Thread: Home made safe

The AO was happy with my Ali box. It's 4mm plate I think. 2 coach screws into a stud. Had to lift it into place with a car jack.
Pretty sure you can get away with an MDF box with the screw holes bogged and hinges you can't punch the pins out of for A cat.


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My mdf box failed the inspection from the AO, he just waited while I tec screwed a chain to the studs on the inside to go through trigger guards with a padlock. Which he was happy with, now I have e cat safe my old box is my ammo lockup

best safe i saw was bouble skinned with ball bearings between the skins, was going to be a real bugga to cut thru.
for an added bonus add gunpowder to the bearings and watch mr mob member try to cut thru it....... (oops illegal) but but save a fortune on burial fees as you would only need a mop and bucket to clean up the mess

Originally Posted by gadgetman

There are no laws regarding the materials used at present for A-cat

That's correct, unfortunately and what Mauser308 and Taff say makes sense too.

Whether 4mm alloy or 12mm bizz anything can be gotten into I agree and have never had a problem with alloy...but I don't know where you are but up here there is no way that would suffice otherwise I would have made one.
Looks a great size, keep us posted please.


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Just a wee update here . As I find time I will be working on this cabinet . One third is partitioned off on the right hand side and this will be for ammunition and other expensive items. I am considering adding a false wall/ secret compartment. But haven't thought that through yet . . As it sits in the pictures it is 90% framed out . Then I will frame out the 2 doors and then will begin to clad with the 4mm aluminium cladding .

All opinions and comments welcome. Cheers


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Yeah I've made a 6mm steel strongbox safe

About 1.8 tall with two compartments for ammo and pistols

External hinges with a plate welded so as to retain the door if anyone cut them off but it means that you can ditch about 50kg when moving by taking the door off
Weighs roughly 200 kg and is bolted down
Twin Ross 5-lever mortice deadlocks

Steel is cheap at the moment

Originally Posted by 308

Yeah I've made a 6mm steel strongbox safe

About 1.8 tall with two compartments for ammo and pistols

External hinges with a plate welded so as to retain the door if anyone cut them off but it means that you can ditch about 50kg when moving by taking the door off
Weighs roughly 200 kg and is bolted down
Twin Ross 5-lever mortice deadlocks

Steel is cheap at the moment

Can I see some pics cuzzy , be nice to see what you have done


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Originally Posted by 308

Yeah I've made a 6mm steel strongbox safe

About 1.8 tall with two compartments for ammo and pistols

External hinges with a plate welded so as to retain the door if anyone cut them off but it means that you can ditch about 50kg when moving by taking the door off
Weighs roughly 200 kg and is bolted down
Twin Ross 5-lever mortice deadlocks

Steel is cheap at the moment

is it an approved E-cat safe?
I'm thinking of making my own E-cat safe.

Yes, E and B

Originally Posted by 308

Yes, E and B

Did you have to get the safe certified by an engineer?
Are the ross locks regular house door type dead locks?
Of the 5 lever persuasion.

IMHO, do make it all of aluminium and then fasten a multi-gun bracket at the back through to the joists. The law is satisfied and you get to keep your aluminium safe (if only as a high-spec dust cover).

I agree that it would be hard to break into, and that if someone really desperately want in they will get in - steel or no steel - but it is a matter of ticking the right legal requirements.

Originally Posted by Cordite

IMHO, do make it all of aluminium and then fasten a multi-gun bracket at the back through to the joists. The law is satisfied and you get to keep your aluminium safe (if only as a high-spec dust cover).

I agree that it would be hard to break into, and that if someone really desperately want in they will get in - steel or no steel - but it is a matter of ticking the right legal requirements.

Agree, no doubt this cabinet will be a lot better than a wooden safe or a locked wardrobe. I would just hate to put all the time and effort into building this and have to Police decide all safes must be steel.

I've seen a vault that had a layer of synthetic binder twine, kevlar matting cutoffs and fiberglass sheeting wadded up and stuffed into a layer in the wall - on a test piece it bound up any cutting tools all to hell and anything reciprocating just bogged down in it. Might be an idea here if the AO didn't like it. You would probably need to demonstrate it on a test piece for them though.

The worlds second greatest lockpick is a sledgehammer. An ali safe would be deformed enough to be opened in 2 or 3 blows I'm afraid. Good skills, but yeah nah