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Making a cast iron door
My Master bedroom of my house is an addition, when they built it they dug a rec room out from under it, so what I have is a 14' x 14' rec room with 4 cinder block walls, the door is a rudely punched hole through one of the walls, neatly capped with pine, just like the rest of the room.
I would like to make a cast iron door, sorta like jail door made of bars to place in this one opening to make the room into a big safe. I have two questions that I hope you guys can help me with: 1) I can fasten the outer frame securely to the concrete floor, I can also secure the top to the footer of my house. The sides are where I have no ideas, behind the cedar it looks like someone made the doorway through the cinder blocks with a sledge hammer, leaving anywhere from 2 to 5 inches of jagged brick to try to secure something to, and ideas for a way to anchor the sides? 2) Locking the door, I could use a simple padlock but I would like to be a little more fancy, like a wheel that would control 2 to 4 rods that would slide into holes in the frame, like a safe. I don't want the door to be solid, just reinforced bars. Any thoughts on the locking assembly and anchoring the sides? |
RE: Making a cast iron door
ORIGINAL: Pydpiper My Master bedroom of my house is an addition, when they built it they dug a rec room out from under it, so what I have is a 14' x 14' rec room with 4 cinder block walls, the door is a rudely punched hole through one of the walls, neatly capped with pine, just like the rest of the room. I would like to make a cast iron door, sorta like jail door made of bars to place in this one opening to make the room into a big safe. I have two questions that I hope you guys can help me with: 1) I can fasten the outer frame securely to the concrete floor, I can also secure the top to the footer of my house. The sides are where I have no ideas, behind the cedar it looks like someone made the doorway through the cinder blocks with a sledge hammer, leaving anywhere from 2 to 5 inches of jagged brick to try to secure something to, and ideas for a way to anchor the sides? 2) Locking the door, I could use a simple padlock but I would like to be a little more fancy, like a wheel that would control 2 to 4 rods that would slide into holes in the frame, like a safe. I don't want the door to be solid, just reinforced bars. Any thoughts on the locking assembly and anchoring the sides? |
RE: Making a cast iron door
LOL, does everything have to be padded or are there places to tie ropes and hang a whip or a mask?
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RE: Making a cast iron door
I would take down the cedar frame and clean the block up as best you can removing all loose material and dust/dirt. Build your new frame and install it at the top and bottom like you want. On the side maybe put some bolts sticking out with the nuts holding them tight on the back to the frame with the ends bent a little. After this is all done mix up some mortar mix and fill the gap completely. If the areas are tight you may have to use a cake makers pipe bag an squeeze it in. Then when the mix dries it will dry around your bolts holding the sides into place.
I have seven acres and plan on building a house sometime in the future. I plan on making a vault like you are doing. But I want to make the room and then just buy a sentry style gun safe and mount it in the wall about a foot off the ground and then just cut the back off. Should look cool and work great. |
RE: Making a cast iron door
David, Look at these Vault Doors. They come with frame and all. You can pick upa usedone in good shape.
I have installed many of these.Over 200 schools in my county with Schwab Vault Doors and I had the contract for all vault doors and safes for 4 years The vault doors were used in their Records Room. http://www.pentagonsafes.com/_office-safes-&-vault-doors.html. |
RE: Making a cast iron door
David, I did commercial carpentry for quite a spell, so have a clue as to what you are after. The best tip I can give you is you need to decide and maybe even have on hand what you intend to use for a door, so you can get the block opening correct. This is called the "rough opening". One way, which is very labor intensive is to "tooth" the existing block by removing them carefully, cleaning all the old mortar off the ones left. They make block that has a finished end on it. You would want to use them, cutting a near full length and a near half length and remortaring them in lieu of ones you removed. As you put them in, you "slush" the holes in them w/ mortar, which gives you something to work w/ when you anchor either wood or metal frame. Good luck!!!
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RE: Making a cast iron door
Here is a photo of the door from the outside, one of the frame, a close up of the frame and a view from the inside. Also, one of one of my phamecutical safes to give an idea of what I was thinking for a lock.
Using Hotburns idea I could predrill some holes in the sides and bore some 3 or 4 foot holes through them into the cinderblock insert the rod and weld it flush, that would be secure.     |
RE: Making a cast iron door
I would straiten out the edges of the whole with a lapadair saw [the kind they use for cutting holes in sidewalks] drill holes in the blocks [from where the door frame will go outward; put rerod in the holes make a form to fit the caseing of the door you want to use and fill with cement[ high morter content]. Lee
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RE: Making a cast iron door
Those look to be 12" block and are in better shape than the picture I had in my mind, scotch my suggestion!! I'd buy a gun safe, lol. If not that, solid core wood door w/ a couple of dead bolts. You cannot really stop a determined thief, only slow them down, lol.
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RE: Making a cast iron door
Seems you guys think I need to clean up that old wall (except Don, he has his own ideas..:D), I don't see why I would need to do that. As you can see it has a very solid 1x10 frame that is somehow fairly solid.. I am still liking the idea of installing the frame, drilling four 1 or 2 inch holes in the side of the frame, then follow through with 3 or 4 foot deep concrete drill through the holes in the frame, pounding in tight fitting steel rod, tacking it at the framethen adding mortar/cement to keep it from wiggling.. I will clean that hole up if I have to though.
I don't want to go too overboard with work, there isn't too much in here to get at, besides, a thief with half a brain and a bit of determination will just go through my bedroom floor anyways. For that reason I am considering hiding the doorway by extending the pine wall you can see on the left side of the door going down the stairs and using a form of illusion to assist in the security of it. |
RE: Making a cast iron door
   These doorscan be picked up in used condition fairly reasonably. |
RE: Making a cast iron door
Wow, that would look pretty darn cool!!
Reb, where would I look for something like that? I don't think shipping would be very economical, so is there a local business style that I could begin a search? That would look like what Hotburn was talking about. |
RE: Making a cast iron door
Your idea you speak of sounds good. I assume you will be making a steel frame since you mentioned welding the bolts to the frame right? If you do that buy putting in long bolts like you mentioned, three to four feet and then welding it, a person would have to spend alot of time and basically remove a nine foot section of wall and door. I think that is about as good as you can get to stop a undetermined thief. If they want in, like you said they will get in! A safe is only as good as it frame. I seen an old building in town get remodeled and it had a real nice safe door. After the trim and wall board was removed it was only held in place with nails!! If you make it so that they have to remove three feet of concrete block on each side you can not get much better then that other than solid concrete or steel. I do like Rebs doors and what I was thinking for mine. But like you said, you would almost need local, shipping may put the hurts on ya!
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RE: Making a cast iron door
ORIGINAL: Pydpiper Wow, that would look pretty darn cool!! Reb, where would I look for something like that? I don't think shipping would be very economical, so is there a local business style that I could begin a search? That would look like what Hotburn was talking about. If you do your rough-in first, you will have to have the door&frame made special. http://www.pentagonsafes.com/_office-safes-&-vault-doors.html. |
RE: Making a cast iron door
1/4" plate steel on the sides with a 10" lip on both sides and fit it like a glove,dill 4 holes on each side and run 14" stove bolts thu the lip and block and put thenuts on from the inside(To keep iron side frame tight)then put your door in,bolt to the sides and floor and cieling.
Just a basic idea... |
RE: Making a cast iron door
Why don't ya just put in a good alarm system?
BBO |
RE: Making a cast iron door
I have a great alarm system, problem is that I am 1/2 hour away from a response. I am trying to fill that half hour with work for a thief, not a drive for a country cop.
I plan on intregating my alarm to this room, but in due time.. |
RE: Making a cast iron door
David. I am a pretty good welder. Order lots of steel, a gas torch, a mig welder and two cases of beer and we'll getterdone.
Seriously? Get a good steel door, have the frame reinforced with steel, get a good lock and get an internet camera security system. Talk to a good lock smith in your area. Next time you are at my shop check out my front door. It has pins in the hinge side and opens out to slow down the bad guys. You have the right idea, make the bad guys take along time and make lots of noise. |
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