I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into. So I
am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably inexpensive. It
will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am considering various
ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh, but have come to the
conclusion that I need something that will not just prevent someone
breaking the window and climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching
in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just
needs to do the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof.
I guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch proof... Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

DD

On Oct 21, 2:43 pm, "D. Dalton" wrote:
I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into. So I
am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably inexpensive. It
will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am considering various
ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh, but have come to the
conclusion that I need something that will not just prevent someone
breaking the window and climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching
in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just
needs to do the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof.
I guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch proof... Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

DD

brick

Jim K

On 21 Oct 2011 13:43:08 GMT, "D. Dalton" wrote:

I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into. So I
am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably inexpensive. It
will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am considering various
ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh, but have come to the
conclusion that I need something that will not just prevent someone
breaking the window and climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching
in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just
needs to do the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof.
I guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch proof... Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

Will it ever need to be used as an emergency exit? Might you have to
remove it in a hurry? If so, I would have thought a simple variant on
the sort of metal trellis they used to use on old fashioned lift doors
would be pretty easy to knock up and effective too. I must admit I'd
been thinking along these lines myself and I think it could be doable.

Nick

In article , D. Dalton
writes
I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into. So I
am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably inexpensive. It
will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am considering various
ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh, but have come to the
conclusion that I need something that will not just prevent someone
breaking the window and climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching
in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just
needs to do the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof.
I guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch proof... Any
suggestions would be appreciated.


I've done this with Inch weld mesh in an inch angle iron frame which is
pretty standard for window grilles. It's a decent deterrent as it would
take quite a while to cut enough strands to get in.

You may want an intermediate support for a window that size but I don't
think you'll need to go up to 2" angle for the frame.

I cut the angle to the right size for a frame then fixed the weld mesh
to is with one inch strip bolted through every 10 inches or so using
roofing bolts. The slots were ground off the top of the bolts with an
angle grinder to stop them being undone.

You don't need to bolt (or weld) the frame angles together as you gain a
lot of rigidity from mesh and strip sandwich.

I had it galvanised and fitted it with M10 coach bolts through the
frame.
--
fred
FIVE TV's superbright logo - not the DOG's, it's ********

Nick Odell wrote in
:

On 21 Oct 2011 13:43:08 GMT, "D. Dalton" wrote:

I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into.
So I am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably
inexpensive. It will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am
considering various ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh,
but have come to the conclusion that I need something that will not
just prevent someone breaking the window and climbing in, but also
prevent them from reaching in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It
doesn't have to look posh; it just needs to do the job! I guess it
needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof. I guess there is nothing
much available that's acetelene torch proof... Any suggestions would
be appreciated.

Will it ever need to be used as an emergency exit? Might you have to
remove it in a hurry? If so, I would have thought a simple variant on
the sort of metal trellis they used to use on old fashioned lift doors
would be pretty easy to knock up and effective too. I must admit I'd
been thinking along these lines myself and I think it could be doable.

Nick


Hi Nick, Thanks for the good suggestion. Actually, the window would never
be needed as an emergency exit, as there are two doors on the safe side of
the building.

I thought of possibly looking for an old wrought iron (mild steel) gate and
fixing that over the window, but it wouldn't stop someone reaching in
between the bars.

DD

Jim K wrote in
:

brick

The window is needed for light. Bricking it up with glass bricks might be
an option, but there is fantastic view outside that I don't want to
obliterate! I'm also not sure how smash-proof glass bricks are...

Perhaps a large piece of security glass in a suitable frame would be an
option. I don't think anyone would try smashing anything, because they'd be
heard and therefore taking a high risk.

DD

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:19:34 +0100, fred wrote:

I had it galvanised and fitted it with M10 coach bolts through the
frame.

Weld the bolts to the frame.

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:19:53 +0000, D. Dalton wrote:
I thought of possibly looking for an old wrought iron (mild steel) gate
and fixing that over the window, but it wouldn't stop someone reaching
in between the bars.

Hook it up to the mains, and it might :-)

On 21/10/2011 14:43, D. Dalton wrote:
I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into. So I
am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably inexpensive. It
will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am considering various
ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh, but have come to the
conclusion that I need something that will not just prevent someone
breaking the window and climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching
in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just
needs to do the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof.
I guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch proof... Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

It is impossible to make something nobody can get through, so what you
need to do is make getting in take a long time, which will deter most
thieves, unless you happen to be storing something they really want and
can't get elsewhere.

Security cages are generally made from 2" x 2" x 1/8" (50mm x 50mm x
3mm) steel mesh. It is strong enough to need fairly hefty cutters to get
through and, even then, it takes a while to cut enough wires to make a
hole that is large enough to get through. Using a smaller mesh size
and/or thicker wire makes it even harder to get through.

If you want to go for a traditional barred security grill, it should be
made of round or square bar, not less than 3/4" (20mm) thick, spaced at
no more than 4" (100mm) centres and the bars should pass through and be
welded to thick flat strip at no more than 2ft (600mm) intervals. That,
again, takes time to cut through and the flat strip stops the bars being
opened with a car jack.

Colin Bignell

My garage has a window like that; it is fitted on the inside with 25mm by
approx 4mm bars at 100mm centres, each bar strongly screwed to the window
frame. An intruder could break the glass and reach in but could do little
more.



"D. Dalton" wrote in message
...
I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into. So I
am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably inexpensive.
It
will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am considering various
ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh, but have come to the
conclusion that I need something that will not just prevent someone
breaking the window and climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching
in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just
needs to do the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof.
I guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch proof...
Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

DD

On 21/10/2011 15:24, D. Dalton wrote:
Jim wrote in
:

brick

The window is needed for light. Bricking it up with glass bricks might be
an option, but there is fantastic view outside that I don't want to
obliterate! I'm also not sure how smash-proof glass bricks are...

Perhaps a large piece of security glass in a suitable frame would be an
option. I don't think anyone would try smashing anything, because they'd be
heard and therefore taking a high risk.

Don't use ordinary wired glass - the stuff with what looks like chicken
wire in it. That simply makes it quieter to break. You either need the
stuff used in fire doors, embedded with welded square mesh, or laminated
glass. The second is my choice in external doors and windows near them,
but, of course, it does not have any deterrent effect.

Colin Bignell

In article , Jethro
writes
On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:19:34 +0100, fred wrote:

I had it galvanised and fitted it with M10 coach bolts through the
frame.

Weld the bolts to the frame.

Only the smooth rounded head visible so can't see the benefit and it
screws up the galvanising on both.
--
fred
FIVE TV's superbright logo - not the DOG's, it's ********

On Oct 21, 3:31 pm, Jules Richardson
wrote:
On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:19:53 +0000, D. Dalton wrote:
I thought of possibly looking for an old wrought iron (mild steel) gate
and fixing that over the window, but it wouldn't stop someone reaching
in between the bars.

Hook it up to the mains, and it might :-)

curse those new fangled RCD thingys....

Jim K

D. Dalton wrote:

I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into.

Bear in mind that 99% of the deterrent value is in making people not try to
get in; once someone decides to try they may defeat even quite a strong
system. And there's no point in making this strong if eg a door could be
forced more easily.

I think I'd try to make something that looks strong, even if it isn't.

--
Jeremy C B Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

Email sent to my from-address will be deleted. Instead, please reply
to replacing "aaa" by "284".

Nightjar wrote in
:

Security cages are generally made from 2" x 2" x 1/8" (50mm x 50mm x
3mm) steel mesh. It is strong enough to need fairly hefty cutters to
get through and, even then, it takes a while to cut enough wires to
make a hole that is large enough to get through. Using a smaller mesh
size and/or thicker wire makes it even harder to get through.

If you want to go for a traditional barred security grill, it should
be made of round or square bar, not less than 3/4" (20mm) thick,
spaced at no more than 4" (100mm) centres and the bars should pass
through and be welded to thick flat strip at no more than 2ft (600mm)
intervals. That, again, takes time to cut through and the flat strip
stops the bars being opened with a car jack.

Colin Bignell


Excellent advice. Thank you!
DD

Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote
in nvalid:

Bear in mind that 99% of the deterrent value is in making people not
try to get in; once someone decides to try they may defeat even quite
a strong system. And there's no point in making this strong if eg a
door could be forced more easily.

I think I'd try to make something that looks strong, even if it isn't.


Actually, that has been my tactic until now, using fake bars. However, now
there is increased likelihood of a theft attempt so I want to make it
genuinely hard to break into (within reason). There are doors, but not on
the exposed side of the building.

DD

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:07:56 +0100, Nightjar
wrote:

On 21/10/2011 15:24, D. Dalton wrote:
Jim wrote in
:

brick

The window is needed for light. Bricking it up with glass bricks might be
an option, but there is fantastic view outside that I don't want to
obliterate! I'm also not sure how smash-proof glass bricks are...

Perhaps a large piece of security glass in a suitable frame would be an
option. I don't think anyone would try smashing anything, because they'd be
heard and therefore taking a high risk.

Don't use ordinary wired glass - the stuff with what looks like chicken
wire in it. That simply makes it quieter to break. You either need the
stuff used in fire doors, embedded with welded square mesh, or laminated
glass. The second is my choice in external doors and windows near them,
but, of course, it does not have any deterrent effect.

Does laminated glass really prevent or seriously slow down intruders?

Doesn't it just break into a nice deformable mass that can then be
punched though in relative silence?


--

"D. Dalton" wrote in message
...
Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote
in nvalid:

Bear in mind that 99% of the deterrent value is in making people not
try to get in; once someone decides to try they may defeat even quite
a strong system. And there's no point in making this strong if eg a
door could be forced more easily.

I think I'd try to make something that looks strong, even if it isn't.


Actually, that has been my tactic until now, using fake bars. However, now
there is increased likelihood of a theft attempt so I want to make it
genuinely hard to break into (within reason). There are doors, but not on
the exposed side of the building.

DD
I had a similar problem. I used some thick perspex (or
whatever the correct name is ) which I screwed to the inside wooden wall of
the workshop.
Before doing that I put a piece of patterned glass between the glass and the
perspex so I've still got the light coming in but nobody can look in to
decide if it is worth brteaking in too. Have a good look around to see if
there are any other weak spots. The roof maybe or the doors or are the hinge
pins get at able. I can remember getting into a security van in ten minutes
by filing off the hinge pin heads and lifting off both doors. The driver had
dropped the keys down a drain so it always pays to have a look around your
property and think how could I get in.
Robbie

On Oct 21, 4:32*pm, Jim K wrote:
On Oct 21, 3:31 pm, Jules Richardson

wrote:
On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:19:53 +0000, D. Dalton wrote:
I thought of possibly looking for an old wrought iron (mild steel) gate
and fixing that over the window, but it wouldn't stop someone reaching
in between the bars.

Hook it up to the mains, and it might :-)

curse those new fangled RCD thingys....

Jim K

Mains charges capacitor via diode, resistor. Intruder gets vicious
shock off capacitor & falls in the brambles, homeowner faces prison, a
deal is struck that involves homeowner paying intruder 25k. Justice is
done.


NT

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:47:49 +0100, The Other Mike wrote:

Does laminated glass really prevent or seriously slow down intruders?

Doesn't it just break into a nice deformable mass that can then be
punched though in relative silence?

I guess there is laminated glass and laminated glass but I was
surprised by how thick and tough the plastic sheet was in a car
windscreen, about 2mm thick and not easy to tear or cut. Whether
laminated glass intended for an ordinary window, rather than stopping
bodies, has a similar sheet I don't know.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article o.uk, Dave
Liquorice writes
On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:47:49 +0100, The Other Mike wrote:

Does laminated glass really prevent or seriously slow down intruders?

Doesn't it just break into a nice deformable mass that can then be
punched though in relative silence?

I guess there is laminated glass and laminated glass but I was
surprised by how thick and tough the plastic sheet was in a car
windscreen, about 2mm thick and not easy to tear or cut. Whether
laminated glass intended for an ordinary window, rather than stopping
bodies, has a similar sheet I don't know.

The key feature with the windscreen is that it is bonded in and so
contributes to the strength. For maximum security you can use security
(adhesive) glazing tape to bond laminated glass into the frame but I
wouldn't expect too much from 6.4mm lam in a large sheet (0.4mm being
the thickness of the plastic in that case. 12.8mm perhaps bonded to the
frame inside and to aluminium angle on the outside and I'd be more
confident.
--
fred
FIVE TV's superbright logo - not the DOG's, it's ********

"D. Dalton" wrote in message
...
I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into. So I
am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably inexpensive.
It
will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am considering various
ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh, but have come to the
conclusion that I need something that will not just prevent someone
breaking the window and climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching
in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just
needs to do the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof.
I guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch proof...
Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

DD


make some folding shutters from exterior ply faced with steel sheet
Put them on the inside

secure them how you choose

open them when you need light from the window

these have the advantage that the would be thief cannot easily tell what
would need to be done to get in nor can they see what might be worth getting
in for

I put my garden pond below the workshop window
no one has yet chosen to stand in 3 feet of water or balance on the 12 inch
wide surround of rockery stone as far as I am aware

Regards

Tony

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:32:56 -0700, Jim K wrote:

On Oct 21, 3:31 pm, Jules Richardson
wrote:
On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:19:53 +0000, D. Dalton wrote:
I thought of possibly looking for an old wrought iron (mild steel)
gate and fixing that over the window, but it wouldn't stop someone
reaching in between the bars.

Hook it up to the mains, and it might :-)

curse those new fangled RCD thingys....

Bah, spoil my fun, why don't you? ;-)

On 21 Oct,
"Dave Liquorice" wrote:

I guess there is laminated glass and laminated glass but I was
surprised by how thick and tough the plastic sheet was in a car
windscreen, about 2mm thick and not easy to tear or cut. Whether
laminated glass intended for an ordinary window, rather than stopping
bodies, has a similar sheet I don't know.

One of our neighbour's parents accidentally let the grandchild (aged about 2)
into the house who slammed the door, and then panicked, also the
grandparents. I (having a ladder and having gained access on a previous
occasion)*was asked to assist. The options were to break a panel in the
georgian style door, or the cloakroom window, there not being an upstairs
window open.

Because the cloakroom window was at high level, it was decided to break a
pane in the georgian style door and operate the lock through the hole.

Wrong decision! It took ages with panicking child just behind, the door had
laminated glass (which we were unaware of when deciding that route) and took
ages to penetrate.

It *was* a small pane, but the lamination certainly made it exceedingly
difficult, probably would have been less so on a larger pane.

--
B Thumbs
Change lycos to yahoo to reply

TMC wrote:

I put my garden pond below the workshop window no one has yet chosen to
stand in 3 feet of water or balance on the 12 inch wide surround of
rockery stone as far as I am aware

You could make it even less inviting with a plywood shark's fin...

--
Jeremy C B Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

Email sent to my from-address will be deleted. Instead, please reply
to replacing "aaa" by "284".

The Other Mike wrote:
On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:07:56 +0100, Nightjar
wrote:

On 21/10/2011 15:24, D. Dalton wrote:
Jim wrote in
:

brick

The window is needed for light. Bricking it up with glass bricks might be
an option, but there is fantastic view outside that I don't want to
obliterate! I'm also not sure how smash-proof glass bricks are...

Perhaps a large piece of security glass in a suitable frame would be an
option. I don't think anyone would try smashing anything, because they'd be
heard and therefore taking a high risk.

Don't use ordinary wired glass - the stuff with what looks like chicken
wire in it. That simply makes it quieter to break. You either need the
stuff used in fire doors, embedded with welded square mesh, or laminated
glass. The second is my choice in external doors and windows near them,
but, of course, it does not have any deterrent effect.

Does laminated glass really prevent or seriously slow down intruders?

Doesn't it just break into a nice deformable mass that can then be
punched though in relative silence?




Laminated glass cracks and is held together by the plastic sheet in the
glass which then has to be cut or broken, the stuff which breaks into
small pieces is toughened glass.
Cars often have laminated windscreen and toughened in the side windows.

D. Dalton wrote:
I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into. So I
am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably inexpensive. It
will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am considering various
ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh, but have come to the
conclusion that I need something that will not just prevent someone
breaking the window and climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching
in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just
needs to do the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof.
I guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch proof... Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

DD

Grow bougainvillea outside

Jim K wrote:
On Oct 21, 2:43 pm, "D. Dalton" wrote:
I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break
into. So I am looking to make a grille of some kind that is
reasonably inexpensive. It will be fixed to the interior side of the
wall. I am considering various ideas, including using steel
reinforcement mesh, but have come to the conclusion that I need
something that will not just prevent someone breaking the window and
climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching in. The window is
about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just needs to do
the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof. I
guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch
proof... Any suggestions would be appreciated.

DD

brick

Jim K

My wholesalers was broken into by thieves removing the wall as they cound
not open the metal door!

--
Adam

"ARWadsworth" wrote in message ...

Jim K wrote:
On Oct 21, 2:43 pm, "D. Dalton" wrote:
I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break
into. So I am looking to make a grille of some kind that is
reasonably inexpensive. It will be fixed to the interior side of the
wall. I am considering various ideas, including using steel
reinforcement mesh, but have come to the conclusion that I need
something that will not just prevent someone breaking the window and
climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching in. The window is
about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just needs to do
the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably bolt-cropper-proof. I
guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch
proof... Any suggestions would be appreciated.

DD

brick

Jim K

My wholesalers was broken into by thieves removing the wall as they cound
not open the metal door!

If it's made by man it can be unmade by man!

AWEM

In message , D. Dalton
writes
Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote
in nvalid:

Bear in mind that 99% of the deterrent value is in making people not
try to get in; once someone decides to try they may defeat even quite
a strong system. And there's no point in making this strong if eg a
door could be forced more easily.

I think I'd try to make something that looks strong, even if it isn't.


Actually, that has been my tactic until now, using fake bars. However, now
there is increased likelihood of a theft attempt so I want to make it
genuinely hard to break into (within reason). There are doors, but not on
the exposed side of the building.

I've got that backwards. I have 3/4" steel bars hidden inside routed Oak
mullions:-)

regards

--
Tim Lamb

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:57:31 +0100, Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
D. Dalton wrote:

I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into.

Bear in mind that 99% of the deterrent value is in making people not try to
get in; once someone decides to try they may defeat even quite a strong
system. And there's no point in making this strong if eg a door could be
forced more easily.

I think I'd try to make something that looks strong, even if it isn't.

Very sound advice.
Look up your location on the local crime map. Weigh the likelyhood of a
breakin. Design countermeasures accordingly.

Personally, I'd go with just some bent-up rebar bonded to drilled holes
in the adjacent wall (on the outside, a deterrent has to be seen before
it's encountered) with something like a polyester resin.

In spain it's often mandated for insurance purposes to have "rejas" on
all ground-floor windows. Google for the term to get some ideas for more
decorative solutions - if it's necessary for the thing to look pretty.

On 21/10/2011 19:47, The Other Mike wrote:
On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:07:56 +0100, Nightjar
wrote:

On 21/10/2011 15:24, D. Dalton wrote:
Jim wrote in
:

brick

The window is needed for light. Bricking it up with glass bricks might be
an option, but there is fantastic view outside that I don't want to
obliterate! I'm also not sure how smash-proof glass bricks are...

Perhaps a large piece of security glass in a suitable frame would be an
option. I don't think anyone would try smashing anything, because they'd be
heard and therefore taking a high risk.

Don't use ordinary wired glass - the stuff with what looks like chicken
wire in it. That simply makes it quieter to break. You either need the
stuff used in fire doors, embedded with welded square mesh, or laminated
glass. The second is my choice in external doors and windows near them,
but, of course, it does not have any deterrent effect.

Does laminated glass really prevent or seriously slow down intruders?

Doesn't it just break into a nice deformable mass that can then be
punched though in relative silence?

The simple answer is, no it doesn't. The plastic core is very tough, so
you can only penetrate it locally if you hit it with something pointed.
It also holds the glass together when broken and, if it has been
properly mounted, it makes it very difficult to break out of the frame.

Colin Bignell

On 22/10/2011 02:46, F Murtz wrote:
D. Dalton wrote:
I have a window in my workshop that would be very easy to break into.
So I
am looking to make a grille of some kind that is reasonably
inexpensive. It
will be fixed to the interior side of the wall. I am considering various
ideas, including using steel reinforcement mesh, but have come to the
conclusion that I need something that will not just prevent someone
breaking the window and climbing in, but also prevent them from reaching
in. The window is about 2M x 1.5M. It doesn't have to look posh; it just
needs to do the job! I guess it needs to be reasonably
bolt-cropper-proof.
I guess there is nothing much available that's acetelene torch
proof... Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

DD

Grow bougainvillea outside

Eh? That's frost-tender - I didn't think it survives outdoors here. Did
you mean pyracantha? Berberis is another ******* that might help.

--
Reentrant

Jules Richardson wrote:

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:19:53 +0000, D. Dalton wrote:
I thought of possibly looking for an old wrought iron (mild steel)
gate and fixing that over the window, but it wouldn't stop someone
reaching in between the bars.

Hook it up to the mains, and it might :-)

Hook it up to 12v dc, a'la electric sheep/horse/cattle fences and it
would deter most people .. simple chicken wire type lattice so they'd
need to cut the whole lattice to break the current .. takes time,
reasonable deterrent, IMHPOV.

--
Paul - xxx
"You know, all I wanna do is race .. and all I wanna do is win"
Mark Cavendish, World Champion 2011.

In article ,
Nightjar writes:
On 21/10/2011 15:24, D. Dalton wrote:
Jim wrote in
:

brick

The window is needed for light. Bricking it up with glass bricks might be
an option, but there is fantastic view outside that I don't want to
obliterate! I'm also not sure how smash-proof glass bricks are...

Perhaps a large piece of security glass in a suitable frame would be an
option. I don't think anyone would try smashing anything, because they'd be
heard and therefore taking a high risk.

Don't use ordinary wired glass - the stuff with what looks like chicken
wire in it. That simply makes it quieter to break. You either need the
stuff used in fire doors, embedded with welded square mesh, or laminated
glass. The second is my choice in external doors and windows near them,
but, of course, it does not have any deterrent effect.

Even the stuff in firedoors breaks easily.
Saw someone accidentally put their fist through one - not pretty,
followed by 2 years to repair the tendons in their wrist (don't
know if they ever fully repaired).

The wire is just to stop the glass falling out when it breaks or
softens in the heat.

--
Andrew Gabriel
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