Project idea: Pistol box

admin

Hey all, first post after a bit of lurking and I have a few questions about a project that I want to do. As the title would indicate, I am looking to make a pistol box for my car. No one makes the kind of box that I want and therefore I am looking to see if I can make it myself. Here are my criterion:1) Made of metal (obviously, as this is a welding forum) The question is though, what kind of metal?  Should I use some thicker aluminum, steel, etc?2) The lock. I want to have a remote control lock or a digital keypad and I want the door to swing down so I can grab it between my seats. The question is, where can I find such a lock or components for such a lock? If possible, a manual override would be very cool. If I can find a good lock, I can figure out how to design the box. If I know the metal, I can get the appropriate tools together (my brother is teaching me some welding)Any help is appreciated. If I can get this off the ground, it could prove to be an interesting project.
Reply:Keep it simple.  I would use a simple spring loaded solenoid.  Operate it with a button switch that can be placed anywhere you want.  All you have to do is have the solenoid push a bolt into a hole when it is de-energized.  Then, when you want access just push the button.The manual override could be a small hole in the side of the box that allows a thin rod to be pushed in to move the bolt.  Kind of like the paper clip hole in a computer's CD drive, only a little bigger.I don't think what type of metal matters as long as you use something thick enough.  I've always found steel is easier to weld than aluminum (for me).  As you are just learning, I think steel might be the better choice.  In the end, the type of equipment that you have available might make the decision for you.Good Luck,BuckStrictly a hobbiestLincoln AC225Millermatic 130Everlast 200LX...mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent... Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, p. 170.
Reply:i guess 10 ga steel would work. aluminum is pretty easy to cut into, but i guess its thick enough to keep honest people out.