False bottom in foot locker

[crazyjediman24]

Recently, I inherited an old foot locker from an uncle who liked to hide things all over his house. In that spirit, I have decided to fashion it into board game storage, but with a twist:

It will have a false bottom just tall enough to store some long guns and a few pistols in some short handgun racks, with desiccant packs thrown in, just to be safe.

Alas, I don't have it here yet (has to be shipped), but I believe from eyeballing it not too long ago, that it measures about 48" long, 18" wide, and about 18" tall.

I have two questions: 1. How tall can I get away with making the secret compartment, before the gag is given up? and 2. What would be the best way to fashion a false bottom (my best idea is stacks of washers in supporting places glued to the true bottom and washers glued to the under side of the false bottom such that it can be lifted with a magnet, giving no evidence of a false bottom.)

Any and all ideas are welcome.

[dukman]

I would say you don't want the false bottom to be much more than 10% of the total height, but that doesn't give much room for guns.. 3" I think would be really pushing it.

You need to make sure that the false bottom wouldn't fall out if they turned it upside down and also that nothing in the false bottom would rattle around.

[Einher]

I would say you don't want the false bottom to be much more than 10% of the total height, but that doesn't give much room for guns.. 3" I think would be really pushing it.

You need to make sure that the false bottom wouldn't fall out if they turned it upside down and also that nothing in the false bottom would rattle around.

A sheet of foam will solve this, especially if the guns are stenciled onto the foam and then the stenciled portions are carved out of the foam.

[crazyjediman24]

I would say you don't want the false bottom to be much more than 10% of the total height, but that doesn't give much room for guns.. 3" I think would be really pushing it.

You need to make sure that the false bottom wouldn't fall out if they turned it upside down and also that nothing in the false bottom would rattle around.

I was afraid you would say that. No matter, probably enough room to get at least three rifles in there, on their sides, anyway, as well as some handguns.

Sadly, I haven't figured out how to anchor the bottom yet. Getting it out is not that hard, but getting it to stay is another thing entirely. I was fully planning on weighing down the chest enough that it wouldn't move, but that becomes rather a lot harder when you only have 3" and nothing can rattle.

Speaking of rattling, I was intending to lay down the soft-side of velcro (such that it doesn't damage the weapons) and then fashion straps out of the other side, which would then batten everything down rather nicely, while allowing the system to be adaptable to any firearm.

[crazyjediman24]

I would say you don't want the false bottom to be much more than 10% of the total height, but that doesn't give much room for guns.. 3" I think would be really pushing it.

You need to make sure that the false bottom wouldn't fall out if they turned it upside down and also that nothing in the false bottom would rattle around.

A sheet of foam will solve this, especially if the guns are stenciled onto the foam and then the stenciled portions are carved out of the foam.

That might work, too, though I lack experience in foam. I figured the Velcro option would actually be incredibly easy to install.

[Einher]

I would say you don't want the false bottom to be much more than 10% of the total height, but that doesn't give much room for guns.. 3" I think would be really pushing it.

You need to make sure that the false bottom wouldn't fall out if they turned it upside down and also that nothing in the false bottom would rattle around.

A sheet of foam will solve this, especially if the guns are stenciled onto the foam and then the stenciled portions are carved out of the foam.

That might work, too, though I lack experience in foam.

There's nothing to it. Foam Sheet + Sharpie Pen + Scissors or Exacto knife.

draw the outline of your gun laying on the foam, pop out the material inside the outline you drew so your guns will fit, and drop the false bottom to the box on top of the foam.
If done right the false bottom will lay flush and level and nothing will rattle around because nothing is loose.

I figured the Velcro option would actually be incredibly easy to install.

Not sure how you figure that, guess it'd depend on what you've got in mind and how you intend to install the false bottom.

Me? I'd just build an open faced box to keep toys in that drops into the footlocker and rests closely against the sides of the box and on top of the foam filling the bottom (or maybe on some short pegs attached in the corners).
When you need to get to your guns just lift out the drop in box and voila.

[dukman]

Sadly, I haven't figured out how to anchor the bottom yet.

Here is a thought.

Get four bolts about 6" long.
Add a nut about 1.5" from the head.
Drill holes in the four corners of the bottom of the box to fit said bolts, about 2" away from the edge.
Put the bolts through these holes from the bottom, and use another nut to secure the feet to the box from the inside.
Get some little rubber nubs to fit over the bolt head to give it a professional look, these are feet for the box to rest on.
Add another nut at the height you want the false bottom to sit.
Add holes for the bolts to the false bottom and drop it in place.
Secure the false bottom with another nut.

In this diagram, [H] is the bolt head, [] are nuts, // are bolt threads, and || is the wood (box, false bottom)
[H]///[]||[]////[]||[]/

The nut for securing the false bottom could be a size just a hair to big so it is easy to unscrew.

[crazyjediman24]

Einher: It seems a good idea (and relatively inexpensive, which is a plus), but I was sort of hoping to make this a modular system. Having several sets of foam cut-outs lying around for different sizes of rifles/handguns is something of a deal breaker for me.

Dukman: Swell idea, and easy, even for someone as mechanically useless as myself. I don't think I quite understand how the false bottom is removed in this scenario.

[ITZombie]

Really depends on who's doing the looking as to how obvious it is and why they're looking. A random visitor? Probably won't see anything. Someone who enjoys making such things (or stealing things) it doesn't take much of a discrepancy. I've built false bottoms, backs, tops into furniture many times for fun and non-profit.

Part of your problem will be that if your building with wood, too tight a fit will cause you problems when the humidity rises and ebbs. You'll want to use something that doesn't swell much for this, a hardwood plywood or HDF/MDF board.

You also need to match the inside of the locker with a similar wood or otherwise get rid of the bare wood. Scuffs and scratches in the paint and stain can also give it away which goes back to the too tight or too loose a fit.

The better option, if you were building from scratch, IMO is the bottom drops out of the locker rather than lifts out. In other words by pulling out some anchors you tilt the locker back and then the bottom falls out of it.

But given what you've got, it's not an option.

As far supporting the bottom, that can be easily done by simply using wooden blocks in the corners and usually you'll need at least one down the long sides and one in the center to avoid bowing and warping.

Item attachment is likewise easy enough I'd think using velcro as someone mentioned. Cover the bottom in strips of velcro, use more than you think you'll need. This will be pricey unless you find a great deal on it. Then just store cut pieces of the opposite side of the velcro in the space. A sheet of foam to drop on top of everything will help secure it down and also help reduce the thonk noise of a hollow space.

Opening the space is always an issue. Finger holes are a giveaway as are strings or anything attached. I would offer perhaps picking up a couple of welders magnetic angle holders, they're about $15 each at Northern and then on your false bottom attach a sheet of 1/4 mild steel, about $15 again at a big box store using duct strapping $2 for 10' at a big box store. Then to open you just empty the chest attach the welder magnet and pull.

Worst case you just turn the chest over and let the bottom fall out. Assuming you've got good attachments on the hidden goods they shouldn't go anywhere.

You may considering lining the chest with a tough non-marring cloth to help avoid any scratch or scrap marks. Or just scuffing the hell out of everything to start with.

[theotherryan]

Sorry but I don't think a foot locker that size is deep enough for what you want to do. Deep enough to make a false bottom to hide some cash, gold, documents and a thumb drive though.

[MacAttack]

The velcro idea to hold down the bottom sounds pretty good.

To get it out though you could drill a hole in the bottom of the foot locker so that when you want the false bottom out you can shove a rod of some type up into the hole and push the false bottom up high enough to catch a hold of it with your hand. A corner would be best.