Purchasing a home safe

[dll932]

Are you on a flood plain? If there is a chance you might get flooded, put the docs and stuff in watertight containers (with silica gel packets) inside the safe. Bolt the safe to the floor with lag screws and shields. You can get a used safe, but if it's been drilled open and repaired, it's no longer UL certified, if that's important to your insurance. I would hide the safe in some kind of enclosure-you can buy them or make one.

What kind of enclosure are you referring ?
Are you refering to those cupboards that
are designed to look like the under desk drawer units?

Some look like small cabinets, some like side tables with drawers. Safe manufacturers sell them occasionally.

[billdeserthills]

AMSEC makes a couple of diversion type safes, I think they recently stopped making a large seat with a cushion that stood at the
foot of a queen sized bed, that housed a large gun safe laying on it's back, with hydraulic struts on the door.

[jbrint]

AMSEC makes a couple of diversion type safes, I think they recently stopped making a large seat with a cushion that stood at the
foot of a queen sized bed, that housed a large gun safe laying on it's back, with hydraulic struts on the door.

Something like this?

http://bedgunsafe.com/bedbunkers/couch-bunker/

These things are stupid expensive but you can get a bullet proof cushion for it if that kind of thing tickles your fancy. I imagine something like this could be crafted by a reasonably handy person for much less. May take up sewing as next hobby.

[billdeserthills]

The AMSEC version was truly a diversion furniture safe, as their safe had a 20 minute fire rating and cost less than half that,
but it was supposed to rest at the foot of the bed

[74TR6]

As to the digital locks, most lockout calls I get are LaGard and Securam

[billdeserthills]

As to the digital locks, most lockout calls I get are LaGard and Securam

Two low end locks, thanks for the news, I always thought they were junk

[nothumbs]

I'm reviving this thread, apologies for that but I thought the context would be useful. Finally getting around to buying a safe and priced a Gardall BF, came in at $2,500. Too rich for my blood. Would anyone care to render an opinion on a Gardall ES1612-G-E, either keypad or dial? Came in at about $500 with the dial. Local vendor wants $125 to deliver and install, which would include drilling a hole in my garage slab (level driveway), placing the safe, and 'setting it up' which I assume is changing the default combo.

To recap, garage has slab, and fire sprinklers. Seems a one hour rating might be sufficient. I am concerned that either choice has a single mounting hole.

[billdeserthills]

The Gardall ES 1612 is just a fire safe, someone can open it up rather easily
the BF safe is a real safe & can't be opened up with a screwdriver and a hammer

You could get a lot more safe for your money through http://www.costco.com/hardware-safes.html

Take a look at the gun safes

[nothumbs]

Interesting given this: https://www.expertsafereviews.com/why-you-should-never-buy-a-safe-from-costco/

[billdeserthills]

Interesting given this: https://www.expertsafereviews.com/why-you-should-never-buy-a-safe-from-costco/

No, what's interesting is how people want to spend a bunch less $$$ & still think they are going to get the same thing

[nothumbs]

Investing in a safe, or any security device, is a balance between cost and value. I'm trying find that balance by getting information so I can make an informed choice. I can't spend $2,500 on a safe, so I need to learn enough to find that balance.

[MartinHewitt]

What do you want to achieve with that safe? What are the threads you want to protect the contents against? It might be possible to buy the right safe with your budget or not.

[sign216]

Vintage safes are offered on Craiglist or Ebay for free or next to free prices. Main cost is getting it to your place. The fire protection may be lessened, but the theft security should still be there.

I got a vintage Protectall wall safe from the pre-WWII era by searching Craiglist for a while, until one showed up locally for little $$. I put it on a bookshelf, concealed by the volumes. I enjoy the safe as a collectable in it's own right, and it still does it's job

Joe

[image] Vintage Protectall Safe by sign216 [/image]

[WT4FEC]

Vintage safes are offered on Craiglist or Ebay for free or next to free prices. Main cost is getting it to your place. The fire protection may be lessened, but the theft security should still be there.

I got a vintage Protectall wall safe from the pre-WWII era by searching Craiglist for a while, until one showed up locally for little $$. I put it on a bookshelf, concealed by the volumes. I enjoy the safe as a collectable in it's own right, and it still does it's job

Joe

[image] Vintage Protectall Safe by sign216 [/image]

Used is an excellent option if you research the brand.

As for moving one most moving companies have the manpower and equipment to move one and set it in place in ones home, if it's not too huge a trailer and dolly can be rented from U-Haul or the like and you can DIY the move.

[nothumbs]

What do you want to achieve with that safe? What are the threads you want to protect the contents against? It might be possible to buy the right safe with your budget or not.

Protect contents against theft and fire. Need 4-6 cubic feet of internal space. No guns or other large objects inside. If possible, for under $1,000. Given the location it is being installed into (garage with fire sprinklers and concrete slab floor) it's possible a one hour rating may be sufficient. As I don't expect to be targeted by a thief focused on our home with pre-knowledge of a safe on premises, my main concerns about a lighter safe are around the security a single anchor bolt provides and whether that same garage (full of tools) would provide the means for either prying the safe from the floor or opening the safe.