Report SO/1 · Section 2
Testing
Every box is tested in the workshop before it is painted. The tests are simple, repeatable and slightly unscientific, and we would rather say so.
Purpose
To find out how long a box holds out against someone who wants what is inside, and whether it keeps the rain out while it does.
Method
- T1Welds. Every seam is checked by eye and with a hammer, inside and out, before grinding.A weld that rings dull is cut out and done again.
- T2Lid drop. The open lid is let go from fully up, five times, with the gas struts removed.Pass: the hinge pin and the lid edge are unmarked.
- T3Pry test. The hasp and the lid edge are attacked with a 900 mm crowbar, bought in 2019 and now very slightly bent.Pass: the box stays shut for ten minutes of honest effort.
- T4Hose. Ten minutes of garden hose over the closed lid and the hinge line.Pass: a sheet of newspaper inside stays dry.
- T5Lock check. A padlock is fitted, locked and tried in the shroud with bolt cutters.Pass: the cutters cannot reach the shackle.
Results
| Model | Boxes tested | Pry test, longest | Hose test |
|---|---|---|---|
| SO-120 | 212 | Held, 10 min | Dry |
| SO-160 | 96 | Held, 10 min | Dry |
| V90 | 148 | Held, 10 min | Dry |
| G130 | 131 | Held, 10 min | Dry, vents taped |
Four boxes failed the hose test over the year, all at the hinge line, and all were rewelded and tested again before they left.
Limitations
No box is theft proof, and we do not say ours are. An angle grinder opens any of them in a few minutes, very loudly, and that noise is the point: on a building site at night, loud and slow is usually enough.
The tests above prove that our crowbar is not good enough. They are not an official standard, and nobody outside the workshop has checked them. The boxes themselves are described on the boxes page.