Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Drop box for hard drives

This is topic Drop box for hard drives in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=002798

Posted by Mark Strube (Member # 4190) on 05-20-2014, 06:59 PM:

Being a small theater, we're not open (and rarely staffed) for matinees Mon-Fri, which is causing an issue for hard drive deliveries.

I'm sure there's other theater operators on here who had a similar situation - what was your solution?

I've been looking at drop boxes on Amazon, but it doesn't look like any of the solutions provide a big enough door or drop box area to hold a few hard drive boxes.

I'm open to suggestions!! (Besides delivering to a nearby business, which is what we're currently doing.) Thanks!

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 05-20-2014, 07:04 PM:

I was looking for exactly the same thing and even had a guy lined up to make one for me out of stainless steel. Then he stopped answering the phone so I guess he decided he wasn't interested.

Haven't found anything suitable yet.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-20-2014, 07:07 PM:

I have a day job in a store, so all of the theater's deliveries and returns are handled from there. You could easily set up something similar with a nearby local business. If there's a store you shop in frequently (maybe a grocery store?) then I'm sure they wouldn't mind taking your deliveries for you.

Then just call Technicolor and Deluxe and give them the "new" delivery address and you're good to go.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 05-20-2014, 07:27 PM:

That is what they are doing now.

Instead of a drop box could it be a chute like a library return but bigger? Obviously the inside end must be protected from someone stealing what was dropped and any way to use it for illegal entry. And protected from weather.

As for drop boxes, those USPS mailing center drop box things for small packages would work and seem secure.

But aren't they going to want a signature? Seems like what you have going now is really ideal. Maybe in exchange for some passes each week.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-20-2014, 09:47 PM:

quote: Steve Kraus
That is what they are doing now.

I see that now. How the #*$@ did I miss that??

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 06-05-2014, 12:16 PM:

I just now ordered one of these.

It should be here sometime next week, and I intend to build it into the wall beside the back door of the theatre.

The hatch opening is large enough to accept hard drive cases.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 06-05-2014, 03:40 PM:

You may become the recipient of unwanted kittens, etc.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 06-05-2014, 03:58 PM:

That thought did cross my mind. However, I actually have a yard at the rear of my theatre, with a lawn and flowers and whatnot, and the whole thing is surrounded by a fence. Plus you have to travel down an alley to get there in the first place.

I'm hoping that this means my drop box will be sufficiently out-of-the-way that filling the box with trash won't be a problem.

I did give (very) momentary consideration to putting the drop box at the front of the building for the convenience of the couriers but decided against it for exactly that reason. The couriers already come to the back door to make the deliveries anyway.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 06-05-2014, 08:58 PM:

You could add an alarm, so you know when it is opened.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 06-16-2014, 04:58 PM:

I received my new courier drop box today; it's now sitting in my garage.

It weighs 135 pounds, according to the waybill.

I took a Technicolor hard drive case and the biggest Deluxe hard drive cardboard box and tried fitting them into the drop box. The Technicolor case slides in like nothing, and the big Deluxe cardboard box is an exact fit into the width of the front hatch opening, with just enough room to spare that it slides in easily and will drop through.

There is a wing on the inside of the hatch that prevents anyone from opening the hatch and removing stuff. Anyone can put stuff in, but you need the key to get it out again. It came with two keys.

It looks quite well made and sturdy, and I'm pretty happy with it.

If any of you folks want a drop box for the hard drives, I can now assure you that they will fit into this drop box.

I intend to have it built into the back wall of my theatre but it also has mounting holes so you can bolt it to a cement slab or something if you want it to be free-standing.