Gun cabinet install - mark first or drill through

[Moose67]

Two spanky new-to-me cabinets are going in next week ...
As these are bigger and heavier than the ones I'm replacing, should I :

1) position the cabinet, mark the holes, remove the cabinet and then drill for bolts - or ...
2) put them into position, drill straight through the mounting holes, clear out the dust & carry on

 

[tarponhead]

No.1

 

[SimpleSimon]

No. 1

Because even if the cabinets are really big you'll struggle to get an SDS drill inside and hold it in at 90 degrees to the wall

 

[Jim Hutton]

Without doubt number one.

 

[VSS]

1

 

[sh1kar]

A mix of both. Drill through say 3mm - enough to put marks in the right place on the wall- then remove cabinet and fully drill out

S

 

[Will the chippy]

Put into position. Long drill 6mm bit, drill and concrete screw to the wall. No messing about humping big safes about more than you have to.

 

[jb1]

After fixing a few, and fluffed up by not being 100% square i found a more sure way of fixing all holes square.
Drill 1 hole, fix raw bolt and tighten cabinet to wall, then use a pilot drill in the remaining fixing holes, unscrew 1st secure fixing then drill and fix remaining raw bolts.
Or use Chemical fixing and threaded bar using same method.

 

[artschool]

chemical resin anchor and threaded bar is the least stressful way

 

[VSS]

Place cabinet against wall.
Start to drill through one of the holes in the cabinet.
At about 1/2 of the required depth, drill bit flange snags against the edge of the hole in the cabinet.
Drill wrenches violently, bashing your knuckles against the cabinet door lip.
In pain, you let go of the drill.
Drill bit snaps off in hole.
Mark with a pencil the position of the remaining 3 holes.
Remove cabinet, drill holes, refit cabinet and fix using three bolts.
Glue a suitably sized nut to the protruding end of the broken off drill bit, for effect.

 

[Scotty99]

No 1.

Also get some large flange type metal washers and put one over each bolt before putting on the nut and tightening it. This was a tip given to me by my very first FEO to help prevent someone getting a crow bar behind the cabinet and prizing it off the wall.

 

[Klenchblaize]

If they are being positioned side-by-side, don't overlook bolting them together.

K

 

[enfieldspares]

Measure twice. Cut once.

 

[enfieldspares]

Remove cabinet, drill holes, refit cabinet and fix using three bolts.
Glue a suitably sized nut to the protruding end of the broken off drill bit, for effect.

 

[Jamie florence]

No1

 

[Radstorm]

Mark and drill - if you are using chemical anchor (highly recommend) prep and think everything through !

 

[Cyres]

You can buy special hole marking pens in most building suppliers. Also depends what fixings you use. Either fixed bolt or bolt through. Do not drill holes too deep.
If using chem fixings be sure to blow dust out of the holes.
Also if they are big heavy safes make sure you have a handy pal to assist you.
D

 

[suburban bushwacker]

chemical resin anchor and threaded bar is the least stressful way

by far the easiest way.

 

[suburban bushwacker]

The thread that reveals who has flat walls. lol

 

[Klenchblaize]

Find a suitable space (between chimney breast and wall. Chemically fix multiple lengths of threaded bar (they need to be long) to back and sides that correspond with cabinet/safe fixing holes. Stand cabinet/safe on thick plastic sheet some 8" away from all walls and ensure threaded bar is at least 2" into cabinet openings. Put nuts onto threaded bar finger tight. Drill a number of holes through top of cabinet and install bolts that protrued upwards by some 4".

Use plywood to create a shuttered enclosure across the exposed front openings on each side of the cabinet. Do the same across the top to a height of at least 6". Poor concrete into all voids and ensure it fully migrates across back and sides all the way to base before leveling at the top. Once set tighten nuts, remove plywoodand and paint exposed concrete to either match the cabinet or the adjoining walls.

Clearly this is only practical in a sacrificial location and behind a neat door that suggests a broom cupboard or built-in wardrobe.

It won't stop someone cutting through the front with a grinder or gas but it will slow down any attempt to pry cabinet away from wall.

K