User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 12/1/2016 4:25:27 PM EDT
[#1]
Use Redheads or sleeve anchors.
Harbor Freight reciprocating hammer drill. Easy button. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/1/2016 4:28:52 PM EDT
[#2]
Position safe where you want it to go
Drill holes in concrete through existing anchor points in safe (hammer drill helps here) blow out any concrete dust in hole with air (VERY IMPORTANT) Install anchors and tighten Install guns |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/1/2016 4:30:54 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Use Redheads or sleeve anchors. Harbor Freight reciprocating hammer drill. Easy button. Thanks! How long of a redhead should I sink? |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/1/2016 4:32:02 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Position safe where you want it to go Drill holes in concrete through existing anchor points in safe (hammer drill helps here) blow out any concrete dust in hole with air (VERY IMPORTANT) Install anchors and tighten Install guns My safe is an older one with no existing anchor points. Can I just drill through the bottom? |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/1/2016 5:37:47 PM EDT
[#5]
yes
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/2/2016 12:06:50 AM EDT
[#6]
used hammer drill to drill the holes. bought a nice small pancake air compressor for $30 from harbor freight to blow the dust out of the holes. did this a few times to make sure i even got the stuff that resettled. sink your anchors and done. not nearly as complex as i thought it would be
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/2/2016 11:39:38 AM EDT
[#7]
Thanks for the info everyone!
Getting bolts sunk will be my weekend project! |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/2/2016 11:44:48 AM EDT
[#8]
I haven't bolted mine down, it's only a 16 gun Stack On but it took about 30 minutes to get it into its final resting place.
right now, it's so heavy it cannot move, given the extremely tight quarters it's in. no need to bolt mine down. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/2/2016 5:51:25 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I haven't bolted mine down, it's only a 16 gun Stack On but it took about 30 minutes to get it into its final resting place. right now, it's so heavy it cannot move, given the extremely tight quarters it's in. no need to bolt mine down. The first thing thieves do is try to get the safe on its back, if they can tip it with tools and it goes down...much easier to pry open then. That is why most residential burglaries of gun safes...they are found on the ground flat on their backs....bolt it down. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/3/2016 7:58:36 AM EDT
[#10]
Use hearing protection when drilling.
Get a friend to hold a shop vac hose near the drilling to keep the dust down. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/7/2016 10:57:42 PM EDT
[#11]
I used 1/2inch concrete anchors. They need to be sunk into the concrete at least 5 x the diameter (so 2 1/2 inches for a 1/2 anchor).
Some recommend stainless steel anchors in concrete. Drill the hole the entire length of the bolt, not just the length located in the concrete, so that if you ever want to remove the safe you can hammer the entire anchor into the concrete so it is flush with the floor, and don't have to lift the safe over the protruding bolt. Use a wire brush, as well as air, to clean out the drilled hole before installing the anchor. Drill the hole 1 size smaller than the anchor and check for fit, then enlarge to the bolt size as needed. A wobbling bit may produce a hole slightly greater than its diameter, and you want a tight fit. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 2:31:47 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I used 1/2inch concrete anchors. They need to be sunk into the concrete at least 5 x the diameter (so 2 1/2 inches for a 1/2 anchor). Some recommend stainless steel anchors in concrete. Drill the hole the entire length of the bolt, not just the length located in the concrete, so that if you ever want to remove the safe you can hammer the entire anchor into the concrete so it is flush with the floor, and don't have to lift the safe over the protruding bolt. Use a wire brush, as well as air, to clean out the drilled hole before installing the anchor. Drill the hole 1 size smaller than the anchor and check for fit, then enlarge to the bolt size as needed. A wobbling bit may produce a hole slightly greater than its diameter, and you want a tight fit. Alan is good! |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 2:39:26 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Alan is good! Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I used 1/2inch concrete anchors. They need to be sunk into the concrete at least 5 x the diameter (so 2 1/2 inches for a 1/2 anchor). Some recommend stainless steel anchors in concrete. Drill the hole the entire length of the bolt, not just the length located in the concrete, so that if you ever want to remove the safe you can hammer the entire anchor into the concrete so it is flush with the floor, and don't have to lift the safe over the protruding bolt. Use a wire brush, as well as air, to clean out the drilled hole before installing the anchor. Drill the hole 1 size smaller than the anchor and check for fit, then enlarge to the bolt size as needed. A wobbling bit may produce a hole slightly greater than its diameter, and you want a tight fit. Alan is good! Good advise. Use a high sheer strength anchor. Use good epoxy to fill hole and insert anchor. Use grade 8 lags with a stainless coupling if spacer is needed from safe to wall studs as well. Stainless coupling goes over lags for a nuance cover over lags for Sawzall blades. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 3:57:09 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I used 1/2inch concrete anchors. They need to be sunk into the concrete at least 5 x the diameter (so 2 1/2 inches for a 1/2 anchor). Some recommend stainless steel anchors in concrete. Drill the hole the entire length of the bolt, not just the length located in the concrete, so that if you ever want to remove the safe you can hammer the entire anchor into the concrete so it is flush with the floor, and don't have to lift the safe over the protruding bolt. Use a wire brush, as well as air, to clean out the drilled hole before installing the anchor. Drill the hole 1 size smaller than the anchor and check for fit, then enlarge to the bolt size as needed. A wobbling bit may produce a hole slightly greater than its diameter, and you want a tight fit. I anchored the safe yesterday. This is pretty much what I did. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 4:05:48 PM EDT
[#15]
Depending on how good your drill is, you will probably need multiple bits, and a pail of water to cool them.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 4:22:28 PM EDT
[#16]
Don't drill through the slab.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 4:24:47 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Don't drill through the slab. Well, crap. Bit late for that. 
The slab in my garage is thinner than I thought. What problem will that cause? |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 4:34:58 PM EDT
[#18]
Water entry point is all I can think of .
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 4:37:15 PM EDT
[#19]
[
Be sure you are not drilling into any plumbing pipes in the slab. i did |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 5:18:15 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
[ Be sure you are not drilling into any plumbing pipes in the slab. i did That was my biggest fear when I went through the slab. So I sank a cleaning rod into the hole and felt like I was pushing through soft dirt for about a 2 ft. When I pulled it out it was dry & just had a little dirt on the end. So I think (hope) I'm good. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 7:09:09 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That was my biggest fear when I went through the slab. So I sank a cleaning rod into the hole and felt like I was pushing through soft dirt for about a 2 ft. When I pulled it out it was dry & just had a little dirt on the end. So I think (hope) I'm good. 2Ft? you don't need much more than 5", and that would be using anchors suitable for an automotive lift. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 7:16:35 PM EDT
[#22]
I used Tapcons. Drill. Vacuum/blow. Impact wrench to drive. Done.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 7:35:29 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
2Ft? you don't need much more than 5", and that would be using anchors suitable for an automotive lift. Yeah, I was aiming for 5". But apparently the slab stops around 4". The 2 ft beyond that was dirt under the slab before the rod hit anything solid. Like I said, I was checking to make sure that I didn't drill into anything important. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 7:56:36 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I used Tapcons. Drill. Vacuum/blow. Impact wrench to drive. Done. Wedge anchors aren't any harder to install and arguably stronger. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 8:03:41 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Thanks! How long of a redhead should I sink? How thick is the concrete? |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/11/2016 8:38:25 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Stainless coupling goes over lags for a nuance cover over lags for Sawzall blades. can you explain this a little more? is there something to do after installing the bolts to prevent them from being sawed off? |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/12/2016 9:00:48 PM EDT
[#27]
Please don't bolt safes down so good that it takes you 3 days & different tools to get the bolts out.
I just went through that! I was going to post for help but I got them out finally. |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/12/2016 9:12:40 PM EDT
[#28]
NVM.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/17/2016 5:03:41 AM EDT
[#29]
I went back and forth when trying to decide how to bolt down a couple TL-15's... I spoke with the tech team at Hilti and Redhead and after their input I went with a chemical anchor. The guys at Redhead suggested a Hilti HAS SS Rod combined with their C6 plus. Both Hilti and Redhead confirmed that this would be the strongest option for Shear and Tension. The Increase in strength was substantial with a 1/2 stainless rod. Also, the drilling does not have to be as exact which is nice.. The depth of the hole matters but as little as 2 3/4 into concrete(cracked or not) will give you almost pry-proof safe..Of course your safe has to be designed to fight back by giving in the correct areas but Amsec has thought of that and more to help thwart pry attacks. It pays to buy a well engineered product..Anyway, hope that helps.. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/24/2016 12:00:51 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Well, crap. Bit late for that.
The slab in my garage is thinner than I thought. What problem will that cause? Depending what part of the country you live in if the slab was installed correctly there should be a vapor barrier underneath the concrete to prevent moisture from rising from the ground up into the slab. Over time the moisture will lead to cracked concrete, specially if you live anywhere that gets below freezing temps. Keep an eye on it, you cant really do anything about it now. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/4/2017 4:07:32 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The first thing thieves do is try to get the safe on its back, if they can tip it with tools and it goes down...much easier to pry open then. That is why most residential burglaries of gun safes...they are found on the ground flat on their backs....bolt it down. lol, thanks for illustrating my point, cant even turn it around in the room, much less get it on its "back".. im alright.. thanks.. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/6/2017 11:00:24 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I went back and forth when trying to decide how to bolt down a couple TL-15's... I spoke with the tech team at Hilti and Redhead and after their input I went with a chemical anchor. The guys at Redhead suggested a Hilti HAS SS Rod combined with their C6 plus. Both Hilti and Redhead confirmed that this would be the strongest option for Shear and Tension. The Increase in strength was substantial with a 1/2 stainless rod. Also, the drilling does not have to be as exact which is nice.. The depth of the hole matters but as little as 2 3/4 into concrete(cracked or not) will give you almost pry-proof safe..Of course your safe has to be designed to fight back by giving in the correct areas but Amsec has thought of that and more to help thwart pry attacks. It pays to buy a well engineered product..Anyway, hope that helps.. https://i.imgsafe.org/4fbe724af6.jpg Can you explain more, maybe pics? Im assuming youre just going to drill a hole, clean it out, squirt some epoxy in there and sink the all thread in the epoxy. let set, tighten washer & nut to secure safe. But what is the "Hiti HAS" stainless steel rod, where does it fall in the mix, and why does it increase the strength so much? |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/7/2017 1:09:37 AM EDT
[#33]
Tapcons have around 22% more pullout and shear strenght then wedge or sleeve anchors. You can look up the specs on the anchors websites. Plus they can easily be removed and holes patched.
Sleeves only compress against the concrete at a small point when the sleeve pivots out against the wall of the hole. Tapcons are keyed into the concrete the entire depth. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/27/2017 7:08:36 PM EDT
[#34]
"""Can you explain more, maybe pics? Im assuming youre just going to drill a hole, clean it out, squirt some epoxy in there and sink the all thread in the epoxy. let set, tighten washer & nut to secure safe. But what is the "Hiti HAS" stainless steel rod, where does it fall in the mix, and why does it increase the strength so much"""
Yes...You have to drill a hole according to redheads specs and then inject the c6 plus. Installing a Hilti HAS threaded rod will then give you the ultimate strength.. Something about the way the Epoxy binds with the concrete. It also is more forgiving when it comes to hole prep and concrete types which is really important The guys at Redhead sell both types of anchors and told me that this method was indeed stronger in both sheer and tension loads. Here are some pics from my install..
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/23/2017 12:00:20 PM EDT
[#35]
Bumping this in the hope of doing such a project this weekend to secure a safe in concrete.
For someone who's never done it, does anybody have a step-by-step tutorial, complete with product suggestions? What kind of stuff should I buy to bolt this thing down? Are these Hilti 3/8 x 3" carbon steel expansion anchors any good, or is this the wrong product? 
How do they compare to the tapcons? 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/23/2017 2:38:24 PM EDT
[#36]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/24/2017 12:36:20 PM EDT
[#37]
Will Zinc-plated steel be crappy or cause potential rust inside my safe?
What kind of barrier are you putting under the safe to protect it from the concrete? |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/24/2017 8:32:35 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Will Zinc-plated steel be crappy or cause potential rust inside my safe? What kind of barrier are you putting under the safe to protect it from the concrete? For me steel shims and straight on the concrete, and I live in a wet/humid area (my dealer who is an actual safe dealer, not a box store), said they have seen no issues bolted direct on concrete. No one in the thread mentioned post tension slabs. |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/24/2017 11:39:03 PM EDT
[#39]
I feel apprehensive about putting a steel safe, which will be stuck there for decades, on top of a concrete floor that gives off moisture. There's gotta be some kind of protection.
Would Drylock paint work as a suitable moisture barrier for the floor? What other options besides horse stall mats, which Home Depot does not carry? I have a situation where the width of the safe fits exactly into the cove it will be placed in. This means I can only push it back into place, with no side-to-side movement. How can a 1" thick piece of rubber on the floor stay in place without bunching up by pushing the safe back against the wall on the concrete? Even if I Drylocked the floor, wouldn't pushing the safe into place possibly scratch it up and keep the bottom exposed to concrete? Would you guys keep the safe directly against a cinder block wall, or would you put Drylock on it first to prevent any moisture? |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/24/2017 11:52:38 PM EDT
[#40]
Hockey pucks under it?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/25/2017 12:01:21 AM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Use Redheads or sleeve anchors. Harbor Freight reciprocating hammer drill. Easy button. fpni |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/25/2017 3:36:24 PM EDT
[#42]
1/2" x 3-3/4" or 1/2" x 4-1/2" ?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 2/26/2017 12:39:21 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
1/2" x 3-3/4" or 1/2" x 4-1/2" ? Most garage concrete is only 4" thick... |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/1/2017 10:52:15 PM EDT
[#44]
How do you remove the shipping feet that came on the safe? They are not bolted through the bolt holes of the safe, but instead placed in the corners. I can't imagine they are bolted there with no access from inside the safe.
I planned on removing them and bolting to concrete. Some people suggest leaving them on to elevate the safe, but it doesn't sound like a good idea. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/6/2017 3:00:54 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
How do you remove the shipping feet that came on the safe? They are not bolted through the bolt holes of the safe, but instead placed in the corners. I can't imagine they are bolted there with no access from inside the safe. I planned on removing them and bolting to concrete. Some people suggest leaving them on to elevate the safe, but it doesn't sound like a good idea. Have you tried tilting the safe to one side and kicking the feet off? They might just be soft plastic that is molded to the safe body by it's weight. Slightly elevating the safe ensures it will not collect moisture. The safe and cement are probably below the ambient air temp which can cause condensation. If there is no air gap between the safe & floor it can draw water in there by capillary action. Once that starts the only way to get rid of the water is to lift the safe and dry it/circulate air. _______ I wish I'd found this thread sooner. If anyone needs supplies I have a 12" Dewalt SDS bit and a bunch (like 20) of 1/2" Red Head wedge anchors leftover from bolting my safe down last spring. Also, get yourself an SDS or SDS+ drill. I tried a regular (Harbor Freight) hammer drill and got maybe 3/8" into my slab in 10 minutes of literally leaning on the drill. I gave up and bought a Harbor Freight SDS drill the next day and knocked out all 4 holes in under 5 minutes! They are seriously impressive. Home Depot rents them for the same cost as buying one from Harbor Freight. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/6/2017 6:04:12 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I wish I'd found this thread sooner. If anyone needs supplies I have a 12" Dewalt SDS bit and a bunch (like 20) of 1/2" Red Head wedge anchors leftover from bolting my safe down last spring. Also, get yourself an SDS or SDS+ drill. I tried a regular hammer drill and got maybe 3/8" into my slab in 10 minutes of literally leaning on the drill. I gave up and bought a Harbor Freight SDS drill the next day and knocked out all 4 holes in under 5 minutes! They are seriously impressive. Home Depot rents them for the same cost as buying one from Harbor Freight. ? My Dewalt corded hammer drill does a 3/8" hole to almost four inches in less than a minute. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/6/2017 10:15:58 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
? My Dewalt corded hammer drill does a 3/8" hole to almost four inches in less than a minute. I revised my post above. Both drills I used were from Harbor Freight but the normal hammer drill wanted nothing to do with drilling a 1/2" hole in my basement. It sounded like crap though and may have been DOA. I returned it and bought a SDS drill and it was night & day difference. All 4 holes probably took less than a minute to drill. Then I returned that drill too 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/7/2017 12:05:22 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Have you tried tilting the safe to one side and kicking the feet off? They might just be soft plastic that is molded to the safe body by it's weight. Slightly elevating the safe ensures it will not collect moisture. The safe and cement are probably below the ambient air temp which can cause condensation. If there is no air gap between the safe & floor it can draw water in there by capillary action. Once that starts the only way to get rid of the water is to lift the safe and dry it/circulate air. _______ I wish I'd found this thread sooner. If anyone needs supplies I have a 12" Dewalt SDS bit and a bunch (like 20) of 1/2" Red Head wedge anchors leftover from bolting my safe down last spring. Also, get yourself an SDS or SDS+ drill. I tried a regular (Harbor Freight) hammer drill and got maybe 3/8" into my slab in 10 minutes of literally leaning on the drill. I gave up and bought a Harbor Freight SDS drill the next day and knocked out all 4 holes in under 5 minutes! They are seriously impressive. Home Depot rents them for the same cost as buying one from Harbor Freight. Thank you. I called the manufacturer and they said the feet twist off by hand. So we tilted it and twisted them off. They were steel. We used a polyethylene moisture barrier on the floor, so I'm hoping that takes care of any moisture/rusting. The hammer drill I am borrowing does not appear to take SDS/Plus. The SDS+ drill bit I got also says it is for rotary electric hammers and not for hammer drills. Luckily I got another bit that should work fine with it. How long are your Red Head wedge anchors? |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/8/2017 12:22:08 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
How long are your Red Head wedge anchors? They are 1/2" x 4 1/2". (1.5" to allow for the safe floor and 2x4's I have it sitting on and 5 diameters of engagement in the slab.) I have around 20 left. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/10/2017 3:22:22 PM EDT
[#50]
A little too long. I really want to get stainless steel ones, but $40 to have them shipped seems like a lot. Since these won't be anchored in salt water, I wonder if it's really necessary.
|
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
