Introduction: Crack and Reset an Electronic Safe

About: I liked designing and building things long before I became an engineer, now I get paid to do it!
long story short, if i removed the contents of the safe for a friend, i could keep the safe... why not give it a shot.

Step 1: Decide How to Start

had i know there was a red reset button inside the safe and how to use it, i might have been able to push it using a flexshaft through the little hole in the back of the safe,
but a grinder is more fun.
so i cut a big enough hole to remove the contents.

Step 2: Screws? Lets Take Em Out

so looking into the hole, there was a red button, i pushed it, it beeped, but i didnt know what i was supposed to do... not like i had an instruction manual,
but if i did, i would have known to pressed the red button, punch in a new combo, and press A/B,
then to open the safe, punch in that combo, press A/B and it would open

so the electronics had a case around them, held in with 4 screws, i took them out, and jiggled the panel back enough to see what was inside, the panel couldnt be removed, becuase the lock bolts were holding it in...
but there was were 2 wires plugging into the circuit board which went to the lock mechanism, by unpluggin and connecting those wires to +6V i would have been able to unlock the safe and the door swing open.

there was also the battey case, i slide the panel off and took out the batteries and put them back in, hoping the safe would reset.... i proceeded to press buttons, and then the safe poped open.. cool.
thats when i really discovered how the red reset button and electronics worked...

next step is to weld that hole shut, and probably reinforce the safe with more steel plates... i plan on mounting the safe in my wall behind a portrait.. awesome.

Step 3: Weld It Back

i welded the plate i cut back on, cleaned up the welds with a grinder, and finally gave it a flat black paint job.

safe works great!