New "Tool" for the shop

[Bill Grumbine]

Good morning all

Yeterday I acquired a new tool for my shop. It is one I have been wanting for some years now, but I hope I will never use. It is a burglar alarm system.

For years I have relied on secure doors, my own heavily armed proximity, and the two mobile alert systems (Bubba and Rowdy) to fend off any would be bad guys. But as the business continues to grow, and my notoriety here on the internet grows as well, I am meeting more and more people who I never saw or heard of before. The chances are that sooner or later one of them is going to be a bad guy.

Recently I had the opportunity to host a student for turning lessons, and he just happens to work for a local alarm company. So, we worked out a deal on labor and I was able to afford a system that will protect my shop very nicely. People will still be able to get in, but getting out or getting away will be a lot harder.

Of course this system is nothing compared to the automatic seek and destroy lasers I have installed in the burl storage area, but priorities are priorities. :D

Bill

[Halsey MCCombs]

Does that mean Bubba and Rowdy can now retire. Halsey

[Gerry Meekins]

Great gloat Bill.. I'd like to have a system with a smoke alarm tied in to a central station dial up but I hav'ent got around to it yet.

Gerry

[Tom Sweeney]

I guess I can cross that off my list of ways to get a good lathe :p

But Bill, What do you need a fancy alarm for. I'm thinking you could just have a life sized foamboard poster of you, standing at the door of the shop, holding a 12 gauge in one hand & your big Stihl in the other with Rowdy & Bubba at your side. Anybody stupid enough to still try & break in deserves whatever they get :D

[Tyler Howell]

Bill,

Sorry it has come to that. Even in what appears to be a rural area where you live? (posted Pics) I live in an urban jungle and we have to resort to tools like that. :(

TJH

[Mark Singer]

Bill,
Are Bubba and Rowdy the "boys" or are they a lab and a chiuwawa like my Dexter and Java?
Mark

[EliotMason]

Our dogs - Mocha and Java - can make an imposing pair and they love to bark. Of course, like so many dogs all that is required to "disarm" this alarm system is a tennis ball. We just hope no would be ne'r do-wells don't know this.

[Bill Grumbine]

Good evening men

Well I never thought I'd have to worry about the ruffians here, but I guess I do. :D

Halsey, Bubba is fairly laid back, but he loves to bark. Rowdy barks at everything, including himself. We have been having all sorts of fun with him and a full length mirror lately. He will probably die of a stroke in mid bark some day. They will probably never retire.

Gerry, we looked at the smoke alarm, but it didn't really work for this setup. Besides, I don't smoke. :p

Tom, I will be watching you closely next time you are up.

Tyler, we are rural, but there is lots of, shall we say, potential problems not too far from here. Just the other night I was dropping my truck off at the local garage for inspection. It wa late, almost 10 PM, and I was all alone except for SWMBO waiting for me in her car. All at once an all beat up out of state car swerved into the lot at high speed, came right for me, paused, and the two unsavory looking characters looked me over for a second or two, and then took off just as fast. I don't know if I scared them off or what, but I was already making for SWMBO and my .357. Still, things like that are rare around here. I look at this like I look at the fire extinguisher - nice to have, but I hope I never need it.

Mark you are close. Bubba is a golden/lab mix, and Rowyd is a Shih-tzu/poodle mix.

Elliot, see what I wrote above. Bubba is a sucker for a tennis ball too, but he loves to meet new people, and while he is friendly when I am here, I hear that he isn't so when I am not. Rowdy is immune though, and will bark his brains out no matter what.

Bill

[Mark Singer]

Bill,
I would visit if I got over to Pa. Java ,Dexter Rowdy and Bubba would have a great time....I"m just afarid you'll take me to the wood pile!
Mark

[Ryan Singer]

Bill,

You have any pictures of these little friends of yours?
Bubba and Rowdy sound like good guys to me. I am sure they'd like Java + Dexter.

Ryan

[Todd Burch]

Bill, I worked out an alarm system for my garage/shop right after I moved in 2 years ago. I installed it too, but it didn't work. The key to the failure was the actual motion detector itself. As I think I understand the problem, the motion detector I have is a resistive detector, and my alarm bell is inductive. Here's the schematic. If anyone has any comments on how to fix it, I would be all ears.

The problem arises when the "B" switch (a 3-way switch) is flipped over to the alarm side. The alarm actives, and never shuts off. When flipped to the light-bulb side, the light comes on for around 20 seconds, then goes off, and then lights up when motion is detected (working as designed). What I need is a motion sensor that does not have an initial "prime" circuit, and that would work with the light and the bell.

Todd.

[John Miliunas]

Bill, it's kind of a sad reflection on today's society when a guy has to go to those lengths and expense to protect what is his, even out in the rural areas. We live in the country, as well, and I never gave it too much thought before, but as my tool arsenal progresses, I too am getting a bit anxious about the "what if's?". I keep it locked, but as wise man said many moons ago, "Locks are only there to keep the honest people out." I've given it some thought myself, but I'm not as famous as you are, so there's not quite as much attention drawn to my facilities. :D Congrats on the added protection. Maybe now you'll sleep a bit sounder and be able to keep that 357 holstered. :cool:

[Rob Littleton]

I have the alarm tied to the side entrance door for sure. the main garage door, hmmmm, not sure.

One thing I am having installed this week is a sprinkler system. Extra peace of mind :-)

[Jim Becker]

The folks who lived here before us for 33 years didn't believe in dead-bolts and had the buttons to raise the garage doors on the OUTSIDE of the building...sheesh!

I'm not so trusting and all those things have been recitfied as expected, not to mention the addition of a whole bunch of electronics. Yes, it's a shame we all have to do that these days, even out here in the country, but that's reality.

[Mike Kelly]

Something cheap that may help a little.
When I lived in Houston, I had a privacy fence around the back yard where the electric and gas meters were. On the gate, which was always unlocked, the previous owner had placed a BAD DOG sign. I watched the meter readers on several occations from my dining room window as they cautiously would look over the fence and veerry carefully enter, get the reading and remove themselves as quick as possible from the area. The quiet BAD DOG never appeared for them, but they continued to be on the lookout for it!

That may not ward off real bad guys, but maybe it made them think twice. I never got hit anyway. Even friends who visited asked about my dog! I told them that there was a couple of cats somewhere out there.

[Mark Singer]

Bill,
Here is my security system...
The big one is Java , he is 12 and doesn't hear as well as Dexter who is 5.
The way it works is if Dexter hear something he barks....that alerts Java , then he really barks...Thats how we do it in Ca....I would bring them to play with Buba and Rowdy....except for the wood pile....
Mark

[Bill Grumbine]

Okay guys, here are the mobile alarm systems. Some of you have met these critters, and can vouch for thier behavior. Rowdy is a very high energy little dog. We did not name him, but his original owner did at least something right with the little guy. He runs in circles and barks as fiercely as he possibly can. Bubba is like Java. He waits to see how exercised Rowdy gets before he joins in the barking, unless of course, someone comes on the property. Then he starts in right away.

<img src= "http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/bubbarowdy.jpg">

Bubba did not want his picture taken today. We were in the schoolhouse (an outbuilding next to the house). He loves being in there with us, but if we call him in, he thinks he is going to have something unpleasant done to him, like having his ears cleaned, or burrs removed from his tail.

All our neighbors know the dogs, and most of them are scared stiff of Rowdy, while they don't worry about Bubba at all. I guess it comes from his near apoplexy when they go walking down the road. We have somewhere around 700' of road frontage, and when people go walking by, Rowdy corkscrews along the edge of his invisible fence line barking his brains out, and continues to bark until they are back home sitting in their own living rooms! I wouldn't actually count on them biting anyone, but they do let me know when people show up.

Mark and Ryan, those dogs are great! We tell people that Rowdy is our small back-up dog. I see we are not the only ones to think along those lines.

Todd, I have no idea how to help you with your system. Mine was installed professionally, except for the system ground, which I ran for the guy while he put the computer, keypad, and all the other stuff in. I was the semi-skilled labor for that part of the day. We switched roles once the lathe work started. :D

Bill

[Jim Becker]

He loves being in there with us, but if we call him in, he thinks he is going to have something unpleasant done to him, like having his ears cleaned, or burrs removed from his tail.

I hope the kids don't feel the same way for the same reasons!! :rolleyes: