ideas to secure welder in garage

[scorpio_vette]

Hi. I bought my first miller 211 almost 3 years ago. unfortunately it and all of my other tools were stolen about a month later. insurance was useless, and so were the cops, and i never got a penny.

now i'm considering buying another one, but don't want to get one until i can figure out how to secure it properly.

i've been playing with some ideas of building a cage out of 3/8-1/2" flat stock that would attach and hinge off of one of the main support beams in the garage, and then pivot down over the welder and lock to the floor with 1 or 2 of those industrial hockey puck looking locks that you see on work vans sometime.

i had someone try to steal my air compressor, but i had it secured to a main support beam with a 6,000# logging chain pulled through the engine plate that is welded to the compressor, and a 10" long 3/4" bolt dipped in red locktite that went through the support beam. then i also had 2 steel plates that went over the legs of the compressor and were anchored to the floor with 1/2" bolts. they failed to steal it, and only managed to unplug the power cord.

Obviously a setup like that wouldn't quite work, as i need the welder mobile, and going through the handle is a joke since it's plastic. that's why i've been playing with a full cage idea that would be attached to the beam and the floor.



any other ideas or suggestions on how to secure a welder??? I really would like to get one again, but don't want a repeat of last time. because $2,600 is alot of money for a **** miller 211. LOL

[aametalmaster]

After you get your cage built make sure that you can't get to the mig gun and the welder switch because you can turn it up and burn right thru the metal. Just sayin...Bob

[bretsk2500]

seems to me that it would be easier to secure whatever building your tools are stored in.....

[piniongear]

seems to me that it would be easier to secure whatever building your tools are stored in.....

I agree fully with you on that.
If the OP wants to be able to move his machine easily, then a thief will do the same, but do it more quickly.

Securing an entrance door (or wherever the machine is rolled to exit the shop is much easier to do than putting the machine inside a cage.
A lot less trouble for the owner to use as well.

I simply put two double keyed deadbolt locks on my shop door and never worry about it.
To roll the 250 lb MM251 out of the shop they will have to open the door or remove it.
Not going to be easy for them to do that.
But a thief can disable anything if he has a mind to.
Just a matter of how much time he has to do it and if he can escape without getting shot dead.
pg

[SundownIII]

If you're paying $2,600 for a 211, someone's not shopping very smart.

Sounds to me like you got ripped off TWICE. Once from the place you bought your welder, and once from the thief.

Sounds to me like you need to take the money you didn't need to pay for a 211 and find a better insurance company.

Whole thing smells kinda fishy though.

Locks are designed to keep honest people honest. If you can use it, a decent thief (if there's such a thing) can defeat your safeguards.

Ever considered moving to a better neighorhood?

[crabber]

If you're paying $2,600 for a 211, someone's not shopping very smart.

Sounds to me like you got ripped off TWICE. Once from the place you bought your welder, and once from the thief.

Sounds to me like you need to take the money you didn't need to pay for a 211 and find a better insurance company.

Whole thing smells kinda fishy though.

Locks are designed to keep honest people honest. If you can use it, a decent thief (if there's such a thing) can defeat your safeguards.

Ever considered moving to a better neighorhood?

I think the $2600.00 price tag is because he needs to buy the welder twice!

[SundownIII]

How to secure a welder?

I've found Colt, S&W, and H&K to be quite effective.

Renewal policy (at < $1.00/cartridge) is also quite inexpensive.

Ever consider adopting a pit bull?

[Broccoli1]

paint it Red and put a Lincoln sticker on it



Good luck with your build-


Seems like the thieves had plenty of time in your shop: Rural area?

Luckily for me, the benefit of City life is that the Police arrive in about 5 mins
when my Alarm goes off- fortunately both times were false alarms but was nice to see 4 squad cars show up ready to rumble.

With the way my personal insurance is bundled it is basically free to have the
Coverage with a Home alarm system.

Colt, S&W, and H&K are useless if I'm not around to activate them

[aametalmaster]

Colt, S&W, and H&K are useless if I'm not around to activate them

I am a Ruger fan myself. I have a herd of Wiener Dogs not very mean but they sure bark when the hear something...Bob

[Honest John]

Just a few ideas.

Install the two deadbolts.
Fabricate a metal strap across your entry door in two places.
On the inside of your windows, weld circles of razor wire across and down the window area. Cover the window area with pegboard and fill the void between the glass and the pegboard with styrafoam peanuts. (saves on heat and cooling) and provides more wall space for tool storage.
Construct and weld a gate across your garage door bottom to top.
If you have a air conditioner unit, install a anti push through bar. (hot in Florida)
Surveillance cameras even dummy ones that just blink red will be effective.
Lights are a burglars worst nightmare. Light it up and install a few motion activated lights. If you are a hunter install a infared deer camera that is motion activated.
Finally install that alarm the rings at the local Sheriff or Police Station.
Insure your items with a shop policy. (There are many different types)

One of the other posters said that locks are for Honest Men and He is right. but you can save your self some heartache with these simple precautions.

Honest John
Tampa Chicago Paris