Key cutting.

[zzr1200]

It was timpsons that quoted 12 quid....

That's what happens when shoe repair shops don't have many shoes to repair, key cutting was always a side line, now it's their main income......

 

[jmp49]

I have one of the vertical defi key cutters, I've got some additional little clamps I got off alibaba that let me cut house shaped keys as its a vertical cutting machine designed for square key forms with holes in originally. The clamps grip the spine of the key firmly and tighen up with allen bolts then clamp into the machine's usual vice, but leave the edge to be cut exposed and higher than the vice so the cutter can access the side.
Its all about taking care on the setup & having a sharp cutter and not ramming it round so hard that the weak spindle deforms. It takes a certain touch to get good results every time as you guide the xy table by hand (I put my fingers round the edge and steer it, that table movement lever is cosmetic on mine) and I cut using a soluble oil in a mister pump gun. The cutting tools that came with it originally were cheap not even hss & dull out the box, but I got better ones and things improved.
If the original key is worn and you copy 1:1 you end up with the same key that you have to jiggle in the lock to work as the original, I have had some success in making a better copy by moving the key in the extra clamp jig slightly to compensate for the wear, and I eyeball the original key under a magnifier to see if I can see where its worn, and fettle the copy in finally with a diamond file. Sometimes this takes more than one go to get right as you can't glue bits back on if you misjudge it.

I have saved the money it cost in keys I've duplicated (car, house etc), and not having to waste a hours driving to a key cutting place to be told they don't have the blank to suit the original. A lot of key blanks are available on amazon but some of the x hundred keys for a tenner style ones are really poor quality metal so I tend to go for a brand and buy a small number. If its a high security key the blanks might not be available, but there are ways and means around that.
I don't cut keys for other people, but having the machine about I tend to cut a spare for something important in advance so I can usually afford to wait for blanks to arrive rather than having to keep a selection about. And I just like being able to do everything myself, even though it probably would make sense to a "normal" person to just go the key cutters. But a lot of us aren't "normal" here I see.

I also made my son a flip style key for his Astra G that was never available for this model, bought a blank housing and replicated one of the original's in the machine onto the flip blade instead.
If you do buy one take the machine and check its earthing on arrival, mine had a earth wire but it was on a painted surface and wasn't connected to the machine itself. Also a lot of people have found the lamp filament lasts less than a hour, I put a led replacement in.

 

[jmp49]

Here's a link to the clamps to cut the second style of keys on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155551115200

 

[Morrisman]

Anyone had any experience with these cheap key cutting machines.
I went into a shop today and they wanted 12 quid per key.

I needed 7 keys so I am considering buying blanks and doing my own.
Blanks seem to be around £1 and £2 but I am.not sure how good these machines are.

I had a new front door key cut last month, £9 at Timpsons. I was horrified, how the hell can they justify that???

Last week I went to a local hardware store, £9.90 for cutting two keys.

 

[AdventuresInMetal]

I had a new front door key cut last month, £9 at Timpsons. I was horrified, how the hell can they justify that???

Last week I went to a local hardware store, £9.90 for cutting two keys.

And yet the number of times i've heard "oh thats a bit steep" with my 1 for £4 or 3 for £10 price.

 

[Migmac]

And yet the number of times i've heard "oh thats a bit steep" with my 1 for £4 or 3 for £10 price.

That’s pretty much what we pay here to get keys cut. I don’t think it’s bad

 

[ukracer]

I had a new front door key cut last month, £9 at Timpsons. I was horrified, how the hell can they justify that???

Last week I went to a local hardware store, £9.90 for cutting two keys.

It was £12 quid at our local Timpsons.
just got all 6 cut for 18 quid at our local tool shop.

 

[Welderpaul]

I had a new front door key cut last month, £9 at Timpsons. I was horrified, how the hell can they justify that???

Last week I went to a local hardware store, £9.90 for cutting two keys.

It's cheaper to buy a new euro cylinder which comes with three keys than get one duplicate key cut at Timpsons.

 

[Pete.]

Your key blank is nothing special, honestly I think you just need to try a different key cutter, try and go for dedicated locksmith shops vs something like timpsons (which are more often than not terrible).

You can say that again I have yet to have a key copied at Timpsons and have it work smoothly.

 

[ukracer]

It's cheaper to buy a new euro cylinder which comes with three keys than get one duplicate key cut at Timpsons.

We already had 3 keys with the new door but needed loads more as there is no door handle. You can only open door with key.

 

[angellonewolf]

we had these at work got them change asap it was only a bar rather than the split bar to swap over in the handle

easy to lock yourself out with those