anyone build there own safe?

I'm starting to have to many firearms around the house for my comfort. With two young boys I need to get them out of the closets, and locked up.

Our house is TINY (846 sqft) so i have no room for a cabinet in the house. I also have no $$ to spend on a safe.

What i do have is plenty of scrap steel plate, and a welder/plasma/torch/grinders.

the cabinet will be located in my semi trailer/shop/man cave which is not climate controled. temps can swing widely day to night so i am worried about condensation in the cabinet. how do i deal with it?

I have steel storage cabinets in the trailer already so i would prefer to just use one of them. its not going to keep any thieves from cutting into it, but it will keep the kids out. is a simple padlock sufficient?

what should i use to hold the rifles in an upright position? wood/padding/fabric? bungee cords?

anyone done this? pics?

http://dsafe.stores.yahoo.net/evde.html

yep google still works LOL

this is fucking cool.

coke machine safe (http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=174612)

this is kinda like that, but the opposite, gun safe painted to look like coke machine.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=727599&highlight=

this is fucking cool.

coke machine safe (http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=174612)

I have to admit, at first I thought "psssh, that's gonna be a turd:shaking:"

After reading it, I'm gonna keep my eyes open for a Coke machine:laughing:! To much storage is never enough, plus it might add some character to teh man room:smokin:

I have used a huge electrical panel box that mounts in the wall before.

It was mounted in my storage that was broken into and tested. The fuckers hammered on it but couldn\'t get it open because I welded some .25 plate over it:D

I am thinking of moving it in my house and using some \'wood\' wall paper to make it look like wood with a few storage shelves installed.

Frame out of either 3/16 or 1/4 angle

Weld in 10 gauge steel for walls. Brace with .125 wall angle. Line with fire rated drywall.

Drill in hole for wiring for a dehumidifier rod and lighting.

Use some heavy duty barrel hinges or piano hinge either with closed ends so the pins can't be removed for the door Have a key only deadbolt for lock

this is fucking cool.

coke machine safe (http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=174612)

That is cool and I have a coke machine in my house thats in need of repair. Looks like a new project for after the hog hunting trip.

Hey Sceep - I've got an idea in mind I really don't want to post out in public yet since I haven't started one, but I think might be right up your alley. If you might be interested, drop me a PM - I'd share it with you just because I think you'd get a kick out of it :)

I made one out of 3/16 diamond plate and bolted it to the wall. I doubt it would keep a theif out, but it keeps the kids safe. I have since bought a safe and use it for ammo and part storage.

I made one out of 3/16 diamond plate and bolted it to the wall. I doubt it would keep a theif out, but it keeps the kids safe. I have since bought a safe and use it for ammo and part storage.

Most thieves are thieves of opportunity, which is why even the cheap Stack-On safes are effective. Most people really only need a deterrent, which the sight of a gun safe is a strong mental deterrent for most people. I never knew how weak commercial safes were until USMCDOC posted pics of that safe that was attacked by a sledge hammer. In most people's circumstance, the fire safety is the more important factor. I almost bought a Stack-On off CL for $230 and I would have never looked for another safe till I filled it up. But it got sold out from under me. When I found out DOC got his big safe for $100 I started actively looking for a similar one, because most people look at that sorta thing and go:eek::eek: And when they get price quoted for a move they go :eek::eek: :eek:

Because of all the eek's owners typically give those away to whoever can move it. Hence my ownership of a really nice and secure safe. You can more than likely spend $300 on materials and make a safe much stronger and just as fireproof as a $800 commecial safe

Would love to build one, but moving ever 3-4 years and only being allowed so much weight for household goods means I can't unless I build a new one every time I move. For now my cheapo locker mounted to the concrete floor that has zero fire rating will have to do. Well, that and a good insurance policy.

So, anyone else miss the oak/cherry/walnut and glass gun cases of old?

Was just recently thinking about how when I grew up everyones dad had some huge piece of furniture to hold all their long guns. Nice wood, glass panels, mood lighting.

Sad how much things have changed in just 25 years.

So, anyone else miss the oak/cherry/walnut and glass gun cases of old?

Was just recently thinking about how when I grew up everyones dad had some huge piece of furniture to hold all their long guns. Nice wood, glass panels, mood lighting.

Sad how much things have changed in just 25 years.

I'd like to have one liek that, but what's gonna keep your guns, your guns?

Ideally, I'd have a fire cabinet, wrapped in pretty wood. Or, a storage 'room' complete with fire supression system.

Right now, I got a 4-gun cabinet :laughing: I need a bigger one :D

So, anyone else miss the oak/cherry/walnut and glass gun cases of old?

Was just recently thinking about how when I grew up everyones dad had some huge piece of furniture to hold all their long guns. Nice wood, glass panels, mood lighting.

Sad how much things have changed in just 25 years.
they're on Craigslist pretty regularly

So, anyone else miss the oak/cherry/walnut and glass gun cases of old?

Was just recently thinking about how when I grew up everyones dad had some huge piece of furniture to hold all their long guns. Nice wood, glass panels, mood lighting.

Sad how much things have changed in just 25 years.

Almost everyone I went to school with built a gun case / rack in shop class. I still have the one I built. It fits in a corner and holds 3 non scoped long guns with a storage compartment below.

Edit- similar to the corner stand here http://www.gunstands.com/rifle.htm

So, anyone else miss the oak/cherry/walnut and glass gun cases of old?

Was just recently thinking about how when I grew up everyones dad had some huge piece of furniture to hold all their long guns. Nice wood, glass panels, mood lighting.

Sad how much things have changed in just 25 years.


When I was in Amish country I saw soo many nicely built gun cases, I always wanted to have one but I'll be sticking to my safe. :(

I've seen a LOT of very nice cases like that since I've been here in Montana and was in a lot of customers homes. Really very suprised that people still used them- especially with some of the collections that I saw. But at the same time, with a house that size/caliber (no pun intended) I'm sure their security systems were pretty impressive.

Someday I'd like to have a shotgun hanging up above my front door like the days of yore.

So, anyone else miss the oak/cherry/walnut and glass gun cases of old?

Was just recently thinking about how when I grew up everyones dad had some huge piece of furniture to hold all their long guns. Nice wood, glass panels, mood lighting.

Sad how much things have changed in just 25 years.

yup
had a theif steal stearo stuff from my parents house back when /i was 12-15, I'mm 44 today:D so circa 1978-81
they did not toch the guns in the unlocked glass front gun cabnet:homer:

ps
he claims this coke safe is only till you can aford a real safe, yet he has 38 guns in it............were they all $20 BB guns, he has the $$$, lol

guy sounds a lil pissy too:D

Since theives are opportunity theives I think a wooden cabinet could be beefed a little and provide a deterrance.

Attach some sort of expanded metal to the back of the cabinet since most of them are thin....or some steel strap strategically so fishing guns out the rear would be tough.

Replace the glass with some sort of break resistant clear plastic. Put hurdles in their way to slow them down. Fill with your cheaper guns and keep the nice guns in a safe.

So, anyone else miss the oak/cherry/walnut and glass gun cases of old?

Was just recently thinking about how when I grew up everyones dad had some huge piece of furniture to hold all their long guns. Nice wood, glass panels, mood lighting.

Sad how much things have changed in just 25 years.


Thats why I'm redoing my safe's exterior and interior(repaint the exterior black and get some nice lettering and get some nice artwork integrated on the inside of the doors. I got the idea to do a hand scraped cedar flooring to line in. I'm also gunna have a sealed and integrated humidor :smokin: I'm gunna put in some recessed halogens and get a glass overlay that stays in the safe but out of the way of the doors

Most of the wood gun storage cabinets I see cost just as much as my safe did anyway and they are made out of pine(which is really shitty wood IMO unless its distressed and heavily lacquered for protection)

Dad hollowed out a wall in an inside room of his house, in a not so easy to find place, then slid in a big metal box he welded up and bolted it to the studs on each side. He buid a "covered" lock (basically just a regular locking hasp with a piece of pipe welded around it so you can't get to it with bolt cutters) and uses one of those circular locks to lock it up. When he slides the paneling back in place, it's really, really hard to tell anything is back there, even if you know it's there. It's not a good place to keep guns if you need to get to them fast, but it's pretty good for keeping snatch and grab theives from getting them.