Key blanks

[lokpikr999]

Does anybody has any blueprints and/or ideas for a homemade key machine?

[Josh]

ive thought of moding a single hand held hole punch... but i never got around to it... im just too lazy...

[lokpikr999]

That's a good idea,but what I really meant was any ideas for a power key machine.

[Josh]

ohh sorry...

[ChipShuhart]

Couldnt you just use a dremel? Use vice grips to clamp a key blank to a cut key and cut out the blank with a cutoff wheel. I think that would suffice unless you are cutting tons of keys.

[lokpikr999]

The vise grips would obviously part of the design,but I'm talking about a homemade version of the commercial ones out there with a guide,spacer etc.Nothing fancy,like the
HPC Speedex or better yet like this "very basic" Foley-Belsaw one

https://shop-foley-belsaw.com/foley/jsp ... imageIdx=0

[ChipShuhart]

How much are you planning on spending to build it? You might be better off buying a used one for 200 bucks because I don't think it would be much cheaper to build one. Unless you are just doing it for the challenge, in which case don't let me discourage you.

This kinda thing is totally down my alley and I would love to help, but first let me gather some info. What sort of tools do you have access to? You will most likely need a milling machine, drill press and a grinder at the least. You could do the whole thing by hand with a dremel, but factor in cumulative error & murphy's law and your keys wont come out very pretty. Also, how much experience do you have with machining? This will play a large factor in whether or not it will be worth it and also how much time it will take to build. And how much do you want to spend? Remember that you will always spend more than you think on the prototype of whatever you are building. After you get one made it's easy to redice the cost significantly on the generations afterwards, but you will always need to buy more materials and tools for the first one.

[lokpikr999]

I am perfectly aware it would be alot more practical to buy one.This is a very difficult and highly expensive undertaking!I have no intentions of building something like that anytime soon.I just wanna see peoples ideas and blueprints,Chip.If someone does manage to build one,WELL DONE and I would really like to see it in action.