Modifying Fire Safe Shelves?

Fox

Fox

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I was given a fire safe by my dad, it is obvious that this is a gun safe that they put shelves in, it is 60in tall.

I want to make some holes in 2 shelves to fit longer milsurp but still be able to put some documents on a shelf at the top, the shelves have nice felt on them. I was thinking cut an X where I want the hole, peel back the felt, cut and sand the hole and then fold back the felt and glue it in place.

Any other ideas?
 
What are the shelves made of?

depending on that, i might just clamp sacrificial scraps of plywood on other side, sandwiching the shelf, then just drill right through. If you are clamped good and tight, that will prevent any chipping or blow out and leave a nice clean hole. I'm assuming you plan to use a hole saw?

Another option is to peel back the felt like you say. You will have to be delicate when you glue it back down to avoid lumps or bunching. Spray glue can help. Also that will give you the chance to cut the felt in such a way that you can fold it into the hole covering the cut edge, which would help protext your gun barrels from minor scuffing.
 
Another quick option might be to use one of those plastic deck grommets for computer wires.
Not nice and soft but shouldn’t scratch anything and will leave a nice finished edge on the hole.
That or do what I did and make a whole new shelf and wrap it in adhesive felt that is fairly inexpensive on Amazon…I couldn’t find a color match to the felt in mine so I just made something.
 
Callee said:
What are the shelves made of?

depending on that, i might just clamp sacrificial scraps of plywood on other side, sandwiching the shelf, then just drill right through. If you are clamped good and tight, that will prevent any chipping or blow out and leave a nice clean hole. I'm assuming you plan to use a hole saw?

Another option is to peel back the felt like you say. You will have to be delicate when you glue it back down to avoid lumps or bunching. Spray glue can help. Also that will give you the chance to cut the felt in such a way that you can fold it into the hole covering the cut edge, which would help protext your gun barrels from minor scuffing.
Click to expand...
I am pretty sure they are wood but can check.

I know I can get felt from the dollar store, just would not match, not like that is an issue.

I was expecting to cut away a rectangle with fillets in the corners, essentially a larger forsner bit or hole saw on the ends and then use a jig saw to connect the two holes, make a slot so as to more easily remove the guns.

I may end up having to remove things from the front to the back when I want to get to them rather than grab the one I want but this is more to protect them if we had a fire, plus harder to break in to than a cabinet for sure.
 
wasrupzuk said:
Another quick option might be to use one of those plastic deck grommets for computer wires.
Not nice and soft but shouldn’t scratch anything and will leave a nice finished edge on the hole.
That or do what I did and make a whole new shelf and wrap it in adhesive felt that is fairly inexpensive on Amazon…I couldn’t find a color match to the felt in mine so I just made something.
Click to expand...
Could you PM me a picture?

I had that thought too, save the old shelves somewhere and make new ones.

I need to make barrel rests anyway, so need to get some nice dry clear pine and felt, plus buy or modify some shelf brackets.
 
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