Fire safe modifications

9mmPara · June 9, 2002, 12:54 PM

Hi all,
I recently acquired a fire safe from a former employer. It is extraordinarily heavy and seems quite sturdy, so I think it would make an ideal gun safe. With a few minor modifications it can be made to hold more long guns and handguns than I can afford to populate it with.
The problem is that fire safes tend to accumulate quite a bit of moisture inside, so some sort of dehumidification is definitely in order. My first thought was silica packs, but what does everyone think about drilling a small hole through the safe for a cord and installing a Golden Rod? I am trying to decide if the benefits of the Golden Rod outweigh the costs to the fire rating. How much do you think the fire resistance would suffer from drilling the hole? Is it worth the trouble, or should I just stick with the silica?

Thanks in advance for all the great advice.
JR

Southla1 · June 9, 2002, 03:26 PM

I am no expert but it would seem to me that if you drilled a hole in the safe and it was then exposed to a fire the hole would be an entry for heat espically if it was a total home fire, then you would have oxygen in the safe, flamable items, and then you introduce heat through the hole and the fire triangle is complete. One other thing..........I am not sure of the type of steel but drilling the hole could turn into Pure D Hell and a fortune in drill bits.
As I said I am no expert but I would buy a few cans of silica and recharge them in the oven as needed. If the safe is in an air conditioned/centrally heated home moisture would be minimal, even in a high humidity area such as I reside in.

braindead0 · June 10, 2002, 07:28 AM

I use a fire safe for gun storage, simply put one or two (or however many you need) of thos spiffy rechargable silica gel packs in them.

Seems to last pretty well too.

June 9, 2002, 12:54 PM	#1
9mmPara Junior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5	Fire safe modifications Hi all, I recently acquired a fire safe from a former employer. It is extraordinarily heavy and seems quite sturdy, so I think it would make an ideal gun safe. With a few minor modifications it can be made to hold more long guns and handguns than I can afford to populate it with. The problem is that fire safes tend to accumulate quite a bit of moisture inside, so some sort of dehumidification is definitely in order. My first thought was silica packs, but what does everyone think about drilling a small hole through the safe for a cord and installing a Golden Rod? I am trying to decide if the benefits of the Golden Rod outweigh the costs to the fire rating. How much do you think the fire resistance would suffer from drilling the hole? Is it worth the trouble, or should I just stick with the silica? Thanks in advance for all the great advice. JR

June 10, 2002, 07:28 AM	#3
braindead0 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2002 Location: Canton, Oh Posts: 896	I use a fire safe for gun storage, simply put one or two (or however many you need) of thos spiffy rechargable silica gel packs in them. Seems to last pretty well too. __________________ DoD# 2223 Meum scapha volitare plenum anguillae

June 9, 2002, 03:26 PM	#2
Southla1 Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 19, 2000 Location: Jeanerette, La. Near the Posts: 1,999	I am no expert but it would seem to me that if you drilled a hole in the safe and it was then exposed to a fire the hole would be an entry for heat espically if it was a total home fire, then you would have oxygen in the safe, flamable items, and then you introduce heat through the hole and the fire triangle is complete. One other thing..........I am not sure of the type of steel but drilling the hole could turn into Pure D Hell and a fortune in drill bits. As I said I am no expert but I would buy a few cans of silica and recharge them in the oven as needed. If the safe is in an air conditioned/centrally heated home moisture would be minimal, even in a high humidity area such as I reside in.