DIY: Book Safe
Book safes have hollowed-out centers that objects are placed in to hide them. Although the book is not locked and is easily accessible, many thieves do not think to look inside a book. The technique is even more effective when the book safe is hidden in a bookshelf among many other books. Although book safes are available for purchase at a variety of locations, you can also make your own at home.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Hardcover book
- Rubber band
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Utility knife
- Felt
- Scissors
- Rubber cement
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1
Choose a hardback book that is at least 1 inch thick and that you do not mind destroying. In addition to fiction and nonfiction books, consider using dictionaries, user manuals and cookbooks.
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2
Lay the book on a table, and open the front cover. Turn approximately 10 pages, and secure them to the front cover using a rubber band placed lengthwise over the cover. These pages will disguise the center compartment.
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3
On the right side of the book, where the pages are located, draw a rectangle with a ruler and a pencil.
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4
Place the ruler along one of the pencil lines and place the utility knife at the end of the line. Press down with firm pressure, and move the knife along the pencil line to begin cutting through the pages. Continue until you have cut to the desired depth, which should be a minimum of 1/2 inch, but can be as deep as desired.
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5
Reposition the ruler to one of the other pencil lines, and cut through it with the utility knife as well. Repeat the process until all four pencil lines have been cut to the proper depth.
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6
Grasp the center section that is now loose, and pull it out of the center of the book. Do this gently, and remove only a few pages at a time if they do not come free easily.
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7
Cut out a piece of felt that is the same dimensions as the opening in the center of the book pages.
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8
Open a bottle of rubber cement, and apply a thin layer to the inside bottom of the cut-out hole. Insert the felt on top of the rubber cement, and press down with your fingers to secure it in place.
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9
Apply a light layer of rubber cement all the way around the interior sides of the cutout section to hold the pages in place and provide additional strength.
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10
Leave the book open for one to two hours to allow the rubber cement to dry completely. Insert any desired objects into the center of the cutout, remove the rubber band from the front cover, and close the book.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If you put the book safe in a bookcase with many other books, don't forget which book is the safe.
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References
- Photo Credit book image by Pefkos from Fotolia.com
