safe construction Archives - Page 10 of 12

Gun Safe Fire ratings: Insulation

Posted on March 24, 2014January 16, 2019

Consumers are usually surprised to find that the majority of gun safes use dry-wall for insulation — aka sheetrock, wall board, etc. Commercial and residential fire safes are not built this way, but dry-wall construction allows gun safe makers to have lower start-up costs and faster production speeds.

Dry-wall contains moisture which gets forced out by the heat of a fire, in the form of water vapor. That happens at about 300 to 330 degrees, and it actually provides cooling, similar to water evaporating off your skin. The water vapor then creates a positive steam pressure inside the safe. This pressure will minimize heat and smoke infiltration if there is a good fit between the door and frame (something missing in many safes).

There are several types of dry-wall. As far as I can tell every gun safe manufacturer that uses dry-wall, except for Fort Knox, use “Type X”. As “type X” dry-wall loses moisture it wants to contract and will eventually break into pieces similar to a dry mud puddle. Then it can cave in like it did in the gun safe shown below. Fort Knox uses “Type C” dry-wall, which is more expensive. But Type C has a component which prevents cracking and caving in. Obviously, this is better.

Also important is how the drywall is installed. Most companies pack it in tight to the steel of the safe body, so as soon as any heat hits the steel the insulation gets hot, too. Fort Knox builds an air pocket between the steel and the insulation to slow down heat transfer. (Think of the effectiveness of the air gap in a double pane window.)

Some manufacturers talk about how many layers of dry-wall they use but then cut away big chunks of it which creates hot spots when exposed to heat. When a safe has internal hinges, look and you may see that all the insulation is cut away (right down to the steel) where the hinge straps move as the door closes. Recessed holes in the ceiling for lights mean insulation is missing there, too. If you had a fire and burning wood falls on top of your safe, wouldn’t it be best for all the insulation to be in place? Purchase a low-end safe made in China and there is a chance that the dry-wall is actually construction scraps. I have seen inside a number of doors on Chinese safes where pieces of dry-wall as small as 5-inch squares are pieced together and glued in place. And people wonder why they cost so much less?

Graffunder Gun Safes, part 3

Posted on February 20, 2014January 16, 2019

Tight fitting doors and heavy steel construction of Graffunder gun safes were discussed in earlier posts. There are many other features that make Graffunders the very best safes you can buy. For example, the bolts are machined stainless steel rather than just chrome plated steel, making them more difficult to cut with standard tools or torches. The boltworks are controlled by a heavy gear driven system, rather than by a simple cam system like most gun safes. Locks are protected by being completely encased in thick hardened steel. There are also hardened steel ball-bearing anti drill barriers in the door. In addition, on Emperor and Fortress models the safe bodies also have ball bearing anti-drill barriers in critical places.

Graffunder Safe 009 — Machined stainless steel bolts, 1″ thick solid plate steel door, 1 of two heat seals, Made in U.S.A.

Fire rated Graffunders are rated for 1 hour/1750 degrees. The insulation is concrete based composite material, which is poured in between the heavy exterior steel plate and a 14 gauge inner steel liner. More steel! As tight as the doors fit there are still two smoke/fire seals between the doors and frames. (I plan to write about the importance of having two seals in a future blog.)

Once you have decided on the model and size you want, designing your customized safe can be fun. You can choose from six textured paint colors for the exterior, three styles of handles, chrome or gold hardware, six interior fabrics, six interior shelf configurations and four different locks. Really dress up your safe with a beautiful high gloss door insert in one of four colors. Still can’t get exactly the look you want? Just tell us what you want and the good people at Sage Safe will make it happen your way!

Visit our shop to see Graffunders on display. We will help you to design your special one-of-a-kind high-security gun safe.

Vault Doors for Secure Rooms

Posted on February 11, 2014January 16, 2019

Recently we have been selling vault doors across the country, more than ever before. This is a reflection of increasing home construction, and also an increase in the number of homeowners who want the security of an in-house vault room.

If you dream of having your own vault room, be really careful of what door you buy! There are a number of companies producing low cost, poor quality products which might disappoint you. Ask lots of questions and get good, knowledgeable answers.

How much steel are you really getting? (Not how thick the edge of the door is.)
Is the inside emergency release easy to use? Would your children be able to work it?
How many seals does the door have? (A single heat-expanding seal will allow lots of smoke to enter before the seal expands.)
Does the door come with a commercial grade lock or a low-cost model? (Even well-known lock manufacturers make locks that we won’t use.)
Can you lock yourself inside quickly if you need to?
Does the door have an inside trim flange or will you need to cobble up some kind of trim when the door is installed?

I had a recent example where the homeowner bought a vault door specifically for emergency protection for his family, only to find later that you cannot lock yourself inside in an emergency. Was the seller ignorant of this fact or just dishonest? Some manufacturers (even well-known brands) are also making up numbers, claiming that their doors have 60- or 90-minute fire ratings, when they have never been tested. All of the vault doors we sell have fire linings to be “fire resistant”, but only one brand has actually been tested and certified.

The point of this post is that if you are going to buy a walk-in vault door, do your homework! Only buy from a reputable manufacturer and a dealer you trust.

We sell Fort Knox vault doors more than any other. We also sell American Security vault doors, Golden Spike and (when someone needs a certified fire tested door) Sentry/Schwab.

Graffunder Gun Safes, part 2

Posted on January 30, 2014January 16, 2019

Aside from having doors that really fit, Graffunder gun safes feature plenty of steel. And you need lots of steel for high security. The Bishop series have a ½” of solid steel plate in the door and ¼” throughout the body. The Castle series has twice as much – 1” steel plate on the door and ½” plate on the entire body. What other gun safes can claim that? Emperors have 1 ½” steel plate in the door and a full 1” steel plate throughout the body. Move up to a Fortress and the door is 1 ½” of steel and manganese laminations. Manganese is for torch resistance. These safes are impressive!

Graffunder Castle with 1" solid steel plate door — Graffunder Castle with 1″ solid steel plate door

Door jamb: 1" plate steel safe front; 3/4" plate steel reinforcement — Door jamb: 1″ plate steel safe front; 3/4″ plate steel reinforcement

Even the door frame is extra secure. Instead of the thin roll formed steel door jamb that most safes have, the door of a Graffunder gun safe closes against a welded ¾ steel plate.

The only downside of Graffunder safes is that they are heavy. Here in Michigan where everyone has a basement, placement is an issue. Neither Castles, Emperors nor Fortresses can be set on a main floor above a basement unless the floor is braced from below. They can rarely go downstairs either unless the steps are concrete or steel. We frequently install Graffunders in homes which have walk-out basements, where the safe can go into the basement through a ground level door. Other common placements are in homes which are on concrete slabs, garages and pole buildings.

More on Graffunder Safes in another posting soon . . .

Graffunder Gun Safes – the Very Best

Posted on January 13, 2014January 16, 2019

In my opinion, the absolute best gun safes being produced are Graffunders by Sage Safe Company. There are only a few Graffunder dealers (we are the only dealer in a four-state area) so these safes are not well known. They are also beyond the budget of most buyers. But if you are willing to pay for extraordinary quality and security be sure to check them out.

In this, the first of several posts concerning Graffunder Safes, we start with the basics. Four series are offered starting with the Bishop, then progressing up in security to Castle, Emperor, and Fortress. These correspond with B-rate, C-rate, E-rate and F-rate security designations.

The first really impressive feature you notice, even before the safe is opened, is the fit of the door. With every Graffunder we have had in our shop (we normally stock Castles), the door has fit so tight that a business card will be held firmly between the door edge and the frame. That is true craftsmanship! Ever notice that with “box store” safes you can stick a pry bar in all the way to the back edge of the door? With a Graffunder you simply cannot pry the door open because you cannot insert a tool. That is just the beginning; more information will follow in future blogs.