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4 way boltwork is so slick.
Yes, alum has about the highest level of "water of crystalisation". It produces a huge amount of water when heated and transformed to the anhydrous state.
Is this a 12-lever lock? Amazing!
I think Whitfield are very much underrated. They had good locks and some of their drill proof plates were really, seriously hard.
I have had this advert for some time. It must postdate my safe as the strapping is bent steel, whereas mine is probably wrought iron, dovetailed and closed by planishing over.
But I do agree with the earlier comment or at least in this instance, this safe is well made and cleverly designed, especially the bolt-work. Even the door still closes as it did over a hundred years ago.
Attachment 19720
Is there anyone with suggestions. I guess this is Alum and not broken glass. But it is such an unhealthy looking concoction of what appears to be no more than waste material. It is dirty and rather evil looking and has over the years penetrated slightly into the bolt motion cavity.
My initial thought was to scrap it, but I did save it all.
So should it go back, if so I will ensure it cannot leave that compartment as it has done before. Or perhaps rock-wool and sieve the crystals out and incorporate them in that.
I am very open to ideas. But of course the chances of anyone in this modern world wanting to cut this open with oxy-acetylene is about nil I would have thought.
Any comments gratefully received, Steve.
You could infill with fire resisting plasterboard. That includes alum crystals and it would be a good deal less messy. any remaining void could be grouted using plaster. It would add a bit of weight to the unit and give you some fire resistance. No matter what you do you aren't going to get an insurance rating on it. I suspect that this would be as good as anything.
I have seen fire resisting book safe strongroom doors with just plasterboard as the fire resisting medium.
Hi Chubby,
Thank you of the tip, not one I would have thought of. Regarding insurance ratings I was aware of that, and not concerned about it anyway, but fire prevention is of interest.
In many ways today's world makes no sense, I know full well getting into this safe without keys would be a serious trial, yet some of the modern safes I have seen are little more than tin cans relying more on electronics than construction. Yet insurance companies decree these elderly masterpieces to be worthless which is a shame as many could still be doing a grand job.