How to secure lower door on vacuum?

[Sequoia]

Someone has been opening the lower door on my JE Adams vacuums, searching for treasure among the dirt. The person was identified, and told to stop, but it continues. Apparently now multiple people are doing the same thing.

The lower access door is locked using two padlocks, but they are able to pry the door open, bypassing the hinge and lock entirely. Things don't always go back together correctly when they are done, and the operation of the vacuum gets compromised. Plus they are scuffing and damaging the equipment as they pry it open.

Is there a good locking/security solution for securing this? I've looked at traditional locking mechanisms, and nothing seems to fit.

I could leverage some contacts with local law enforcement if needed, but I prefer not to involve them unless it is something more serious.

 

[MEP001]

There is an expensive solution which requires some drilling:

Security Door Kit for Vacuums | J.E. Adams | 8104

The J.E. Adams 8104 Security Door Kit for Vacuums provides an added level of security for your vacuum units, making it even harder for thieves and vandals to get into them! Kleen-Rite brings you all of the OEM J.E. Adams parts, accessories, and more to keep your car wash vacuums secure, at the...

www.kleen-ritecorp.com

I've been cutting some pieces of 1 1/2" stainless angle to do something like this:



The main difference is that I'll use a disk lock that will hang at the bottom over the hasp.

I've had homeless people going through them two or three times a day, and if I don't clean the vacs out every day they spread the stuff everywhere, and of course they don't close and latch the door. Right now I'm just using zip ties to hold the door shut, otherwise they'll break the hasps to get in. Someone even broke the hasp on one instead of cutting the zip tie.

 

[KleanRide]

Welcome to my cage fight.

Just finished locking all my vacs (lots of drilling) with the hasp pictured below and Abus disc locks. These hasps are heavier than the standard pressed metal straps and the hinged design allows you to bend them around the curve of the vac canister. So far so good (though none of my local hyenas seem to carry pry bars or tools). If they start that crap I'll just have them arrested. My plight with these bums has been well documented with the local cops and I've got signs and cameras everywhere.

Just waiting now to see who wants to go to jail first.

 

[soapy]

I added these on all my vacs and so far so good. I never had this problem until about 3 months ago.

 

[Sequoia]

Interesting methods of security, and I'm surprised how many others have folks "fishing" in the dirt.

What is the best way to drill through the stainless to install the added security items?

 

[KleanRide]

Interesting methods of security, and I'm surprised how many others have folks "fishing" in the dirt.

What is the best way to drill through the stainless to install the added security items?

I used all purpose bits from Dewalt. Start slow to get a good divot going so the bit doesn't walk on you. Don't use too much speed to finish the hole or the bit will heat up and lose its bite.

 

[Sequoia]

I saw a video where the gentleman used drill bit cutting paste and started with a small hole, then worked up in size. And yes, speed was an issue because I think the steel will harden further if it gets too hot?

 

[MEP001]

View attachment 710

This vac is pre-drilled for the bracket I posted above, you would only have to drill out the rivets.

If you can get them, Milwaukee cobalt bits work really well in stainless. You should use cobalt regardless of the brand. I start with a 1/8" pilot hole and I don't use cutting oil, but it doesn't hurt. Drill at a slow speed with a lot of pressure, keeping a constant chip going. In thin stainless like a vac, you can go straight up to your final hole size. Don't use a center punch - you'll create a hardened spot right where you want to drill.

 

[Sequoia]

Thanks!

 

[KleanRide]

No need to step up the holes. Just keep it slow.

 

[MEP001]

If you want the hole in a particular place, it's much easier to start with a pilot hole. A larger bit will wander until it gets a good bite, and it will dull very quickly trying to start a hole in stainless. I can make hundreds of pilot holes with a single 1/8" cobalt bit - you won't get many holes if you start with a 3/8".

 

[Earl Weiss]

Ditto on the Cobalt and start small - 1/8".

 

[soapy]

Industrial cobalt bits and cutting oil is what I use on stainless. I get mine at the local industrial supply, not Harbor freight.

 

[MEP001]

I tried the Harbor Freight titanium bits on stainless once. They wouldn't even mark the stainless. I should have known, the pack of 10 cost less than one good cobalt bit. They went straight in the trash.

 

[soapy]

These are the cobalt bits I use. They will curl ribbons of stainless steel up when using them. Norseman

 

[MEP001]

I picked up some Milwaukee cobalts from Home Depot, and they are crazy sharp. I can't even tilt the tray up without them cutting my fingers. I had some Triumph pro-grade bits that were only slightly used from drilling mild steel, and both my 1/2" ones went dull trying to drill through a 1/4" wall square tube. I went and got the Milwaukee set and they went through the tube like it was made of plastic.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

I've tried all the ways to secure the dirt door mentioned in this thread. This is the only one I have used that has worked. A scavenger hunter needs a wrench and a pry tool to get in. Typically they only have one or the other. This shroud goes completely around the bottom of the vac. The only way this one has been defeated is prying open the top door, cutting the filters with a pocket knife and reaching down through the cut filter into the dirt below.

 

[Randy]

The problem we've had with securing the lower vac door is they rip the door off the vacuum at the hinge. We gave up locking the doors and now clean them out every day at the car washes that have the biggest problem. We have a clean up guy who comes in the late afternoon and another who comes at mid morning.

 

[soonermajic]

Same as Randy. Our meth heads had pry bars & tore through hinges to get inside for their .58{ !! So frustrating, but not anymore. They can have at it every single night, & they do, to collect pennies.
Weird what crack heads will do for some change.

 

[Sequoia]

I installed the JE Adams 8104 vac security kit on the lower door of one vacuum. This raised the issue of whether the vandals will attack the upper door instead, thinking this would be another way to the "treasure." So I put an 8104 kit on that door as well. I will need to order two more kits to protect the 2nd vacuum.

Bummer to hear about the hinges being attacked. I will need to think about options to protect that as well.