Thread: E cat safe, buy or get built?

Originally Posted by Sasquatch

Wrong thread? lol

Yuuup

Originally Posted by Beaker

Buy it, unless your building the house.....

Hey honey, we need to build a new house to fit my new gun.... Can see that going down like a lead balloon

Originally Posted by 223nut

Hey honey, we need to build a new house to fit my new gun.... Can see that going down like a lead balloon

Your asking it the wrong way.....

Originally Posted by clickbang

Yep. Unless you are building a large custom one just buy one. By the time you buy material, locks and either buy or fabricate hinges it is easier and cheaper to buy one. I'm an engineer and even building it myself worked out cheaper and easier to buy one.

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Clickbang, do you remember even a rough price breakdown on costs? I've been pricing it out and it seems to be considerably cheaper for the steel, locks and hinges and expendables, and am thinking I may have missed factoring for something.

Originally Posted by canross

Clickbang, do you remember even a rough price breakdown on costs? I've been pricing it out and it seems to be considerably cheaper for the steel, locks and hinges and expendables, and am thinking I may have missed factoring for something.

It all depends on size you are building.
I value my time so factored that into cost. You would also possibly need components folded so that's another cost to consider. Then there is paint and carpet etc.

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2x sheets 6mm steel at @ $250 and 2 x Ross 5-lever locks (mebbe 200 each? can't remember)
Couple lengths 25x25 around the door interior frame and as anti-pry edges

Welded farmgate hinges on externally and a full length angle to the inside so that cutting the hinges won't help a thief take the door off if it is closed
Also means door can be taken off when transporting which helps - whole thing is roughly 200 kilos

If I did it again I'd get it folded into two L shapes and weld them together but ended up plasma cutting and welding the lot myself

Only recently ran out of ammo room and can fit about 15 scoped rifles in casually but could do more if I tried getting fancy

One trick is to glue Fyreline gib to the interior for fire resistance although I haven't bothered, I run a 17watt dehumidifier heat stick thingy on permanently and a lightrope through all 3 compartments which has been really good

Originally Posted by 308

2x sheets 6mm steel at @ $250 and 2 x Ross 5-lever locks (mebbe 200 each? can't remember)
Couple lengths 25x25 around the door interior frame and as anti-pry edges

Welded farmgate hinges on externally and a full length angle to the inside so that cutting the hinges won't help a thief take the door off if it is closed
Also means door can be taken off when transporting which helps - whole thing is roughly 200 kilos

If I did it again I'd get it folded into two L shapes and weld them together but ended up plasma cutting and welding the lot myself

Only recently ran out of ammo room and can fit about 15 scoped rifles in casually but could do more if I tried getting fancy

One trick is to glue Fyreline gib to the interior for fire resistance although I haven't bothered, I run a 17watt dehumidifier heat stick thingy on permanently and a lightrope through all 3 compartments which has been really good

I basically followed this same reciepe when I built my e cat safe with the exception I recycled an old welding bench that I was given.

12mm steel and an hour or so grinding off all the spatter and it was good to go, only $$$ outlay was welding rods, locks and hinges.

Cheers
Pete

Originally Posted by 308

2x sheets 6mm steel at @ $250 and 2 x Ross 5-lever locks (mebbe 200 each? can't remember)
Couple lengths 25x25 around the door interior frame and as anti-pry edges

Welded farmgate hinges on externally and a full length angle to the inside so that cutting the hinges won't help a thief take the door off if it is closed
Also means door can be taken off when transporting which helps - whole thing is roughly 200 kilos

If I did it again I'd get it folded into two L shapes and weld them together but ended up plasma cutting and welding the lot myself

Only recently ran out of ammo room and can fit about 15 scoped rifles in casually but could do more if I tried getting fancy

One trick is to glue Fyreline gib to the interior for fire resistance although I haven't bothered, I run a 17watt dehumidifier heat stick thingy on permanently and a lightrope through all 3 compartments which has been really good

See this is what I mean you are up over a grand in materials with no carpet,paint or a digital lock.You still have to go get the steel or have it in your normal deliveries to the workshop.Two days time to fab plus time to paint and fit fireproofing gib and carpet.Satisfaction of building it yourself yes cost effective and good use of time no.

Originally Posted by Markgibsonr25

See this is what I mean you are up over a grand in materials with no carpet,paint or a digital lock.You still have to go get the steel or have it in your normal deliveries to the workshop.Two days time to fab plus time to paint and fit fireproofing gib and carpet.Satisfaction of building it yourself yes cost effective and good use of time no.

Yep I did the same equations. My buffalo river 10 gun cost me 1200.


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That may be true but mine include a large pistol safe and a large ammo storage area so it worked out to be cost effective

I can agree that the buffalo river is good price for money, however I'm not a fan of it in terms of the internal dimensions. It looks like I can make a significantly larger safe for at minimum ~$200 less, if I don't factor for my time. Seeing as I would probably just be watching TV in the time I was building it I feel like I'm not losing any "productive" time, hence why I'm not factoring for it.

Appreciate your cost breakdowns - having the door removable is a good idea.

Originally Posted by 308

That may be true but mine include a large pistol safe and a large ammo storage area so it worked out to be cost effective

How did you go about getting it certified?

Originally Posted by Driverman

How did you go about getting it certified?

For me it was relatively easy.

The inspector asked if it was inspected by an Engineer.

I told him it was designed, built and inspected by an Engineer, Me, and point towards the fancy paper hanging on the wall.

He had a look at it and said fair enough and gave me the big tick.

Cheers
Pete

It was a while back so it might have fallen under the "box of stout construction" category - can't remember

Either way the inspector took a look at it and passed it - the door secured with 2 Ross 5 lever locks opens to reveal the long guns and two lockable compartments stacked on top of each other inside satisfy the requirements of keeping the rest separate
I fully welded it rather than stitch or spot welding and as it wasn't lined the joins were easy to see


I think sometimes how these things get passed are helped by your demeanour - if you act like it's the most natural thing in the world and of course it is all fine then it can make it easier for them to agree
Maybe I just haven't run into an arsehole one yet, my local guy is ex AOS and extremely chilled

id love to build my own but $$$$ and lack of decent welding skills don't allow that sort a stuff to happen