Re: Security for photographic equipment

[Leonard Robertson <leonard@harrington-wa.com>]

I agree with Darryl about the Knaack boxes. I was lucky enough to get one at
a yard sale for almost nothing. I don't know what they cost new. I suppose
they are expensive, but if it saves your equipment, it would be cheap. I
have seen some stout steel boxes at military surplus outlets, although you
may have to add a provision for locking them. If you use a padlock for
securing a box, remember the cheaper ones can be snapped off by sticking a
large bar through the eye and giving it a pop. It is worth doing some
research on locks. I recall reading  even some of the expensive padlocks are
actually somewhat brittle and can be broken off.  I had an uncle who trucked
dynamite as a second job. I remember the padlocks on the buildings where the
explosives were stored had a welded steel box around them with an open
bottom. There was just enough room to reach up and unlock the lock, but not
enough to get any sort of bar on the lock. 3/4" plywood would make a pretty
secure box, if it is bolted through to an angle iron frame with carriage
bolts (round headed), not assembled with nails or screws.
I am about to replace my Chevy van with a small car with a trunk. I suspect
a trunk lock can be popped pretty easily, so I am thinking of a steel box
that will just fit into the trunk with a long piece of steel bolted across
the back after it is in there. Sort of a ship-in-a-bottle effect. The pieces
can be fit into the trunk individually, but once they are fastened together
they will no longer fit through the trunk opening.
Finally, the iron mesh Sandy asked about is known as expanded metal and you
will have to go to a steel supplier to find it. A welding shop would be able
to get it for you too. It is used in many contractor vans for a partition
behind the seats, both for security, and to keep the contents of the van
from injuring the driver in the event of a wreck. This is another advantage
to a security box in a van or SUV. In case of a wreck, it keeps the
equipment from flying around inside the vehicle. Just be sure your box is
bolted down really well.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Darryl Baird" <dbaird@umflint.edu>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Monday, May 27, 2002 6:40 PM
Subject: Re: Security for photographic equipment


> Sandy,
>
> After a particularly devastating car break in (Nikon, Canon, Hasselblad
> systems walked away in broad daylight, on a busy street at lunchtime in
> downtown Dallas!), I purchased and installed a "Knaack" box. These are
> used by carpenters and construction workers to protect their equipment.
> It's made of steel, has a clamshell lip design which can't be pried
> open, is heavy as hell and can be bolted through a floor. I never bolted
> mine in completely, but used a 2X6 floor frame with a big padlock. I
> could remove it from the van and use it as a camera safe in my house.
>
> I still have and use the beast in my basement. FWIW, they are pretty
> ugly.
>
> -Darryl
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Sandy King wrote:
>
> > This question is for those who do a lot of traveling with
> > photographic equipment, especially large cameras and film holder kept
> > in big carrying cases. What do you do to secure the equipment in the
> > car, van or SUV to prevent someone from just breaking the windows and
> > walking away with it? I heard there was some kind of iron mesh
> > available for this purpose but have been unable to locate a source.
> >
> > Sandy King
> >
> > --
>
>