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Basic key machine.

Got a question about key machines? not sure what to buy? need a user manual? have some tips for keeping one running well or need help cutting or programming keys? Post here!

Basic key machine.

Postby ricksconnected » 17 Mar 2020 13:11

what is a good basic key machine that would be good for a newbie to the business.
really only wanting to do residential key related cuts at first but open to ideas
from those that know.
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby bitbuster » 17 Mar 2020 14:36

Check your local Craigslist to see what may be available. I started with the Belsaw 200 but won't suggest you do. See if you can find an older Ilco machine, perhaps an 025 or similar machine. Even a Cole 3KCC. There are many brands to suit your needs.
"I dream of a world where, chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned". Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby ricksconnected » 17 Mar 2020 16:23

oh man, our local CL isnt worth a crap. however than you for listing a few options
to look into. not running out to buy right now but getting ideas as to what i might need
in the future.
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby Squelchtone » 17 Mar 2020 16:47

ricksconnected wrote:oh man, our local CL isnt worth a crap. however than you for listing a few options
to look into. not running out to buy right now but getting ideas as to what i might need
in the future.



you could buy this 008 machine, but it is probably not the best choice for a locksmith, it's more for an apartment complex maintenance dept to make copies of apartment keys once in a while, not to make 50 keys a day.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/tls/ ... 82624.html

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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby Squelchtone » 17 Mar 2020 16:54

ebay is another good place, Search by Distance: Nearest First to find things close to you.

Here is an Ilco 025 like bitbuster suggested https://www.ebay.com/itm/ILCO-025-Manua ... 3463123019

Here is an HPC Speedex https://www.ebay.com/itm/SPEEDEX-9160MC ... 3551963566

some items have free shipping, a large and heavy key machine however, will probably cost you some cash to ship in from out of state.

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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby ricksconnected » 17 Mar 2020 17:27

Squelchtone wrote:
ricksconnected wrote:oh man, our local CL isnt worth a crap. however than you for listing a few options
to look into. not running out to buy right now but getting ideas as to what i might need
in the future.



you could buy this 008 machine, but it is probably not the best choice for a locksmith, it's more for an apartment complex maintenance dept to make copies of apartment keys once in a while, not to make 50 keys a day.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/tls/ ... 82624.html

Squelchtone




lol would you look at that............
every time i hate CL in my area somebody comes up with something
i need on there or have been looking for. never darn fails.

looking up all these links now.
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby jeffmoss26 » 17 Mar 2020 18:42

do not buy an HPC mini speedex. they are crap.
"I tried smoking a blank once. I was never able to keep the tip lit long enough to inhale." - ltdbjd
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby ricksconnected » 17 Mar 2020 23:53

not really sure how fancy i need to go to start out with.
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby demux » 18 Mar 2020 9:00

ricksconnected wrote:not really sure how fancy i need to go to start out with.


Depends what you want to do or think you might want to do. If all you're interested in is duplication then any of the things people have already said would be fine. You might find it difficult to make a living off that though. If you think you might want to do rekey work, masterkey systems, etc I'd suggest you consider at least a basic code machine (Framon #2, HPC 1200, etc). IMHO it's better to overbuy initially than buy just what you need now and find it's insufficient down the road. That'll leave you with a fairly expensive machine sitting under the workbench gathering dust.

FYI my first machine was an FB 200 and my second machine was a Framon #2. I consider myself basically a hobbyist. I do a bit of institutional lock work on the side primarily with businesses I've already done other work for, though it's not my primary source of income.
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby ricksconnected » 18 Mar 2020 13:26

wow there are more key machines than one can imagine out there lol.
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby GWiens2001 » 18 Mar 2020 22:43

ricksconnected wrote:wow there are more key machines than one can imagine out there lol.


There are far more than you suspect. I have about 10 key machines, and I'm just a hobbyist, too.

Gordon
Just when you finally think you have learned it all, that is when you learn that you don't know anything yet.
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby ricksconnected » 19 Mar 2020 0:36

GWiens2001 wrote:
ricksconnected wrote:wow there are more key machines than one can imagine out there lol.


There are far more than you suspect. I have about 10 key machines, and I'm just a hobbyist, too.

Gordon




why 10?
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby demux » 19 Mar 2020 10:20

ricksconnected wrote:
why 10?


I'll let Gordon speak to his specific situation, but the reason most lockies have multiple machines is because different machines are good at different things. At the very least, you'll need a basic pin-tumbler key duplicator for obvious reasons. If you want to do rekey work, you'll want at least one code machine so you can originate new keys to spec. Duplicating keys on a code machine (especially for locks with sloppy tolerances) is a waste of time. Originating keys on a duplicator requires you to have a set of space and depth keys for every system you want to originate, and even if you do it's a huge pain. If you want to get into masterkey systems of any size you'll probably want a computer controlled machine that you can connect to your desktop running your master key software so you can send key info right from the key database to be cut. If you work on things other than standard pin-tumbler (tubular, sidewinder, etc) you'll want dedicated machines for those. If you decide to get into any of the more esoteric high-security systems a lot of those require special machines (think Protec, BiLock, even Medeco though many generic code machines now can cut Medeco keys) If you do a lot of work with one or two particular systems (SFIC A2, Schlage, etc) you may want to invest in a punch machine for those systems as cutting keys that way is much faster. If you do work on the road you'll want 1-2 basic machines in each of your vans. You see how things can add up quickly.
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby ricksconnected » 19 Mar 2020 10:48

thats a lot of machines thats for sure. just looking to do simple residential stuff for a good bit.
nothing fancy for a while. dont know what machines will have me covered for a while W/O breaking the bank.
any machine models you can suggest would be great too.
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Re: Basic key machine.

Postby billdeserthills » 19 Mar 2020 13:49

Squelchtone wrote:ebay is another good place, Search by Distance: Nearest First to find things close to you.

Here is an Ilco 025 like bitbuster suggested https://www.ebay.com/itm/ILCO-025-Manua ... 3463123019

Here is an HPC Speedex https://www.ebay.com/itm/SPEEDEX-9160MC ... 3551963566

some items have free shipping, a large and heavy key machine however, will probably cost you some cash to ship in from out of state.

Squelchtone



I actually like the HPC 9120 & 9160 Speedex machines but not the one pictured as it'a a first gen modeland only has two-way vises--the newer model has 4 way key vises. I actually retrofit my 1st gen 9120 speedex with hpc's help 25 years ago & I've rebuilt that machine many times as I still use it today
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