Mantraps for homes

[Jaepheth]

Wouldn't be worth it for a private residence.

1. The doors would take up a lot of space.
2. What happens if the interlocks fail and you get trapped in the dead-space?
3. If you don't do the front AND back doors, and the garage door, and all the windows... then what's the point?
4. If someone really, really wants to get in, why not just drive a truck through the wall.
5. They could also cut through the roof
6. There's not going to be a whole lot of "off the shelf" parts to build this with, and the companies that do this sort of thing would probably charge more than the house and everything in it are worth.

 

[sunzt]

Create small entrys where people can get in, but they can't get out, effectively trapping anyone trying to invade your home.

^This. For home security.

http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Create-a-Basic-Mantrap-System

 

[sunzt]

Wouldn't be worth it for a private residence.

1. The doors would take up a lot of space.
2. What happens if the interlocks fail and you get trapped in the dead-space?
3. If you don't do the front AND back doors, and the garage door, and all the windows... then what's the point?
4. If someone really, really wants to get in, why not just drive a truck through the wall.
5. They could also cut through the roof
6. There's not going to be a whole lot of "off the shelf" parts to build this with, and the companies that do this sort of thing would probably charge more than the house and everything in it are worth.

Well i was hoping to get one designed for a personal residence. I'm not gonna go with design made for a bank or so. So that would mean using regular doors or more heavy doors. I would only need a door for the hallway to the main bedrooms. Windows could be secured, but someone who's entering a house will more likely go through a door than a window since it's easier to get stuff out of a door.

Of course it's not gonna prevent someone from crashing into my house with a car or blowing up my door with a bomb.... but that's not the typical method. While the systems used for professional workplaces aren't COTS, i can envision a home one that can have COTS products.

 

[sunzt]

I think this is kinda getting me to what i'm looking for.

http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Create-a-Basic-Wireless-Door-Release-System

 

[Jaepheth]

Forgot one:
What happens in an emergency and the emergency services (I imagine Fire or medical being the biggest ones) can't get to you?

You could just install a heavy steel door with a dead bolt that can only be locked/unlocked from the bedroom side. That way no one can get to you while you're sleeping. Still may be an issue in case of an emergency though.

 

[sunzt]

Forgot one:
What happens in an emergency and the emergency services (I imagine Fire or medical being the biggest ones) can't get to you?

You could just install a heavy steel door with a dead bolt that can only be locked/unlocked from the bedroom side. That way no one can get to you while you're sleeping. Still may be an issue in case of an emergency though.

Yeah i was hoping to have an override switch or something like that on the other side, maybe in multiple rooms or somewhere easily accessible, or a remote. Hmm... maybe a strong door with a bunch of dead bolts that would be more practical.

That way, if I'm in a fire the firemen could just axe it up or ram it down. Gotta be strong enough so that a buff guy couldn't just run it down.....

 

[ShawnD1]

You could just install a heavy steel door with a dead bolt that can only be locked/unlocked from the bedroom side. That way no one can get to you while you're sleeping. Still may be an issue in case of an emergency though.

Pretty much this. My house was robbed once when people broke in through the windows, but there has also been a time when I called 911 and fire fighters broke the door to get me. If the door was some kind of comic book indestructible door, I would have died.

IMO, the best defense is some kind of system that involves you. An indestructible door is bad because paramedics can't get you. A gun is good because you can always shoot bad guys or put the gun down and let paramedics get to you.

 

[skyking]

install a knox box or similar lock for the FD.
http://www.knoxbox.com/
You get it keyed for your local FD's key. They come out and test system.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Would be ironic if the OP got caught in his own mantrap and died in there.

 

[sunzt]

Would be ironic if the OP got caught in his own mantrap and died in there.

The thought has crossed my mind lol.

 

[PingSpike]

Why didnt jeffrey dahmer think of that?

Would have been a waste of time when the police were just returning his escaped victims to him for later murder and dismemberment anyway.

Edit: I see you already mentioned this.

A similar thing happened with Gacy. One of his victims survived and went to police. Gacy said they had consensual 'slave sex' or something and police didn't even bother to look up his criminal record. Then he went on to kill like 10 more people.

 

[qliveur]

Want a mantrap in your house?

Get married.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Bamboo caltrops are low tech, effective and easily destroyed in the fireplace once they've done their job.

 

[Texashiker]

Would have been a waste of time when the police were just returning his escaped victims to him for later murder and dismemberment anyway.

Instead of adding trap doors, maybe invest that money into donuts for the local police department?

Who needs to imprison the victims, when the police will deliver them to the front door?

Maybe add some milk to those donuts, I am willing to bet that the police will do a line up and let the OP pick out the victim.

 

[shortylickens]

 

[DrPizza]

Once they're in your house, presumably your walls are made of wallboard. If I were the criminal, it'd take me about 30 seconds after realizing that "it's a trap!" before I simply chose to go through your walls.

 

[Ns1]

The victim was of age, iirc.

Edit:

holy shit what the fuck, i hope those cops were sued.

 

[ShawnD1]

holy shit what the fuck, i hope those cops were sued.

Seems like a simple mistake. You see a young boy with a bleeding butt hole and he appears to be very very drunk, some guy claims the boy is a 19 year old gay lover (drinking age is 21...) so you hand him over to the guy who is supplying alcohol to a minor. Makes perfect sense :thumbsup:

 

[sunzt]

Once their in your house, presumably your walls are made of wallboard. If I were the criminal, it'd take me about 30 seconds after realizing that "it's a trap!" before I simply chose to go through your walls.

Yeah... definitely would need to reinforce the side walls and maybe even the top/bottom when implementing. Still debating this idea.

 

[KaOTiK]

2 well trained dogs are the best home security

 

[Texashiker]

Seems like a simple mistake. You see a young boy with a bleeding butt hole and he appears to be very very drunk, some guy claims the boy is a 19 year old gay lover (drinking age is 21...) so you hand him over to the guy who is supplying alcohol to a minor. Makes perfect sense :thumbsup:

Under 21 years old boy running naked through the streets, drunk, begging for help, and the cops just turn him over to his supposed gay lover.

Yep, makes perfect sense to me.

To be fair to the cops, I dont the kid spoke english, so the cops could not tell what was being said. Running through the streets naked, acting distressed, should have caused a "little" concern with the cops though.

 

[boomerang]

Sounds like the perfect place for a washer and dryer.

 

[PingSpike]

The cops were actually even worse than useless in that case. If there were no cops, the two women that found him and protested when the cops wanted to "give him back" probably would have kept him safe or taken him to a hospital. If they had just stayed at the station when called and drank a bottle of whiskey, that would have been better police work.

 

[jupiter57]

Are you thinking of putting this Mantrap in the entry to the basement, or have you asked your Mom if you can put it in her home's main entrance?

 

[SMOGZINN]

For home security a mantrap door setup is not really useful for all the reasons given already. I have seen a version of it made to help keep heat in a house in harsh winter climates. It is a very simple setup. It is just designed so that if one door is open the other does not have enough clearance to open. Basically both doors open into the small space of the room and when one door is open it sits aginst the other door. This of course would not stop a robber, but it keeps people from letting cold air into the house.