Janus Modern Dual Purpose Key Cutting Machine
Description
This Chinese made machine is made by Janus Modern in China. Although rebranded by many companies it can still be identified by the stylised 'M' on the tops of the handles and the top of the body case. It is usually finished with Red or Yellow trimming. The price of this machine seems to vary from £550+VAT to £800+VAT.
Does not seem to be as heavy duty as the Gladaid equivalent (GL888C) and parts of it seem a little more 'clunky' than the Gladaid model. Such as the handle to switch between the carriages. It is also marginally slower than the Gladaid machine as it doesn't have a turning handle attached to the movement wheel.
I noticed from the model I tested (pictured) it does not have any rubber feet. This meant that if you used it on a smooth work bench (as I did) it has a tendency of moving about as you cut a key. So you really need to anchor it in some way. That being said for the money it is not a bad little machine and performs the task it was designed for.
Pros
- Enables the cutting of the main 2 types of household keys (Yale type and Chubb type).
- Good value budget machine
- Nylon brush allows quicker cleaning off of swarf.
Cons
- Cannot cut sideward cuts. However, these are not overly common.
- The right hand side of the machine is more cumbersome to operate than a dedicated mortice machine, this means it take slightly longer to cut and key and requires a little more practice to master.
- No rubber feet
- Uses a on/off key - DON'T LOOSE IT
- Comes with a standard 220v motor, which means a generator or inverter would be required if you wanted to work out of a van.
- Will not cut long safe keys
- Not ideal for the novice as no English instruction manual is usually available