Gun Safes and Condensation

[basicblur]

This may not be up your alley, but Remington (among others) have a plug-in desiccant-I have a couple of them and rotate 'em (leave one in while recharging the second). I was just in Gander Mountain the other day and they had 'em on the shelf with no price. I've seen this identical unit with various other names stuck on it. It is more convenient than having to fire up the oven to recharge other types, and I'm sure takes much less energy to recharge.

BTW...you might want to check into one of these also-Honeywell TM005X Wireless Thermo-Hygrometer?
I've got a couple of these in my house monitoring humidity levels-you can use one unit with up to 3 transmitters (comes with 1 transmitter) and you can set the display to constantly rotate between the 3 transmitters. Don't know if they'll transmit from inside a safe?
I've also got one of these for controlling humidity in my basement, but it may not be ideal for a garage?
They get a pretty bad rap in the reviews, but I've had mine for about 3 months and no problems yet.
I don't have mine set up to a permanent drain (have to empty the bucket manually) but it does have an accurate humidity readout (closely matches the Honeywell monitors) and has a beeper to let you know when the bucket is full (I've really come to appreciate the beeper).
This dehumidifier is replacing a Sears unit that had it's compressor crap out just past the 5-year compressor warranty period.

 

[jkingrph]

I have had one in my garage for about seven years now. It has a goldenrod type heater. I put down a small "pad" of vinyl floor tiles where the safe sits so it would not be in contact with concrete. I did add an insulated overhead door and ran a heating/air conditioning duct so it is much better than an unheated area.

 

[nambu1]

Golden rod. I have not had a problem for 12 + years. Safe is in my garage on a carpeted pad that I built from 4X4's and is on the outside wall.

 

[neviander]

+1 on the goldenrod recommendation. I haven't used one, but I never thought of using a dehumidifier inside a safe, good idea.

 

[Vector]

What do you guys think about this?

 

[Vector]

I guess the last link didn't work, so hopefully this one will.


http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=623716&t=11082005

 

[BADUNAME37]

Be Careful!

I think anything stored in an unheated garage may, in time, become susceptible to rusting.

If you care at all about your guns, I would check them on a REGULAR basis for rust.

I'd sure hate to see good guns go to waste from something as easy to manage as rust prevention --especially if all it meant was keeping the safe INDOORS!

I've seen guns rusted that are in a damp finished basement where the homeowner should have used a dehumidifier all summer long. When I pointed out the rust on his guns (in a wooden gun cabinet), he was SORELY surprised!

 

[scott22]

I think for a garage application the silica gel is not your best bet. I use silica gel in my safe, but it is inside my house... inside a closet which is temperature controlled. I agree with everybody else in the thread that a golden rod would be a better choice for something inside the garage. But then again, if my safe were in the garage I would probably have both.

 

[Ala Dan]

Goldenrod's are fine, when used in conjunction with Sack-Ups~!

 

[BADUNAME37]

Isn't there a better way.....

Isn't there a way to put it in a closet and put a deadbolt on the closet door (with hidden hinges)?

Better yet, make the whole closet your gun collection, install a solid-core door with hidden hinges and a deadbolt, lock the door and sell your safe.

 

[Auburn1992]

Anyone else use a regular dehumidifier like me?

 

[yokel]

All I do is apply a thin coat of WD-40 to prevent corrosion, stop rust and provide a shine.

 

[Fatelvis]

Would it be advisable to put unoiled cast iron bullet moulds in my safe, with a Goldenrod, without fear of them rusting? I've used the ammocan method with Silica packets before, and they still had some rust on them. Thanks-

 

[TRX]

> Isn't there a way to put it in a closet and put a
> deadbolt on the closet door (with hidden hinges)?

That works well.

Another option, if you have room, is to use an upright freezer. Non-working freezers can be had for free, and for whatever odd reason, many of the older ones have key locks anyway. They're free, roomy, utterly inconspicuous (particularly if they're put where a freezer might ordinarily be found), airtight, and adequate to keep children and less-determined thieves out of your stuff.

You do, however, have to build your own racks inside.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

Regarding the suggestion to use WD40: The stuff is kerosene, regular use will lift the grain on wood stocks if it ever penetrates the finish. And if it's in regular use, it will penetrate the finish. The stuff is not a lubricant, the WD in the name stands for Water Displacer. It does work well as a 2-stroke starter fluid though.

900F

 

[yokel]

I wasn't endorsing it as a lubricant and wood finishing product.

WD-40 works for me like a charm to displace water and prevent corrosion and rust, with no apparent ill effect to my gun's wood stocks after twenty years.

 

[jkittle99]

What about a basement?

So I'm going to just the tiniest steer this in a different direction - but only for a second.

I have a similar situation, but in my case I want to put the safes in the basement. I have a concrete room (soon to have a vault door) which will be used to store stuff, including my guns. I like it because it's pretty darn fireproof.The top couple of feet are above ground. Its been down in the cold (30's?) here lately, the room seems to be mostly 50 or above - am I in a condensation danger zone? I'll probably use gun lockers (not safes) in the room, some stuff will just be sitting out (but remember, locked vault door) Dont want to find myself in a pile of rust.

Any do's and don'ts I should know about?