My First Project - workshop/security door

[thegreg]

Well I thought I'd post up the pics of my first home project, which is a steel door the for the workshop I built..

Unfortunately I only thought to do pics half way through so there's a big bit in the beginning 'missing' .

Anyway here goes! The door frame for starters, TIG'd up from 100x50 box section with 50x50 angle for the door to sit in.. I got the footplate cut from 6mm sheet.

The hinges are just tacked on for now..

The door was tacked together inside the frame so I could make sure the gaps were all spot on..

Then once I was happy with the fit all the joins were seem welded and I cut the door skin to fit, which was then drilled for plug welding.

Stuck on in 20 mins with the MIG

A couple from the back..

The recesses for the mortice locks were cut much earlier (chain drilled and filed), but like I said I only thought to do pictures yesterday lol

And that's where I'm upto now, door half skinned, waiting for welds to be ground off and to be trial fitted to the frame

Will keep the updates coming

cheers
Greg

 

[Shox Dr]

Nice job, I take it opens in, because of the exposed hinges

 

[Rubber Duck]

Show off!! Nice though

 

[gordon stephenson]

Really nice job,what you have to do these days to keep the toe-rags out, probably over the top but if it was me I would fit some 5/8" pins to the hinge side door edge to locate into holes in the framework,And on the lock side,make a disc arrangement that operates shoot bolts top,bottom and side, with only the chubb mortice lock preventing the disc turning.
I have a similar set-up on my double up-and-over door,with the 4 bolts spring loaded operated by wire cables, and a puck type heavy duty van lock and hasp on the out-side,
You just have to think like a criminal and beat them at their own game.,

 

[madkayaker]

i would put some pins on the hidge side that went into the inner door so that it couldn't be forced on that side also the hindges are a weak point i would try to reinforce them some how

 

[thegreg]

Thanks very much for the comments guys, much appreciated and everything is taken on board

The hinges are the only weak point of the door I agree, and I'm looking at doing something to reinforce them....however this is only a door for a workshop in my garden, it's not like it really has to be 'high' security!

Plan was originally to get a hardwood frame and door fitted, but when quoted £450 I thought I'd make one myself from steel at less than half that cost! Better in every way plus I enjoy welding

gordon stephenson I know EXACTLY what you mean with that mechanism, and I did consider it but thought it a little OTT for my situation. Hey, I may still fit one yet!

cheers
Greg

 

[Vdub lover]

Thats a really smart door and a cool looking garage do you have any build photos of that ?

 

[thegreg]

Vdub lover, sadly I only took 2 pics of the garage build, when the footings were dug out and when the first course was put down. Looking back it would have been great to get photos of it all, but I don't think at the time

Anyway, just a quick update...

I took the door outside for grinding as the dust gets everywhere!

Hinges properly welded to the frame.

All the bits arrived! 3 chubb deadlocks should keep the scrotes out All the fittings were stainless allen head..

Lock trial fitted and working like a good 'un

Then the keyholes were cut out. Just drilled and filed..

The handle was marked out, drilled and fitted on, everything lined up!

aaaand that's it for now, I should get a bit of time through the evenings to plod on so will keep the updates coming

Oh has anyone used the U-POL acid etch primer? Think I'll get a litre tin of that to prime it with unless anyone knows of something better?

cheers
Greg

 

[Normsthename]

Nice job, but get yourself a rubber backing disc and some fibre discs to sand the welds down nicely.
Shame to spoil the job with a hard grinding disc

Andy

 

[thegreg]

Cheers Andy, all the other sides were finished with a sanding disc like you said, the one in the photo (the handle side) is getting another strip welded on top so I didn't see the point in smoothing them down fully..

I've found a DA sander with a coarse-ish disc does a good job of welds too

Greg

 

[outofthefire]

Nice job, but get yourself a rubber backing disc and some fibre discs to sand the welds down nicely.
Shame to spoil the job with a hard grinding disc

Andy

What like this one

 

[eltis]

very nice pal, top job

 

[thegreg]

Well it's been a while since the last update as my progress is sloooow, just struggling to find the time for it, good job it isn't needed in a rush!

The rebates for the lock insert thingy's needed to be cut out, which meant chain drilling with the limited ammount of kit I have in my half complete garage!

marked out..

drilled..

and then chiseled, 6.5mm I had to go through, no fun I can assure you!

A quick bash with the file and the housing slotted in, didn't see the point of getting a perfect edge as it wont be seen.

The some tappage action, only option really I thought..

Using some lovely green tapping goop

Assembled for the first time! And to my amazement everything lined up without any fiddling..

Then on to make a security strip from 50x3mm black flat, it's to cover the gap where the lock bolts are exposed.

Drilled for plug welding

And plug welded on!

Out came the holesaw for the fixing holes on the casing, need a big one to fit a 15mm socket through..

Out came the SDS!! Rawl bolts on one side and thunderbolts on the other, my reason for this is the distance from the edge in the second pic, a rawlbolt would blow the face off the block..

The inner door skin was clamped to the frame to be drilled for pop riveting.

And these weird looking chaps are supports for the mortice locks which will be welded on when assembled. In a wooded door they get much more support and seem a little 'insecure' when just screwed to a metal one..all will make sense once they are fitted

 

[Reeeedish]

Great update

Lovely looking, purposeful security door and superb attention to detail may I add .

I've just made one myself but no where near as neat as yours.
I have the same mounting issue and didn't even know about thunderbolts. So thanks for sharing.

James

 

[a1topdog]

Top work. Very neat. It would easier to knock the wall down to get in than tackle that door !

 

[BeeJay99]

It is sometimes easy to get fooled into thinking that it is essential to have earthed welding benches and semi-industrial tools and loads of expensive kit for our projects yet this is in your garage on an old (I hope!) kitchen table with a set of decent hand tools. Congratulations, I think this is inspirational stuff and gives us all something to aim at.

BeeJay

PS Please don't fall in the pit!

 

[dave_sussex]

Hi, nice work and a nice strong door apart from the exposed hinges, i bet i could tap the hinge pins out in a couple of mins, you really need to do something about that, i'd install some dog bolts on the hinge side.

Simple to make, just weld some round bar end-on on the hinge edge of the door to make pins and cut holes in the frame for the pins to locate in, this will prevent the door being taken off it's hinges.

If you don't fancy that you could change your "normal" hinges for hinges with dog bolts like these example of dog bolt hinges

Keep up the good work!

Dave.

 

[thegreg]

Ok everyone! Verrry nearly finished now (well it is in the sense that I have a functioning door, but I'll post up the last pics when it's completely finalised )

I've just been a bit lazy with the camera tbh, especially when painting - while keeping the gun topped up, heating the metal, trying to achieve a good finish and occasionally having to evacuate the garage due to paint smog, I've sort of neglected taking good pics

Anyway! James - I was sceptical about thunderbolts as to me they looked like a big wood screw to me, but they are VERY good! Unlike rawlbolts they dont rely on expansion for fastning so they can get really close to an edge

BeeJay, haha don't worry it was an old kitchen table, and I agree, with industrial equipment the job will have been done a lot faster, but can be done with fairly primitive tools given a lot more time I not a fabricator so have never had the luxury of an earthed steel table to work on!

Thanks for the advice and the link Dave, looking back I would have installed dog bolts for a bit of extra security Although no one will be tapping these hinge pins out as they are welded in

IT'S PAINTING TIME!

First job was to convert the garage into a dust free spray booth

...and then to dig out the guns. Annoyingly the air cap of my Devilbiss was missing so the whole job had to be done with the ebay special

Acid etch primer! It says you can use it straight from the tin but I still stuck about 20% thinners in..

Gave the metal a good prepping, degreased, heatgunned, Wet down the floor and got the primer battered on

the door its self was done in two halves, the main section and the other skin.

Any Landrover geeks on here? Well I'm one so couldnt help doing it in deep Bronze green!

The finish was ok over all, got the odd run with the paint being so thin (oh and fish eye too) but all was good with a flat down and blow over. I'm no painter and do concede it is a skill to get consistent results.

Now then! Here's what those wierd little metal things were for, just put some ridgidity into the lock body.

I installed some of this rubber D section seal off ebay into the casing but the compression was a little too much so I had to pull it all off again

I've got some new stuff on the way so should have the final post done by the end of the week, then onto project number 2

cheers
Greg

 

[dave_sussex]

Looking good, i see what the wierd metal things are for now! oh, why did you wet the floor before spraying?

Dave.

 

[steeo]

Looking good, i see what the wierd metal things are for now! oh, why did you wet the floor before spraying?

Dave.

To stop the dust raising. When you are spraying you are using compressed air and with alot of guns been HVLP (high volume low pressure) guns there is a lot of air that can disrupt any dust lying on the ground.