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Thread: Anchoring

  1. #1
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    Default Anchoring

    I took a thread off at a tangent so wondered if it was worth starting a thread on safe anchoring. What works and what doesn't etc.

    The old sawdust and alum safes were not easy to anchor down as drilling the base would compromise the lining. I have seen one anchored with steel bands coachbolted through a wooden floor, then another piece of steel strip similarly bolted in front to prevent it from being slid out. Far from ideal but it doubtless would have slowed down any assailant. Some army safes were anchored similarly with bands which were rawlbolted to a concrete floor and the threads welded up.

    One of my favourites was an old Chatwood Duplex Major plate safe. That had been lined and the void filled with concrete. It had been a night safe so the bottom of the frame was much wider than the sides or top. The lining, however, was the same thickness throughout leaving a lip of a couple of inches. This had been filled with a concealed compartment which gave access to 4 anchoring points. It was accessed by removing 4 allen screws and sliding out the false bottom.

    Bricking in and filling round with concrete is an old favourite and increases the strength of the body and the fire resisting capability of the unit; I have, however, seen the steel of a safe degraded by the action of the concrete although quite how or why that should have happened is beyond me.

    Anything is better than nothing especially as most anchoring is really to stop the safe being slid along. So even something as simple as a Fischer frame fixing into a hole in the floor will work.

    Of course some of the old AEDs relied on the safe not being inverted. Another argument in favour of a base fixing.

  2. #2
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    Somewhere I saw a picture of a safe that was bolted down using the base hole with one Rawbolt affixed into a concrete floor, I am pretty sure that a 10 ton ram with toe fitments could not lift it off the floor. It was not a large safe. I will see if I can locate it.

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    Of course one aspect of it all is designing the safe with carriages etc. which cannot be used as lifting points- sloping the under surfaces etc.

    One amusing trick is if you are anchoring a safe hard against a wall, and what safe isn't, then cover the back with anti climb paint just before you slide it fully home.

  4. #4
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    Default Tann Anchoring test

    Quote Originally Posted by Safeone View Post
    Somewhere I saw a picture of a safe that was bolted down using the base hole with one Rawbolt affixed into a concrete floor, I am pretty sure that a 10 ton ram with toe fitments could not lift it off the floor. It was not a large safe. I will see if I can locate it.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Tannanchor test.jpg 
Views:	36 
Size:	20.2 KB 
ID:	16588 Must ensure tight to the wall or the whole thing can be unscrewed!

  5. #5
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    That is one of the beauties of a chemical bolt. Loosening a bit doesn't compromise the fixing. It has to be unscrewed all the way. Also it doesn't put the concrete under stress.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chubby View Post
    That is one of the beauties of a chemical bolt. Loosening a bit doesn't compromise the fixing. It has to be unscrewed all the way. Also it doesn't put the concrete under stress.
    I have levered a rawlbolt out with wedges under both sides of the safe -fairly easy for the first bit but damn awkward if in a corner

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by safeman View Post
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Tannanchor test.jpg 
Views:	36 
Size:	20.2 KB 
ID:	16588 Must ensure tight to the wall or the whole thing can be unscrewed!
    Thats the picture I was thinking of, where is it from ?

    I now have an image of someone walking round in circles unscrewing a Chubb Trident from its base bolt :-) !!!!

  8. #8
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    It wasn't me!! 😺

  9. #9
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    Default Anchoring test.

    [QUOTE=Safeone;25226]Thats the picture I was thinking of, where is it from ?

    I now have an image of someone walking round in circles unscrewing a Chubb Trident from its base bolt :-) !!!![/QUOTE

    Hello Safeone.
    I can't find where I first showed this. It was taken in the Tann test facility in Borehamwood in the late 80's. The anchoring followed the Rawlbolt instructions to the letter including using a puffer to blow any spoil from the drilled hole.
    I'm the boy in blue. The lever is a bending 30mm pinch bar.
    Chubby is dead right when he gives the solution to this by chamfering the underside of the carriages and centres.

  10. #10
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    [QUOTE=safeman;25228]
    Quote Originally Posted by Safeone View Post
    Thats the picture I was thinking of, where is it from ?

    I now have an image of someone walking round in circles unscrewing a Chubb Trident from its base bolt :-) !!!![/QUOTE

    Hello Safeone.
    I can't find where I first showed this. It was taken in the Tann test facility in Borehamwood in the late 80's. The anchoring followed the Rawlbolt instructions to the letter including using a puffer to blow any spoil from the drilled hole.
    I'm the boy in blue. The lever is a bending 30mm pinch bar.
    Chubby is dead right when he gives the solution to this by chamfering the underside of the carriages and centres.

    Wow! how interesting that its actually you in the photo. Wonder where and why I first saw this ? Got me thinking that has....

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