Just checking to see if anyone has any experience with a rather unique dilemma:

I have an old safe in my basement. It weighs at least 500 pounds by my estimate. It has a footprint of about 3' x 3' and is about 4' high.
The safe is junk as someone had previously cut out the entire lockwork with a cutting torch and removed it. There is no reasonably inexpensive way to restore it to full functionality as a safe.

I want it out of the basement. I am inclined to cut it apart with my torch. I am experienced with the use of the acetylene torch and am not worried on that score. However, most safes are filled with concrete between the steel wall panels and that will definitely affect the cutting ability of the torch.

The question is: has anyone ever dismantled a safe before and can you share any tips you may have learned from the process?

I am not opposed to hard work. Just opposed to working any harder than I must to get a job done right.

 

That concrete doesn't cut well at all. If you can cut the door off that will help. If the basement door is inside the house, take the door off, put a 4x4 across the opening, use 2x6 or 8 lumber as ramps and a come-along to pull it up. If you have an outside door, ramp the steps and pull it up with a winch or your truck. Could a wrecker get near enough to latch on to it? You might try just cutting the outer skin off and breaking up the concrete with a sledge. Good luck.

 

You're absolutely right about the concrete filling between the wall panels. There's just no really good way to cut those up with a torch. But watch out for the door. If the safe is over 20 years old there is a very good chance that the space inside the door contains asbestos. We deal with dozens of safes where I work (the Postal Service) and the old ones are a nightmare if you need to get inside the door panel to repair something. You could torch the hinges and remove the door to lighten things up a bit but the last thing you want to do is release asbestos throughout your house!

 

How did "they" get the safe into the basement originally?

 

Haven't dismantled one before but what about a masonary blade in a circ. saw? and some sort of respirator in case of the asbestos?
-Chris

 

how bout a gas powered concrete saw?

 

C4?

 

The problem with cutting a safe of this style is the outside is metal, and the filler is concrete.

I'd cut the outside skin (however thick it is) with a metal cut-off wheel in either an angle grinder or a circular saw (where you can control depth of cut), then once you break through, switch blades to a concrete/masonry cut-off wheel and cut through the concrete.

Then cut the inside metal box with the metal cutting wheel or a new one if it's worn out.

Then carry each half up the basement and take to your local metal recycling center for some cash


A house I used to own long time ago had the typical poured concrete basement floor, with a safe at the bottom of the stairwell, covered by rubbery mat. When I moved in, I hired a locksmith to "crack" the safe as the prior owner apparently didn't even know it was there. After much effort, the guy got it open and inside was....

Jewelry? Nope.
Money? Nope.
Bonds? Nope.
Stocks>? Nope.
Birth Certificates and other important documents? Nope.

???

MUDDY WATER! AND IT SMELLED LIKE ROTTING FISH!

 

Unless it were in my way and I had no other place in the basement to put it, I'd use it for a firesafe just like the previous owner was likely doing. I'm assuming the door still latches even without the lock? Even if I were finishing the basement, I'd find a convenient spot and build a cabinet around it.

Thinking about all the papers and data CDs that no self-respecting thief would touch but that I'd rather not lose in a fire, I wish my own basement had come with a 500 lb safe.

 

Thanks for the input, guys.
Answers to a couple of the questions:
The safe was there when we bought the house 20 years ago.
The door is unusable at all as the entire lockwork was cut out. In otherwords, with the door closed, there is no way to latch it and you can reach into the safe with both arms if you wanted to.
We have an outside basement door with concrete steps leading to ground level. The door way has little access due to various septic fixtures, the edge of our property, and significant plantings that my wife installed (suicidal to run over them with a tractor, etc.!). Not to mention a fence on the property border.
I was leaning towards the cutoff saw option as well. I thought perhaps if I were to open the outer skin in each of the 4 sides, a sledge hammer could then crumble the concrete and allow it to fall out allowing the use of the more rapid cutting torch technique on the inner wall surfaces.
I really think that if I can get it into 3 or 4 big chunks my son and I and a couple of guys could lug them out.
Want it out of the basement because the basement is very small (old house-20'x20' basement) and space is at a premium just for moving around in there, let alone actually storing things.
Thanks again for your ideas. I've waited 20 years to tackle the job so I can ponder it a little longer before I decide on a course of action!

 

Last resort, dig a hole in the basement floor and bury the sucker.

 

Now there is an idea! Much easier to carry pails of dirt out of the basement than this monster!

 

> Thinking about all the papers and data CDs that no self-respecting thief would touch

Actually, your personal data is very valuable to a semi-professional thief. Especially when they want to rip off everyone in your address book.

I would not cut that cement walled safe in your basement, it will create a cloud of dust and get into your HVAC system. The dust particles will be finer then the filter can handle if just plain fiberglass.

I would haul it out with an upright piano dolly.

 

Good point on the personal information. Can't forget about identity theft these days. Also quite right on the cloud of dust, that stuff is really nasty. I guess you could put up some plastic to wall off the work area and keep most of the dust inside. If it's a hot air HVAC then cover up all the vents in the basement and then do your best to protect the fan motor or hot water circulator.

The more I think about this conversation another option is to talk to some local appliance movers and see what they would charge for a short run up the stairs. Might be worth the few extra bucks to avoid the dust and know that it's not going to be landing on anyone. I've had the pleasure of moving stuff like this both ways (the DIY option and with pros). The pros put the rest of us to shame every time.

 

Try this........cover the hole with some solid sheet metal (weld it) and then weld the door shut. Send the cops a "tip" that SOMEONE THINKS THEY KNOW WHERE THEY PUT JIMMY HOFFA.......