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Susquatch

Susquatch

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Over in the classifieds, @whydontu has an alarm board available. Comments are not allowed there.

But I don't recall a dedicated discussion on here about alarm systems.

Machinists typically have a LOT of valuable tools that are highly portable and desirable to thieves. So I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread on alarms.

The DCS units like @whydontu is offering are well supported by alarm monitoring companies and even if you don't want to use the monitoring capability, they are a great add to any shop.

I have a DCS 1832 in my barn. I like it's ease of use, flexibity, and programmability. I use door and window sensors on the perimeter and I have 3 motion sensors inside my shop. The keypad is just inside the main door. You can see it through the door window. The status lights blinking are a clear indication that something is wrong.

Mine is monitored. Basically, the insurance discount I get for having a monitored alarm pays for the monitoring service. So why not?

Originally, I had two separate alarm systems, but I just recently re-configured it to be a zone on the house alarm. That way I can arm or disarm it from the house and check the status from the house too. Lastly, both are now available to me on the security app on my phone when I am travelling. This let's me disarm the system to let someone in while I am away and/or check my webcams

The cabinet is not essential. You could hide a bare board like @whydontu is offering in the walls. All that's needed to make his operational are sensors, a bale of wire, a battery & ac adapter, and a control panel.

I think an alarm adds a high level of comfort and peace of mind to any shop with or without an alarm monitoring service.
 
I have a few of these alarms:


they work great. I have recievers in the house and shop. You can't get on my property without me knowing. I also have cameras strategically located. The Ring floodlight camera on the driveway has been fantastic. Its wired to 120v and uses wifi for signal.

I also have some other stuff and a backhoe in case the bad guys ever come around. The driveway alarms and cameras give me time to prepare.
 
@Susquatch it is DSC not DCS ;)

However those that are thinking about getting one, think carefully as programming them is a pain. Programming CNC is a lot easier.

However, they do the job very well.

For those that want to self monitor, get the add on board from www.eyezon.com which does an ethernet connection to your router and with software on your smart phone lets you see whats happening alarm wise, turn on and on remotely.

Important note: hard wire switches and motion detectors or you'll be changing expensive batteries, a little pain on install be $$$ saving long term and better functioning alarm. I prefer switches on entry points, instant on or delayed depending on location, all enter points chime on open and close, prevents surprise entry. Motion sensors to limit movement, well placed allows movement within protect zone while on. Two (or more) key pads Main Entry(s) and master bedroom. Lets you see which zones are active (open or motion).

For camera systems can go one of two ways.

Stand alone Wireless ip system, there are lots, some better than others. Remember they still require power.

Or dedicated recording systems that also hardwire into you router are lot better. Again don't go wireless here as power must be provided anyway. Same note as alarm system.
 
In our residential area, we've had 3 garage break ins, and 4 attempted break ins. The successful ones were 2/3 through the man door, and 1/3 through the car door.

So I put a hasp lock through the track on the garage door, and installed very good locks on the steel man door.

No alarms, sorry, If @whydontu was closer, I'd jump on the alarm panel PCBs.
 
Dabbler said:
The successful ones were 2/3 through the man door
Click to expand...
When we had our garage broken into, I wondered how they had pried the door open since I’d reinforced the jam. My mistake was not reinforcing the hinge side of the door too- put a crow bar in and the whole door moved sideways…
 
StevSmar said:
When we had our garage broken into, I wondered how they had pried the door open since I’d reinforced the jam. My mistake was not reinforcing the hinge side of the door too- put a crow bar in and the whole door moved sideways…
Click to expand...

I was broken into about 30 years ago. At the time the police told us that the standard break-in was broad daylight. They knock twice. If you answer they ask for directions. If you don't answer after knocking twice, they kick the door in.

They also told us that they would be back in 6 weeks or six months. They came back in 6 months. But by then I had installed an alarm. They kicked the door in again despite reinforcing, but then the alarm scared them off. Next door neighbour saw them leave when the alarm went off. They never came back.

The house we are in came with an alarm. The previous owner had been broken into several times. We upgraded the alarm and added video. Before he left home my youngest son told me we would never be broken into because word on the street was that I was a big crazy bush man who liked to torture his victims before eating them, and I lived in the woods not in the house.

For some reason, we don't even get kids at Halloween let alone burglars......

Still, I am ready when and if they do come.
 
StevSmar said:
I wondered how they had pried the door open
Click to expand...
So I have several 'Unican' mechanical locks - and one is on the man-door. The mechanical combo unit failed. The garage door was padlocked. My door is triple 2X4 on the hinge and hasp sides.

It took 1 minute to gain entry. All it took was my jack-all, stored in my shed. It spread the jams enough to free the springbolt, and I was in.
 
I have a very Black, Winchester Shotgun.

It has been seen, by a few of the local n'er do wells, when they happened upon our property.

The tweakers no longer look at my place as a possible easy score!

They tend to be ... Moved... when you use it to tap on their car window, after having watched them wander about the property, looking everything over, while thinking they are not being watched!

A multi-thousands candlepower light helps too!

Keerist I wish I had it on video!
 
A breeder who we used to board our dog with, got broken into while they where on holidays, how did they know you ask? They found the burglar begging for water and food when they got home.

According to the burglar the dog let him load everything into the box van until the last search of the house at which point the dogs attitude change from indifference to move I eat you. The dog held him in the same spot in the yards for a couple of days, only leaving to eat and drink when the burglar past out.

BTW the dog was extremely well trained as it had food laid out in different bowels for everyday and a self watering bowel which is why to dog was left free to roam.
 
Dabbler said:
So I have several 'Unican' mechanical locks - and one is on the man-door. The mechanical combo unit failed. The garage door was padlocked. My door is triple 2X4 on the hinge and hasp sides.

It took 1 minute to gain entry. All it took was my jack-all, stored in my shed. It spread the jams enough to free the springbolt, and I was in.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine had a pretty cool steel door setup that was super reinforced, double deadbolted, etc etc. When they broke into his shop they made a hole through the wall on the laneway side where nobody could see and cleaned him out. Vinyl siding and OSB were no match for a prybar and time .
 
Darren said:
A friend of mine had a pretty cool steel door setup that was super reinforced, double deadbolted, etc etc. When they broke into his shop they made a hole through the wall on the laneway side where nobody could see and cleaned him out. Vinyl siding and OSB were no match for a prybar and time .
Click to expand...

This is why an alarm and a black noise maker are so effective.

Just a side story. 50 years ago I had a nice 14 ft aluminium fishing boat and 35hp motor sitting on a trailer beside the house. I woke up to the sound of trailer tires bumping on the gravel driveway. I looked out the front door to see 3 guys pushing my boat down the road toward the red rail lights of a pickup waiting down the road. I grabbed my noisemaker and filled the night air with a big one pointed up at the night sky. The boat skid to a stop, the truck peeled gravel sideways totally abandoning the three crooks who scattered into the night. My boat was unharmed other than the smell of copious nearby defecation.

The next day I talked to a policeman who lived two houses down who told me that they already knew my boat had been targeted but were not on the lookout that night. Nobody heard the noisemaker. I chained it after that, but the cop told me they would not be coming back anyway.
 
Susquatch said:
What is a Jack-All? Is that the same as a Farm Jack?
Click to expand...
@Darren answered already, but--

I wanted to add that Jack-All was a Canadian version of the 'farm jack', but it was far better made than anything buy-able today. The centre beam was hot rolled (at Stelco if you'd like to know) and -hot punched- for the lifting holes (later drilled for accuracy). It had an original capacity of 12,000 lbs, later derated to 8,000 lbs when they went to malleable Iron as the carrier, rather than cast steel.

I own one of the 8,000 lbs ones, but in my 4X4 days I had a 5.5 ft 12,000 lb one before I could afford a winch.
 
What pray tell, is a "black noise maker"?

When we were kids, where the Glen Abby golf course now stands, we'd hike to the area, but stayed off that farmer's fields... He had a 'salt and pepper gun' a 10 gauge loaded with salt - you provided the pepper, by moving fast off his land.
 
Dabbler said:
@Darren answered already, but--

I wanted to add that Jack-All was a Canadian version of the 'farm jack', but it was far better made than anything buy-able today. The centre beam was hot rolled (at Stelco if you'd like to know) and -hot punched- for the lifting holes (later drilled for accuracy). It had an original capacity of 12,000 lbs, later derated to 8,000 lbs when they went to malleable Iron as the carrier, rather than cast steel.

I own one of the 8,000 lbs ones, but in my 4X4 days I had a 5.5 ft 12,000 lb one before I could afford a winch.
Click to expand...
They are as handy as a pocket on a shirt, provided they stay oiled, and you keep your face away from the handle
 
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