What's a straightforward method for attaching equipment to the bench so it
> won't "walk" off? (This is my desire, so let's not discuss why or why not
> please.)
>
> I have 3/16 steel cable and ferrules for making lanyards. But how best to
> attach the lanyard to, say, an HP 34401 bench DMM or Tek 2465? Not adverse to
> drilling the case as long as there is strength to be had and can limit the
> possibility of shorting.
How determined an adversary are you trying to protect against? How much "defacing" of the equipment are YOU willing to undertake?
Which is why it is important to quantify your prospective attacker!
A new neighbor came over one hot summer Sunday complaining that he had locked himself out of the house -- along with his wife and newborn son. Apparently, the locksmith (in addition to wanting a fair bit of money for a house call on Sunday) wouldn't come to the house until "after the game".
It took me a bit more than a minute to figure out how to get into his house -- without leaving any visible signs of damage/entry. The look in his eyes was priceless: "THIS is my new neighbor??? Perhaps I'd best keep on his 'good side'!"
My McGyver moment came in a missing child case. Not much time was available. The parents asked me to see if the computer could be accessed somehow but that it was password-protected for each user. A few minutes later it was open, for all users, the whole wide hard drive. Some jaws dropped when dad saw his tax return files pop up. Of course I did not open any of those.
Most people don't think about how to get around "security" measures -- which is why they are reasonably effective! I.e., the *initial* impediment tells them, "you shouldn't be doing this" -- and, they comply!
But, if you are *truly* trying to protect something, then you have to take into consideration *every* adversary. Including those that would "invest" *more* than the (apparent!) value of the item being protected (perhaps because they evaluate its value -- and their costs! -- on a different scale from yours)
A friend is actively involved in disaster preparedness for state and federal agencies. He always delights in how "well" the drills, full-scale exercises turn out! I gently remind him that the folks involved in those drills *want* them to work out well -- even the "volunteers" posing as victims, etc.
"Want an idea of what a *real* scenario will likely be? Put a pile of cash in the room (i.e., the "scarce resources you will be metering out in a disaster) and open the event 'to all comers'. And, make sure you've got live ammo in your weapons -- cuz some of the self-invited participants likely will!"
It doesn't even take that sort of effort! Most of the "locking devices" that fit into the Kensington "slot" are very insecure -- easily "picked" with a metal shim, etc.
Plastic cases with Kensington slots usually have a thin piece of sheet metal on the inside to reinforce the "slot". But, it's still relatively easy to grind away the plastic *and* that thin bit of sheet metal (assuming the vendor hasn't decided to save a few micropennies by eliminating it -- "locks keep honest people honest").
The laptop I fixed two days ago had an aluminum (?) case. It would have taken all of 60 seconds to grind *around* the slot with a Dremel (TmReg) and a small diameter "ball" milling tip. And, once free, clean up the hole with the same tip. You could then LEAVE the clean hole in place without fear of exposing the innards of the device as there is usually an inner barrier to prevent the lock bits from infiltrating the case!
Actually, more of a prism than cube. A hole drilled "left to right" (or top to bottom, depending on orientation) through it. Then, another *recess* (square hole) cast into the piece normal to this into which the fastening screw is placed and secured to the case.
As there is typically a plastic "skin" over an internal metal structure (which receives the screw's threads), unless the lock block is secured *well* (i.e., screwed down TIGHT), the slop between the plastic case and inner metal frame is often enough (with inward pressure) to allow you to rotate the block. Of course, no guarantee that the screw head will rotate *with* the block -- you could end up just spinning the block 'round and 'round (with cable in the way while you are doing this!).
But, as with the Kensington approach, a Dremel can easily grind through the little bit of metal "above" the cable to turn the hole into a *slot* -- from which the cable can readily be extracted. The locking block can then be removed and discarded (if you don't want to be reminded of your transgression). Or, replaced with another "borrowed" from another piece of kit (the block and screw aren't typically needed to hold the case closed; their function is largely anti-theft).
Locks keep honest people honest. As the OP still hasn't indicated the level of threat that is faced (and attacker's motivation), all this is just speculation.
It was the @#$%^&*( engineers who used to raid production floor work benches, instead of taking the equipment assigned to them when they had to go into the field. It backfired once, when they swiped my 300 MHz Tek
2465. I got the new 400 MHz Tek 2465B they were supposed to get. They demanded that I trade with them. I told them I would break the fingers of anyone who took it. It was still on my bench when I left, a few years later.
--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.
It has the added advantage of people not messing with anything you're working on, when you have to leave. I've also seen a fully equipped bench set up in a large, locking closet. :)
--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.
There are less draconian means than a safe to keep "honest" people honest. The Kensington locks work. OTOH, since it's a company resource, I can't tell others not to use the equipment on my bench. Tools I try to lock up since they just get scattered to the wind. Anything else can be taken, though I would prefer to be asked first.
The scope was signed out to me, and disappeared when I really needed it. I would have been responsible for it, if the idiot lost or damaged it. Company policy required the cal lab to be notified about any equipment before it could be moved. Without the scope, a lot of boards couldn't be tested.
--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.
This is my business workbench/equipment in my home. Some homes have been burglarized recently: smash a door glass, open the door, march the proceeds out to the driveway (where a van has been waiting with rear doors right up against the house) and load up everything.
Wouldn't they also take the *bench*? (as has happened here, recently, with homes being "cleaned out").
Perhaps a wiser approach might be to affix a sticker to each piece of kit offering a reward for its return! Then, if it ends up in a pawn shop, etc. SOMEONE has an incentive to contact you.
Often, just having contact information on the item can result in a friendly call...
OTOH, if they feel inclined to take your OBVIOUSLY VALUABLE (why else would it be so effectively SECURED?) equipment, it is unlikely that they will take extra precautions to *protect* it as they try to remove it (they probably wouldn't know HOW to "be careful" with it). So, any recovery would likely be of DAMAGED kit!
I recall the fire extinguishers on the school busses I rode all had big orange bumper sticker sized stickers on them that said "STOLEN FROM ROBINSON BUS" or whatever the company was called. I always found those funny quite entertaining.
I was looking for a tile saw at one of the (many) pawn shops here some months ago. Seeing the variety of "stuff" they had up for sale, I thought maybe this would be a great place to get rid of some of my test/development equipment (logic analyzers, freq counters, waveform generators, programmable power supplies, etc.).
Of course, I was sure the prices on the devices for sale there had to exceed the $$$ they were willing to "loan" to the original owners. But, by how much, I was not sure. (I was just looking for "anything" to save me the hassle of eBay-ing it all -- how many folks want to pay to ship a heavy piece of kit?).
When I asked the guy at the counter, the first question out of his mouth was: "Is it from a business?" Technically, my answer would be "Yes" -- and he just shook his head, "No". Apparently, the inventory control tag -- or any other "formal" reference to business ownership -- is a red flag for them. Had they been marked "Spehro Pefhany" (even if ENGRAVED nice and pretty), they would have had no problem with them -- just like most of the other stuff that was displayed for sale.
I guess they figure folks won't bother checking serial numbers on (tile saws, televisions, computers, etc.). Or, that it's enough of an effort that they can "reasonably" ignore that.
OTOH, an inventory control tag that says "Burr Brown", "Texas Instruments", "Local University", etc. is too much for them to bother with -- even if you can demonstrate legal ownership of those items!
Amusing as most of those are easily removed. But, the guys burglarizing a home are typically looking for something "generic" to flip -- a TV, tools, lawnmowers, etc. *NOT* something that they are going to have to post on eBay for a buyer!
Thankfully, I know enough folks that I could find good homes for all of the kit that I was shedding, at the time! The *next* batch I will be sure have no inventory control tags if I revisit a pawn shop!
That probably makes sense. You have to assume most folks are NOT coming back for their "escrow"... so, they have to gamble as to what they can sell the items for, "quickly" (as they have limited space to warehouse the stuff).
I'd be curious as to how much they "lose" fencing stolen merchandise (confiscated by police) but assume it probably isn't that much! Too many places an "individual" would have to check in search of
*his* stolen goods (do you have S/N's of everything you own recorded?).
Neighbor was burglarized and police "made out a report" but were pretty frank in saying the chances of any recovery were zero!
ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.