth anything?