Sawmill Security away from home

[Brad_bb]

Kbeitz, Do you have these trackers? Have you used them?

[Kbeitz]

Kbeitz, Do you have these trackers? Have you used them?

My son does...

[Jim_Rogers]

I second taking a tire/wheel off the mill.
I did that once or twice.
I carry a small floor jack in a box in my truck to help level the mill in rough yards when needed.
It is easy to jack up the mill and put a block under it and lower it back down. I like walking around a mill without the sawdust side tire/wheel on it.

Jim Rogers

[JJ]

I had a 33 ton hydro log splitter, nice one with honda motor; cub cadet.
while I was away on travel a gang of meth thieves dragged it our of my shed, to steal it.   I had taken off the hitch, so it was still sitting in my driveway when my wife came home.
not fun, sheriff took 45m to show up.
+2 on removing the hitch, otherwise I would have lost $1500 wood splitter.
I now have a camera, ring [ https://ring.com/ ] which replaces outside motion spotlight, and all videos go to cloud. 
Very easy to install, and recommended by me.

         JJ

[TACman]

Cabelas sells a GPS tracker. It's called SPOT TRACE anti theft tracker. It costs $100 for the tracker but then you have to purchase a separate tracking plan.

[Stuart Caruk]

I think I'm pretty safe.



My mill is welded to pads that are bolted to the concrete. I've recently removed the wheels and axle, and the tongue is gone. It will take more than a bolt cutter to get to it from behind a locked gate with a scary looking Akita. Of course the Akita will help load it if you bring her treats... just don't get between her and mamma...

[WV Sawmiller]

   Sure makes it tough on those mobile jobs though doesn't it?

[GAB]

   Sure makes it tough on those mobile jobs though doesn't it?

You're right, but it stays put.
GAB

[thecfarm]

just don't get between her and mamma...

I had a dog like that. Care less about me.Mama burp and the dog would be at her side to make sure she was OK. That dog would of died for her. Twice she scared a person away. Even scared her!!!!!!

[Brad_bb]

but then you have to purchase a separate tracking plan.

That is what I hate.  In this day and age of technology, that should not be necessary.

[4x4American]

I think I'm pretty safe.



My mill is welded to pads that are bolted to the concrete. I've recently removed the wheels and axle, and the tongue is gone. It will take more than a bolt cutter to get to it from behind a locked gate with a scary looking Akita. Of course the Akita will help load it if you bring her treats... just don't get between her and mamma...

pull the pin, lift the leg up all the way and see ya!!

[Southside]

4 X 4 - I am a bit concerned with how many well thought out ways you have thought about "procuring" a mill.    :D :D

[otherguy]

I have one of these and use it, I'm sure it could be busted off but might take some work.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Locks/Master-Lock/379DAT.html?feed=npn&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhrbTBRCFARIsACY7MW10JAynQcyvd6Y2tihVDWHjQHTG9xjfkVvB907MgCFeAv3Fl_romEEaAi3MEALw_wcB

[4x4American]

4 X 4 - I am a bit concerned with how many well thought out ways you have thought about "procuring" a mill.    :D :D

:D :D my old man taught me real young that to beat a thief/terrorist/mugger/etc you have to think like one.  Also I used to work in da Bronx for a construction company in the shop and we always had to design our own measurements to beat the thieves.  On our conex containers we would weld up boxes over the latches to make the padlock about impossible to get at with any tools, we stopped using chicago fittings on our big air hoses that were on the trucks and started using wacky european ones to make them less desirable, we'd make up chain locking systems for everything on a truck that could potentially walk, etc etc.  Down there we had an extensive population of R&D crews who would constantly test our designs lol.  One time the yard guy parked a mack tri axle dump outside the gate for a couple days to make room in the yard and when he went to bring it in to use it every single light was missing off it and they didnt just unplug them they cut them all out.  i think they even took the heated mirrors iirc

[Southside]

Made me think of this line.

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/47fa59e4-6f2d-4da6-be02-8356cebe08f3

[TACman]

Brad_bb,

That's the way it is, they getcha coming and going. It's $149.99 per yr. or $14.99 per month for basic service and an additional $49.99 per yr or $4.99 per month for extreme tracking. With the extreme, it says that you can track coordinates every 2 1/2 minutes. Only problem is, if you have more than one piece of equipment you want to protect, you have to have a plan for each one. Not sure but maybe you could buy the trackers and put them on your equipment and then activate a service plan once your equipment turned up missing lol.

[Ianab]

but then you have to purchase a separate tracking plan.

That is what I hate.  In this day and age of technology, that should not be necessary.

Unfortunately to be useful the tracker requires 2 things, a cell phone data plan, so it can report it's position, and a place (server?) to report it to. Then you can contact that web server and view the latest info that's been uploaded.

Although it might technically be possible to build a web server into the device, it would still take some sort of backend server for you to find the random IP it has from the phone company, and relying on the unit to send data to your phone in real time means both devices have to be online at the same time. If your cellphone is out of coverage or battery, the tracking data is lost as it's not stored someplace.

Now I guess it would be possible to build a device that would upload data to a free account like Google Docs, where you could retrieve it, but you still need the cellular data plan to get it there, and if Google change their rules, the device probably becomes useless.

[Kwill]

Problem is they don't do anything with these thieves when they do catch them. Slap on the wrist and probation 90% of the time.

[Crusarius]

I knew a guy that used a 1/2" cable through his wheels. One day he forgot about it and tried to drive away. Took a good amount of throttle before the cable broke. But it broke pretty easily. I was actually standing next to it when it happened. Needless to say after that he never replaced the cable.

[Raider Bill]

Friend of mine trailers his bike to central locations unloads it and rides. One time when he came back his truck and bike-less trailer were gone [salt lake city], another time just the trailer was missing [Hershey, Pa.] Now he puts boots on both  sides of the trailer and 2 wheels of the truck even if just stopping overnight. So far so good. Pain in the butt but he sleeps better.

[flatrock58]

I mounted a pintle hitch and chains that can be removed.  Might not make it unstealable, but will make it harder to steal.

[WLC]

I don't saw for hire, so no traveling, but we have a lot of druggies and others that will steal the chrome off your bumper if they can.  I've thought about just removing the hitch tongue off my mill and locking it up in the shop.  Only reason I haven't is I'd probably forget where I "put it up safe" at and have to go buy another one in order to find my original.  I do have the tongue latch locked and the mill would be hard to back a truck under to drive off with it and there is always a pile of logs close that makes it even more difficult to steal.

[woodhick]

I don't travel with mine much anymore but when I do I know what you mean about not sleeping at night worrying someone is going to take it.  Lot of money tied up in it and thieves are getting more rampant around here.  Now I know they are not stealing it to use since they wont work but to resell.  My suggestion is buy a battery 1/2" impact and remove the hitch head when you park it.  Doesn't take long with impact and while it wont stop them it will make it very hard if they are not prepared for that.  Carry a couple extra bolts with for the just in case you loose one time.
Woodhick

[TreeStandHunter]

Gps tracker or perhaps have someone fab a removeable hitch?