- Buy the specialist tool the third time you decline a job for want of it.
- Cheap blanks cause a large share of key does not work complaints. Buy from a real supplier.
- A code machine is the step from copying wear to cutting factory specification.
- Automotive programming is a business decision, not a tool purchase.
First, under a few hundred dollars
A pick set with several hooks, a rake and two or three tension wrenches of different thicknesses.
A plug follower set and a pinning kit for the two or three residential brands common in your area, which in most of North America means Kwikset and Schlage.
A plug spinner, tweezers, a pinning tray and a small mat so pins do not roll off the bench.
Basic hand tools, a cordless drill and a set of cobalt bits.
An air wedge and a long reach tool for lockouts, plus wedge guards to protect paint.
That kit takes on a large share of the residential work in any town, and it fits in a bag.
Next, the middle investments
A duplicating machine, so you can cut keys without sending customers elsewhere. Second hand ones are common and fine if the carriage is not worn.
A stock of blanks for the five or six keyways that cover most doors in your area, bought from a real supplier rather than the cheapest source. Soft, loosely milled blanks cause a large share of key does not work complaints.
A code cutting machine when duplication is limiting you. This is the step that lets you originate keys to factory specification rather than copying wear, and it changes what jobs you can accept.
A stock of the deadbolts and knob sets you sell most, in two or three finishes, so a job finishes on the first visit. First visit completion is the biggest single driver of profit in this trade.
Later, and only with volume
Automotive programming equipment. Several thousand dollars plus an annual subscription to stay current, and it only pays back with steady automotive volume. Decide deliberately whether automotive is a business you want rather than drifting into it.
High security decoders and specialist picks for the brands your area actually has.
Safe opening equipment, including a borescope and a rig, which is a specialty inside a specialty and should follow real training rather than enthusiasm.
A marked van fitted out so anything can be found in the dark, in the rain, with a customer watching. Labeled drawers and a fixed place for every tool save more time over a year than any single piece of equipment.
Resist the exotic tool for the job nobody has offered you. Every tool bought early is money sitting on a shelf while the tool you actually needed is not in the van.
Common Questions
What should I buy first?
A pinning kit, a good key machine or access to one, a plug follower and a small set of picks. Everything else waits until a paying job needs it.
Are expensive picks worth it?
Past a certain point, no. Tension tools matter more than picks and cost far less. Spend the difference on a decoder for the keyways you meet most.
When should I buy automotive tools?
When you already have enough car work to pay for them. A programming tool plus subscriptions runs into thousands and it is the fastest way to bury a new business.