Speaking of gun safes...

[Paul]

And don't confuse some folks on this board's need to be motherly to new people as "back by popular demand".

Either way, welcome back if you're going to stick around.

[FJ540]

I spoke with several members face to face on Saturday (good times at the show) and have chosen to give the joint another whirl (which seems to be the consensus amongst many who've spoken to me).

I didn't see it as taking my ball when I left, I saw no point in continuing somewhere where nothing I said was taken seriously or was immediately mocked. It is what it is.

[EJSG19]

goes back to both topics.

My house I built in 05 had a store room under the basement stairs that was all mine. I lined it all around with 2 layers of 1/2" fire rock. Gave better protection that a single 5/8" firerock. That way I could seal all of the seams. The door had a similar fire-rating. Any valuables in the house went into this room.

Oh well, plans were to be there for a long time, but things change. Next house will have a similar walk-in closet built for "secure" storage. The inside will have single 5/8" fire-rock, and the outside walls will have two 1/2" firerock. That way the studs should be better protected for support.

I never could get into the idea of buying a safe for big bucks that was nothing but a magnet anyway. The right door is sufficient to add to a reinforced wall.

The big thing will be can you make it smoke/fire rated and can you keep the honest people honest and prying eyes and curious kids out.

What do you like using for the door portion? Store bought vault door kind of thing? Or more of the homeade variety? I envision layers of various materials to make somebody's saw blades dull quickly etc, but I do not have the mechanical know how to replicate the security of multiple bolts around the door, to go into the door jam. In what I am imagining, the door latching mechanism is my weak spot. 2 minutes with a torch, and my super cool safe room is now an open treasure chest.

[farmerj]

I had not fully gotten to that point with the house in 2005. They make a nice high security hinge which is hardened and pinned in a way it's next to impossible to take apart. Security relied on a dead bolt and steel insert.

There are some "interior" style doors that are peaking my interest. Think I could find a link for you....

There are manufacturers that make a door like a vault, but it looks like a normal door. Complete with 6 or 8 locking lugs. I need to find the link again. Renting a house now just doesn't have this a high priority for me anymore.

[1911fan]

Some years ago we were tasked to remove a small room in basement of a home someone had just bought. No big, and we started in, found out very soon that the wall cavities had been filled with concrete, a few shovel fulls or a bag of quikcrete at a time. that was the home safe, a poured in place concrete room.

[EJSG19]

I had not fully gotten to that point with the house in 2005. They make a nice high security hinge which is hardened and pinned in a way it's next to impossible to take apart. Security relied on a dead bolt and steel insert.

There are some "interior" style doors that are peaking my interest. Think I could find a link for you....

There are manufacturers that make a door like a vault, but it looks like a normal door. Complete with 6 or 8 locking lugs. I need to find the link again. Renting a house now just doesn't have this a high priority for me anymore.

Understood. If I do this it will be one of two philosophies going in. 1. Not super secure, but good enough to keep a kid out. Think wood/drywall walls, and a pad lock on the door. No fancy doors trimmed in or otherwise.

Or 2. Take it serious, build it like a tank, get a latch at least like what westberg linked, if not a full blown vault door. Our planned time at this house isn't that long, so option 1. sounds more practical so far. Save my $$ for the real deal in a more long term house maybe. (Just thinking out loud)

[farmerj]

yop, for short short term, I can see a gun safe being a good option....(and target)

For permanent long term, build a vault "room".

The use of a high quality deadbolt I think will offer more security than a padlock.

[EJSG19]

yop, for short short term, I can see a gun safe being a good option....(and target)

For permanent long term, build a vault "room".

The use of a high quality deadbolt I think will offer more security than a padlock.

If I could just squash the little voice in my head that says quit being an idiot/tight ass and just buy that Zanotti.

Tax refund could create some dangerous spending habits yet.

[Seismic Sam]

Actually, along the lines of comceal rather than lock up, the PM Bedroom Gallery on I-94 next to the Radio Drive Exit has very nice bedroom furniture that is made locally in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and some of it has secret compartments under drawers and in the sides of the frames. If you're buying furniture anyway, it's worth a look.