Just had an interesting conversation with a former coworker and friend .
The local property management businesses are screaming for AC security
devices ... at a price quite a bit higher than I was planning on charging .
Looks like the profit margin will be better than I had hoped !

--
Snag
polishin' up my MIG rig ...

"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
news
Just had an interesting conversation with a former coworker and friend .
The local property management businesses are screaming for AC security
devices ... at a price quite a bit higher than I was planning on charging
. Looks like the profit margin will be better than I had hoped !

--
Snag
polishin' up my MIG rig ...

OH, I FORGOT!

Go to the local companies and ask what it is that they are not getting. It
would be a shame if you were trying to make and sell security bars (along
with twenty others from Mars and various other alien places), and what they
really want and would pay big bucks for is security stuff.

Sometimes that's part of the homework I suggested - identifying the market
( need ). And maybe security devices would be cleaner, easier, and way more
profitable to work with.

Steve

SteveB wrote:
"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
news
Just had an interesting conversation with a former coworker and
friend . The local property management businesses are screaming for
AC security devices ... at a price quite a bit higher than I was
planning on charging . Looks like the profit margin will be better
than I had hoped ! --
Snag
polishin' up my MIG rig ...

OH, I FORGOT!

Go to the local companies and ask what it is that they are not
getting. It would be a shame if you were trying to make and sell
security bars (along with twenty others from Mars and various other
alien places), and what they really want and would pay big bucks for
is security stuff.
Sometimes that's part of the homework I suggested - identifying the
market ( need ). And maybe security devices would be cleaner,
easier, and way more profitable to work with.

Steve

Excellent !
--
Snag
sometimes ya gotta
shovel manure
to pay the bills

Terry Coombs wrote:
...
The local property management businesses are screaming for AC security
devices ...

I don't think that I've ever seen a security device on an AC. Unless I
saw it & didn't know what it was. What are they & why do AC's need them?

Bob

Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:
...
The local property management businesses are screaming for AC
security devices ...

I don't think that I've ever seen a security device on an AC. Unless
I saw it & didn't know what it was. What are they & why do AC's need
them?
Bob

What I was talking about is a square tube steel cage around a window or
condenser unit . These are a prime target for thieves here - my former
employer had three stolen off the roof of his business in one night .
--
Snag
sometimes ya gotta
shovel manure
to pay the bills

I'm glad you explained "AC security devices". Security cages around AC equipment would be something
good to offer, IMO. They would be a little more "job specific" than bars on windows. Design would
be no more difficult than window bars. Good idea to offer both bars and AC devices. The material
for fabrication woud be very similar if not identical.

Bob Swinney

"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
...
Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:
...
The local property management businesses are screaming for AC
security devices ...

I don't think that I've ever seen a security device on an AC. Unless
I saw it & didn't know what it was. What are they & why do AC's need
them?
Bob

What I was talking about is a square tube steel cage around a window or
condenser unit . These are a prime target for thieves here - my former
employer had three stolen off the roof of his business in one night .
--
Snag
sometimes ya gotta
shovel manure
to pay the bills

Robert Swinney wrote:
I'm glad you explained "AC security devices". Security cages around
AC equipment would be something good to offer, IMO. They would be a
little more "job specific" than bars on windows. Design would be no
more difficult than window bars. Good idea to offer both bars and AC
devices. The material for fabrication woud be very similar if not
identical.

Bob Swinney

I'm going to focus on the AC stuff , at least at first . There's a lot less
liability... and I have a good bit of R&D to be able to build a window bar
that will hit my price point and fulfill local regs .
The last thing I want is to feel that I'm responsible for a child (or an
adult for that matter) being injured or killed because of a window bar I
made and installed . Liability issues aside ...
And yes , the material requirements are identical - 3/4X16 and 1/2X16 ga
square tube , maybe some flat and angle iron stock for padlock tabs and some
hinges .
--
Snag
wannabe weldor/fabricator

On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:45:51 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:
...
The local property management businesses are screaming for AC
security devices ...

I don't think that I've ever seen a security device on an AC. Unless
I saw it & didn't know what it was. What are they & why do AC's need
them?
Bob

What I was talking about is a square tube steel cage around a window or
condenser unit . These are a prime target for thieves here - my former
employer had three stolen off the roof of his business in one night .


Hey Terry,

I may have a different impression of what you consider "A/C Security
Devices". Around here, they are not so much to protect an A/C unit
from being stolen as they are to provide a proper "lock" so the perps
can't push or pull it out of the proper sleeve or the window install
kit and gain access to the interior of a property. I'm not saying the
A/C unit has no value, but the prime problem is one of using it to
gain entry. In any given area, only so many people can be noted
carrying off an A/C without suspicion. Every property without proper
protection is subject to loss of other things, either smaller and more
valuable property, or of "health", from an illegal entry. Very
popular way to grab everything in sight is to gain entry and look
around for what's valuable, pile it up in place for a quick load-out,
back up a truck and then open a proper access door of the property and
vamoose. Gone in minutes. One thing alarm companies don't do often
enough is to look at the situation as though it was a window or door
and suggest a sensor on the A/C.

Take care.

Brian Lawson.

Brian Lawson wrote:
On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:45:51 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:
...
The local property management businesses are screaming for AC
security devices ...

I don't think that I've ever seen a security device on an AC.
Unless I saw it & didn't know what it was. What are they & why do
AC's need them?
Bob

What I was talking about is a square tube steel cage around a window
or condenser unit . These are a prime target for thieves here - my
former employer had three stolen off the roof of his business in one
night .


Hey Terry,

I may have a different impression of what you consider "A/C Security
Devices". Around here, they are not so much to protect an A/C unit
from being stolen as they are to provide a proper "lock" so the perps
can't push or pull it out of the proper sleeve or the window install
kit and gain access to the interior of a property. I'm not saying the
A/C unit has no value, but the prime problem is one of using it to
gain entry. In any given area, only so many people can be noted
carrying off an A/C without suspicion. Every property without proper
protection is subject to loss of other things, either smaller and more
valuable property, or of "health", from an illegal entry. Very
popular way to grab everything in sight is to gain entry and look
around for what's valuable, pile it up in place for a quick load-out,
back up a truck and then open a proper access door of the property and
vamoose. Gone in minutes. One thing alarm companies don't do often
enough is to look at the situation as though it was a window or door
and suggest a sensor on the A/C.

Take care.

Brian Lawson.

Good points , and I have taken these into consideration . I'm going to be
talking to property management companies this week , at the suggestion of a
former coworker and friend of mine . He has been installing security cages
(he works for a PM company) around condenser units , as they are a target of
thieves around here - I might already have two sold , he'll let me know
tomorrow . They also like to steal the window units , along with gaining
access thru the now-empty window . A cage to protect the unit can also deter
entrance ... even if they push the unit out of the window .
And in the middle of the night , there aren't usually a lot of witnesses
around . And of the ones that will admit to being in the locale , most
"din't see anything" .
--
Snag
sometimes ya gotta
shovel manure
to pay the bills

Terry Coombs wrote:

The last thing I want is to feel that I'm responsible for a child (or an
adult for that matter) being injured or killed because of a window bar I
made and installed . Liability issues aside ...

If this is so you may want to check the required spacing on crib side bars, etc. and apply
it to the AC guard. People let their children roam all over the yard unattended and then
blame whoever built whatever that the child got hurt on.

It's like old granny that raises a bunch of hellions because daddy wasn't to be found and
momma had to work. Then when they get into trouble everyone tells what wonderful children
they were. We actually had an aunt or grandmother of some young hoodlums who shot a man
to death in a store telling the newspaper reporter what great children they ARE! (Almost
sure it was present tense. The ONLY reason they could have been "great" was because they
were hers or at least of her race!)

On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:15:58 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Brian Lawson wrote:
On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:45:51 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:
...
The local property management businesses are screaming for AC
security devices ...

I don't think that I've ever seen a security device on an AC.
Unless I saw it & didn't know what it was. What are they & why do
AC's need them?
Bob

What I was talking about is a square tube steel cage around a window
or condenser unit . These are a prime target for thieves here - my
former employer had three stolen off the roof of his business in one
night .


Hey Terry,

I may have a different impression of what you consider "A/C Security
Devices". Around here, they are not so much to protect an A/C unit
from being stolen as they are to provide a proper "lock" so the perps
can't push or pull it out of the proper sleeve or the window install
kit and gain access to the interior of a property. I'm not saying the
A/C unit has no value, but the prime problem is one of using it to
gain entry. In any given area, only so many people can be noted
carrying off an A/C without suspicion. Every property without proper
protection is subject to loss of other things, either smaller and more
valuable property, or of "health", from an illegal entry. Very
popular way to grab everything in sight is to gain entry and look
around for what's valuable, pile it up in place for a quick load-out,
back up a truck and then open a proper access door of the property and
vamoose. Gone in minutes. One thing alarm companies don't do often
enough is to look at the situation as though it was a window or door
and suggest a sensor on the A/C.

Take care.

Brian Lawson.

Good points , and I have taken these into consideration . I'm going to be
talking to property management companies this week , at the suggestion of a
former coworker and friend of mine . He has been installing security cages
(he works for a PM company) around condenser units , as they are a target of
thieves around here - I might already have two sold , he'll let me know
tomorrow . They also like to steal the window units , along with gaining
access thru the now-empty window . A cage to protect the unit can also deter
entrance ... even if they push the unit out of the window .
And in the middle of the night , there aren't usually a lot of witnesses
around . And of the ones that will admit to being in the locale , most
"din't see anything" .


Terry, just a thought on the problem of children/ animals becoming
lodged in the cages for condensers. Why not tack weld hardware cloth
(1/2" square) on the inside of the cages? It will keep kids, animals
and trash out of the cage.

Jim

Brian Lawson wrote:
On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:45:51 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:
...
The local property management businesses are screaming for AC
security devices ...
I don't think that I've ever seen a security device on an AC. Unless
I saw it & didn't know what it was. What are they & why do AC's need
them?
Bob
What I was talking about is a square tube steel cage around a window or
condenser unit . These are a prime target for thieves here - my former
employer had three stolen off the roof of his business in one night .


Hey Terry,

I may have a different impression of what you consider "A/C Security
Devices". Around here, they are not so much to protect an A/C unit
from being stolen as they are to provide a proper "lock" so the perps
can't push or pull it out of the proper sleeve or the window install
kit and gain access to the interior of a property. I'm not saying the
A/C unit has no value, but the prime problem is one of using it to
gain entry. In any given area, only so many people can be noted
carrying off an A/C without suspicion. Every property without proper
protection is subject to loss of other things, either smaller and more
valuable property, or of "health", from an illegal entry. Very
popular way to grab everything in sight is to gain entry and look
around for what's valuable, pile it up in place for a quick load-out,
back up a truck and then open a proper access door of the property and
vamoose. Gone in minutes. One thing alarm companies don't do often
enough is to look at the situation as though it was a window or door
and suggest a sensor on the A/C.

Brian, that's a great suggestion. My shop, 30 miles from the house, has
a simple RS alarm box, with a motion sensor and a door switch. Since the
A/C window unit is right next to the alarm control box, it's a simple
matter to add another switch to the A/C enclosure.

Thanks!