Project: Gun Safe Case Mod

[BS Mods]

After having a couple sweet builds under my belt I am at it again. It has been awhile but I'm ready to rock. I had this idea one morning when I woke up and looked across my bedroom. There I saw my gun safe and I thought it looked so much like a pc case it made sense to build one, but obviously smaller.

After touring around with my Ant Farm case and showing off the Soprano case here and there I felt it's time to get to work.

Would you believe I finally have something started?

I have done a ton of research and I think I still have a little more to do as far as locking mechanisms and things. The safe companies don't seem to want to give up any info. :cry:

I am hoping to work with one company so I can put their name on it and use their lock.

I bought a used Antec case that had some slight damage that I have broken down to use as a guide for hardware placement. Don't freak when you see the case butchered! It was used.

So far I do know this -

It will be constructed out of 1/4" acrylic rather than aluminum. This will cut down on weight and cost.

It will be 1/3 scale of an actual safe.

It will be air cooled with some unique venting.

It will have a hidden slot drive.

It will have a keypad lock and/or possibly biometric as well. I will be limited somewhat by being 1/3 scale.


Ok now for some pics=

Here is the general idea of what the completed case will look like.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/sgsafe.jpg

I have started the build using cardboard to scale. I have the acrylic but I won't be wildly cutting into it until I am sure of dimensions. It's not exactly cheap.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00121-20100815-1754.jpg
I need to make sure it has plenty of room for hidden wiring as I like things super clean.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG_5229.jpg

I will tighten the gap a little more on the actual door.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG_5225.jpg

This is looking through the back.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00124-20100817-1936.jpg

This is the door open and you can see the lip for the door to stop and the locking pins to catch when shut.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00126-20100817-1936.jpg

The door has to be thick to fit all the hardware inside and pins that slide out.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG_5228.jpg


So that's what I have right now.

Sorry for the delay but I've been working on a few cars. I have an old Chevelle I'm getting close to paint on and then I can shift all my focus to this case.

[Trace]

Like! Looks good, and an interesting idea. I can't wait to see it.

[SXRguyinMA]

indeed, looks interesting! how about maybe using an Arduino to control servo's to lock/unlock the door?

[BS Mods]

I thought about quite a few options for the pins. I may also have lasers that cross the door area when it's opened so if the beam is broken it makes a sound.

I have a lot more going into this that I didn't mention because I like to keep some things quiet until I do it.

[x88x]

Hmmm. You have intrigued me, good sir.

[Trace]

Gratz on the feature.

[BS Mods]

Thanks Trace!
Now I really need to get moving on this... I had a set back when I came home to a flooded house with water pouring out the doors, so it will slow me down while I get the house back in order but I promise to do what I can.

I have been talking with a safe manufacturer about locking mechanisms, hinge styles, and using their name. It is Fort Knox and they are a well know U.S. company that builds one mean safe. Here is a pic showing what the striping and name would look like,

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/2010legend.jpg

oh and here is whats left of my house right now -- Modding my house is not what I wanted :hurt:

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00137-20100826-1601.jpg

[OvRiDe]

Oh man! That sucks, so did you have a pipe burst? Nothing like having to do some impromptu home remodeling. As for the name Fort Knox... call it a hunch but I do believe they are not the original holders of that name. :)

Any way good luck with the repairs, and looking forward to seeing this mod pan out.

[x88x]

Ouch, that sucks about the house...what happened?

[BS Mods]

As for the name Fort Knox... call it a hunch but I do believe they are not the original holders of that name. :)


They have been around for about 20 years I think. I wanted to do ACME and I still can but I'll see how it goes with these guys.


As for the house damage, I had a valve come off the end of a pipe while I was at work. It was pouring out my garage and all my doors. This will slow me down on my mod but I will do as much as possible since it was put in the spotlight. I was also in the middle of preparing a 71 Chevelle for paint in my shop so now I really have too much to do.

Thanks for watching guys. I'm sort of new around here as far as posts but I have been watching a lot of what goes on here for quite a while and I really like what I see.

There are a lot of really talented people here.

[billygoat333]

I think OvRiDe was commenting about the United States Bulion Depository (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bullion_Depository), more famously called Fort Knox. :)

sweet Idea sir, will be watching this one and bummer deal on the house flood. seems like a lot of people I know has had that problem lately.

[TheGreatSatan]

You have to fill it with Gold chocolate coins

[BS Mods]

You have to fill it with Gold chocolate coins

Oooooh where's the "like" button? :)


I'm starting to cut acrylic so hopefully more pics soon. I have most of the materials too.

There are a lot of cool things I'll be doing but I don't want to spill all the beans right at the beginning. This house thing is really slowing me down....

[BS Mods]

Well finally I am moving forward on the house being fixed.

So I thought I should get back to work on the mod. I got quite a bit of the mock up done. This is the first time I've used cardboard and I sure am glad I did because I ran into a couple things I didn't see coming. :?

I really wanted to have the door hinged on the left if you are looking straight at it. But gun safes generally are hinged on the right. I'm going to have to make it that way which will be more authentic anyway. I couldn't do it the other way because of space issues with the hinges.



I started working on the hinges. I am doing the "hidden hinge" style. They have to be made to allow for the door to swing out far enough away but yet close so that it doesn't catch on the lip around it on it's way back in. I will be using 3/16" aluminum flat bar but for now I'm using some perforated material that bends easy.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00162-20100918-1859.jpg


It will hinge from inside the case so ther will be several bends involved.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00163-20100918-1903.jpg


This shows where it will be located on the inside of the door.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00164-20100918-1907.jpg


I am putting a floor in it to hide the PSU, and a 1" space behind the mobo tray to allow for wire management.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00168-20100918-2002.jpg


This will be similar to the back panel. You can see I put the panel so that it sits back about an inch. This will allow for another false back to hide the connections, fans, etc.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00176-20100918-2118.jpg


Here it is with the false back on it hiding everything. The false back will only be used during "Show and Tell" but will need to come off when running to keep it cool. There will be a hole cut out near the bottom so that power can be ran out the back to turn it on and let it boot. This will be only to show off a few features that I'll keep quiet for now.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00175-20100918-2026.jpg


http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i205/BOBDBONE/IMG00177-20100918-2119.jpg



This puts me at about 80% of the way on mock up I think. Some of the stuff I have to wait until I start fitting acrylic. I'm using 3/8" acrylic but it measures out at .350 instead of .375 so there will be a little more math involved.

I have not heard back from Fort Knox yet so it may be "Acme Gun Safe" instead.

[SXRguyinMA]

lookin good!

[BS Mods]

lookin good!

Thanks!

I realize it doesn't look like much with the cardboard but when the acrylic starts getting cut and parts are assembled it will be impressive.

btw - I posted something on your mod log too that might help.