[TheForge] fire resistant safe

[Andrew Vida]

terry l. ridder wrote:

> obviousily the door and shell should be hardened against being simply
> drilled or sawn. the shell and door need to ensure that the internal
> temparature of the safe does not get about 212 degrees fahrenheit during
> the average commericial fire. we all agreed that there is nothing
> currently known to man that would withstand an oxygen lance or one of
> those other peircing torches on the market. if someone wants to get
> inside the safe bad enough they will eventually get inside the safe. it
> just takes time and money.

	Copper plate is what bank vaults used to use to defeat cutting with a 
torch.  Copper will not burn and dissipates heat rapidly.  They would 
sandwich it between layers of steel plate.

	If you really want to give them fits and don't mind spending the cash, 
you can also line the safe with tungsten carbide plate.  Another benefit 
is that WC has comparatively low thermal conductivity.  So if you really 
wanted to thwart theft, start with 2" steel plate on the outside with 1" 
copper plate next, then 1" WC plate, then 1/4" steel, then your 2" of 
wool and finally another 1/4" steel plate.  That's 6.5" of formidable 
barrier between your valuables and the bad guys.  Your hinges should be 
completely hidden.  Needless to say, this will be very heavy.
> 
> what alloys to use for the safe will require some research on our part.
> what should be used for the insulation and for the interior of the safe
> shell, is the difficult part. one of my friends joked that the interior
> shell should be made of tungsten since it has such a high melting
> temperature and is a tough metal. that would put the fire resistant
> safes not economically. several said that older safes that they had
> seen used concrete for the insulation layer. the old courthouse used
> granite slabs for the insulation layer and had armor plate for the
> exterior shell.
> 
> so basically, what should i be looking for in either an all ready built
> fire resistant safe or in building a half dozen for my friends and my
> private use?

	There is a standard fire rating system for safes and vaults.  A google 
search will reveal many sites where safes are sold and the rating system 
explained.  It is all pretty straightforward.