Securing TE to the bench?

[greenaum]

On Tue, 12 Aug 2014 01:56:35 -0400, Spehro Pefhany
<speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> sprachen:

A lot of test equipment products have the "port" for the standard
notebook security cable (I think Kingston originated it, but there are
plenty of knock-offs floating aboot).

Ah, you mean "Kensington". A brand-name that's become a standard.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"hey let's educate the brutes, we know we are superior to them anyway,
just through genetics, we are gentically superior to the working
class. They are a shaved monkey. If we educate them, they will be able
to read instructions, turn up on time and man the conveyor belts,
sorted." #

 

[rickman]

On 8/15/2014 10:23 AM, Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article <53edf70f.3071109@news.eternal-september.org>,
greenaum@gmail.com (greenaum) writes:
On Tue, 12 Aug 2014 01:56:35 -0400, Spehro Pefhany
speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> sprachen:

A lot of test equipment products have the "port" for the standard
notebook security cable (I think Kingston originated it, but there are
plenty of knock-offs floating aboot).

Ah, you mean "Kensington". A brand-name that's become a standard.

They look very feeble to me. I never tried yanking on one to
destruction, but I find it hard to believe it wouldn't simply
snap the T-piece off the lock.

Sun Microsystem's desktop kit used to have a small (1cm) cube
of metal on the back with two holes drilled through the center.
One hole allowed you to screw the cube to the rear case (the
back of the hole was a smaller diameter to be clamped by the
screwhead). The other hole allowed you to pass a steel cable
through the cube, which when fitted, covered the screwhead so
you can't unscrew the block. I think the block fitted in a
slight recess in the case so you couldn't twist the block
itself to try and unscrew it (a locknut would do the same
if there was no matching recess).

Yes, I'm sure you could yank hard enough and pull the cable out of the
equipment. This was designed to secure laptops, not spectrum analyzers.
If you yank the Kensington cable hard enough to pull it free from a
laptop you will destroy the laptop case and likely some of the
electronics inside. If the bench equipment is made anything like the
stuff I've seen from HP and Tek, it would just enlarge the hole the
cable fits in and do little other damage.

--

Rick

 

On Fri, 15 Aug 2014 14:23:47 +0000 (UTC), andrew@cucumber.demon.co.uk
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:

In article <53edf70f.3071109@news.eternal-september.org>,
greenaum@gmail.com (greenaum) writes:
On Tue, 12 Aug 2014 01:56:35 -0400, Spehro Pefhany
speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> sprachen:

A lot of test equipment products have the "port" for the standard
notebook security cable (I think Kingston originated it, but there are
plenty of knock-offs floating aboot).

Ah, you mean "Kensington". A brand-name that's become a standard.

They look very feeble to me. I never tried yanking on one to
destruction, but I find it hard to believe it wouldn't simply
snap the T-piece off the lock.

Most of the keys they plug into are plastic anyway. Their function is
to make IT feel secure. If these make them feel secure, it says a lot
about how they treat their data.

Sun Microsystem's desktop kit used to have a small (1cm) cube
of metal on the back with two holes drilled through the center.
One hole allowed you to screw the cube to the rear case (the
back of the hole was a smaller diameter to be clamped by the
screwhead). The other hole allowed you to pass a steel cable
through the cube, which when fitted, covered the screwhead so
you can't unscrew the block. I think the block fitted in a
slight recess in the case so you couldn't twist the block
itself to try and unscrew it (a locknut would do the same
if there was no matching recess).

IBM just made the hardware larger than the door. ;-)

 

[Don Y]

Hi Andrew,

On 8/15/2014 7:23 AM, Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article<53edf70f.3071109@news.eternal-september.org>,
greenaum@gmail.com (greenaum) writes:
On Tue, 12 Aug 2014 01:56:35 -0400, Spehro Pefhany
speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> sprachen:

A lot of test equipment products have the "port" for the standard
notebook security cable (I think Kingston originated it, but there are
plenty of knock-offs floating aboot).

Ah, you mean "Kensington". A brand-name that's become a standard.

They look very feeble to me. I never tried yanking on one to
destruction, but I find it hard to believe it wouldn't simply
snap the T-piece off the lock.

It doesn't even take that sort of effort! Most of the "locking devices"
that fit into the Kensington "slot" are very insecure -- easily "picked"
with a metal shim, etc.

Plastic cases with Kensington slots usually have a thin piece of
sheet metal on the inside to reinforce the "slot". But, it's still
relatively easy to grind away the plastic *and* that thin bit of sheet
metal (assuming the vendor hasn't decided to save a few micropennies
by eliminating it -- "locks keep honest people honest").

The laptop I fixed two days ago had an aluminum (?) case. It would have
taken all of 60 seconds to grind *around* the slot with a Dremel
(TmReg) and a small diameter "ball" milling tip. And, once free, clean
up the hole with the same tip. You could then LEAVE the clean hole
in place without fear of exposing the innards of the device as there is
usually an inner barrier to prevent the lock bits from infiltrating the
case!

Sun Microsystem's desktop kit used to have a small (1cm) cube
of metal on the back with two holes drilled through the center.

Actually, more of a prism than cube. A hole drilled "left to right"
(or top to bottom, depending on orientation) through it. Then,
another *recess* (square hole) cast into the piece normal to this
into which the fastening screw is placed and secured to the case.

One hole allowed you to screw the cube to the rear case (the
back of the hole was a smaller diameter to be clamped by the
screwhead). The other hole allowed you to pass a steel cable
through the cube, which when fitted, covered the screwhead so
you can't unscrew the block. I think the block fitted in a
slight recess in the case so you couldn't twist the block
itself to try and unscrew it (a locknut would do the same
if there was no matching recess).

As there is typically a plastic "skin" over an internal metal
structure (which receives the screw's threads), unless the
lock block is secured *well* (i.e., screwed down TIGHT), the
slop between the plastic case and inner metal frame is often
enough (with inward pressure) to allow you to rotate the block.
Of course, no guarantee that the screw head will rotate *with*
the block -- you could end up just spinning the block 'round
and 'round (with cable in the way while you are doing this!).

But, as with the Kensington approach, a Dremel can easily
grind through the little bit of metal "above" the cable to turn
the hole into a *slot* -- from which the cable can readily be
extracted. The locking block can then be removed and discarded
(if you don't want to be reminded of your transgression). Or,
replaced with another "borrowed" from another piece of kit
(the block and screw aren't typically needed to hold the case
closed; their function is largely anti-theft).

Locks keep honest people honest. As the OP still hasn't indicated
the level of threat that is faced (and attacker's motivation),
all this is just speculation.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

DaveC wrote:

What's a straightforward method for attaching equipment to the bench so it
won't "walk" off? (This is my desire, so let's not discuss why or why not
please.)

I have 3/16 steel cable and ferrules for making lanyards. But how best to
attach the lanyard to, say, an HP 34401 bench DMM or Tek 2465? Not adverse to
drilling the case as long as there is strength to be had and can limit the
possibility of shorting.

Thanks.

A hinged, locking cover for the entire workbench along with two high
grade locks, one for each front corner.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

 

[Don Y]

Hi Michael,

On 8/15/2014 2:13 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

What's a straightforward method for attaching equipment to the bench so it
won't "walk" off? (This is my desire, so let's not discuss why or why not
please.)

A hinged, locking cover for the entire workbench along with two high
grade locks, one for each front corner.

ROTFLMFAO! Yes! Build a giant GLOVE BOX!!! ;-)

 

On Fri, 15 Aug 2014 14:48:45 -0700, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:

Hi Michael,

On 8/15/2014 2:13 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

What's a straightforward method for attaching equipment to the bench so it
won't "walk" off? (This is my desire, so let's not discuss why or why not
please.)

A hinged, locking cover for the entire workbench along with two high
grade locks, one for each front corner.

ROTFLMFAO! Yes! Build a giant GLOVE BOX!!! ;-)

How about a better grade of employee. Perhaps only hire those that
don't need to steal to support their drug habit.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

krw@attt.bizz wrote:

On Fri, 15 Aug 2014 14:48:45 -0700, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:

Hi Michael,

On 8/15/2014 2:13 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

What's a straightforward method for attaching equipment to the bench so it
won't "walk" off? (This is my desire, so let's not discuss why or why not
please.)

A hinged, locking cover for the entire workbench along with two high
grade locks, one for each front corner.

ROTFLMFAO! Yes! Build a giant GLOVE BOX!!! ;-)

How about a better grade of employee. Perhaps only hire those that
don't need to steal to support their drug habit.

It was the @#$%^&*( engineers who used to raid production floor work
benches, instead of taking the equipment assigned to them when they had
to go into the field. It backfired once, when they swiped my 300 MHz Tek
2465. I got the new 400 MHz Tek 2465B they were supposed to get. They
demanded that I trade with them. I told them I would break the fingers
of anyone who took it. It was still on my bench
when I left, a few years later.

--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Don Y wrote:

Hi Michael,

On 8/15/2014 2:13 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

What's a straightforward method for attaching equipment to the bench so it
won't "walk" off? (This is my desire, so let's not discuss why or why not
please.)

A hinged, locking cover for the entire workbench along with two high
grade locks, one for each front corner.

ROTFLMFAO! Yes! Build a giant GLOVE BOX!!! ;-)

It has the added advantage of people not messing with anything you're
working on, when you have to leave. I've also seen a fully equipped
bench set up in a large, locking closet.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

 

On Fri, 15 Aug 2014 21:17:58 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
<mike.terrell@earthlink.net> wrote:

krw@attt.bizz wrote:

On Fri, 15 Aug 2014 14:48:45 -0700, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:

Hi Michael,

On 8/15/2014 2:13 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

What's a straightforward method for attaching equipment to the bench so it
won't "walk" off? (This is my desire, so let's not discuss why or why not
please.)

A hinged, locking cover for the entire workbench along with two high
grade locks, one for each front corner.

ROTFLMFAO! Yes! Build a giant GLOVE BOX!!! ;-)

How about a better grade of employee. Perhaps only hire those that
don't need to steal to support their drug habit.


It was the @#$%^&*( engineers who used to raid production floor work
benches, instead of taking the equipment assigned to them when they had
to go into the field. It backfired once, when they swiped my 300 MHz Tek
2465. I got the new 400 MHz Tek 2465B they were supposed to get. They
demanded that I trade with them. I told them I would break the fingers
of anyone who took it. It was still on my bench
when I left, a few years later.

There are less draconian means than a safe to keep "honest" people
honest. The Kensington locks work. OTOH, since it's a company
resource, I can't tell others not to use the equipment on my bench.
Tools I try to lock up since they just get scattered to the wind.
Anything else can be taken, though I would prefer to be asked first.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

krw@attt.bizz wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

It was the @#$%^&*( engineers who used to raid production floor work
benches, instead of taking the equipment assigned to them when they had
to go into the field. It backfired once, when they swiped my 300 MHz Tek
2465. I got the new 400 MHz Tek 2465B they were supposed to get. They
demanded that I trade with them. I told them I would break the fingers
of anyone who took it. It was still on my bench
when I left, a few years later.

There are less draconian means than a safe to keep "honest" people
honest. The Kensington locks work. OTOH, since it's a company
resource, I can't tell others not to use the equipment on my bench.
Tools I try to lock up since they just get scattered to the wind.
Anything else can be taken, though I would prefer to be asked first.

The scope was signed out to me, and disappeared when I really needed
it. I would have been responsible for it, if the idiot lost or damaged
it. Company policy required the cal lab to be notified about any
equipment before it could be moved. Without the scope, a lot of boards
couldn't be tested.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

 

[Don Y]

Hi Dave,

On 8/17/2014 8:56 PM, DaveC wrote:

How about a better grade of employee. Perhaps only hire those that
don't need to steal to support their drug habit.

This is my business workbench/equipment in my home. Some homes have been
burglarized recently: smash a door glass, open the door, march the proceeds
out to the driveway (where a van has been waiting with rear doors right up
against the house) and load up everything.

Wouldn't they also take the *bench*? (as has happened here, recently,
with homes being "cleaned out").

Perhaps a wiser approach might be to affix a sticker to each piece
of kit offering a reward for its return! Then, if it ends up in a
pawn shop, etc. SOMEONE has an incentive to contact you.

Often, just having contact information on the item can result in
a friendly call...

OTOH, if they feel inclined to take your OBVIOUSLY VALUABLE (why else
would it be so effectively SECURED?) equipment, it is unlikely that
they will take extra precautions to *protect* it as they try to
remove it (they probably wouldn't know HOW to "be careful" with it).
So, any recovery would likely be of DAMAGED kit!

 

[DaveC]

How about a better grade of employee. Perhaps only hire those that
don't need to steal to support their drug habit.

This is my business workbench/equipment in my home. Some homes have been
burglarized recently: smash a door glass, open the door, march the proceeds
out to the driveway (where a van has been waiting with rear doors right up
against the house) and load up everything.

 

[Cydrome Leader]

In sci.electronics.equipment Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:

Hi Dave,

On 8/17/2014 8:56 PM, DaveC wrote:
How about a better grade of employee. Perhaps only hire those that
don't need to steal to support their drug habit.

This is my business workbench/equipment in my home. Some homes have been
burglarized recently: smash a door glass, open the door, march the proceeds
out to the driveway (where a van has been waiting with rear doors right up
against the house) and load up everything.

Wouldn't they also take the *bench*? (as has happened here, recently,
with homes being "cleaned out").

Perhaps a wiser approach might be to affix a sticker to each piece
of kit offering a reward for its return! Then, if it ends up in a
pawn shop, etc. SOMEONE has an incentive to contact you.

Hillarious. Why not just put stickers on stuff that says "don't steal,
it's wrong"?

 

[Cydrome Leader]

In sci.electronics.repair Spehro Pefhany <speffSNIP@interlogdotyou.knowwhat> wrote:

On Mon, 18 Aug 2014 17:06:57 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
presence@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote:

In sci.electronics.equipment Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:
Hi Dave,

On 8/17/2014 8:56 PM, DaveC wrote:
How about a better grade of employee. Perhaps only hire those that
don't need to steal to support their drug habit.

This is my business workbench/equipment in my home. Some homes have been
burglarized recently: smash a door glass, open the door, march the proceeds
out to the driveway (where a van has been waiting with rear doors right up
against the house) and load up everything.

Wouldn't they also take the *bench*? (as has happened here, recently,
with homes being "cleaned out").

Perhaps a wiser approach might be to affix a sticker to each piece
of kit offering a reward for its return! Then, if it ends up in a
pawn shop, etc. SOMEONE has an incentive to contact you.

Hillarious. Why not just put stickers on stuff that says "don't steal,
it's wrong"?

"Do not remove, under penalty of law" on the stickers?

Ha.

I recall the fire extinguishers on the school busses I rode all had big
orange bumper sticker sized stickers on them that said "STOLEN FROM
ROBINSON BUS" or whatever the company was called. I always found those
funny quite entertaining.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Mon, 18 Aug 2014 17:06:57 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
<presence@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote:

In sci.electronics.equipment Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:
Hi Dave,

On 8/17/2014 8:56 PM, DaveC wrote:
How about a better grade of employee. Perhaps only hire those that
don't need to steal to support their drug habit.

This is my business workbench/equipment in my home. Some homes have been
burglarized recently: smash a door glass, open the door, march the proceeds
out to the driveway (where a van has been waiting with rear doors right up
against the house) and load up everything.

Wouldn't they also take the *bench*? (as has happened here, recently,
with homes being "cleaned out").

Perhaps a wiser approach might be to affix a sticker to each piece
of kit offering a reward for its return! Then, if it ends up in a
pawn shop, etc. SOMEONE has an incentive to contact you.

Hillarious. Why not just put stickers on stuff that says "don't steal,
it's wrong"?

"Do not remove, under penalty of law" on the stickers?

 

On Sun, 17 Aug 2014 20:56:19 -0700, DaveC <invalid@invalid.net> wrote:

How about a better grade of employee. Perhaps only hire those that
don't need to steal to support their drug habit.

This is my business workbench/equipment in my home. Some homes have been
burglarized recently: smash a door glass, open the door, march the proceeds
out to the driveway (where a van has been waiting with rear doors right up
against the house) and load up everything.

Move!

 

[Don Y]

Hi Spehro,

On 8/18/2014 11:24 AM, Spehro Pefhany wrote:

On Mon, 18 Aug 2014 17:06:57 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
presence@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote:

In sci.electronics.equipment Don Y<this@is.not.me.com> wrote:
On 8/17/2014 8:56 PM, DaveC wrote:

This is my business workbench/equipment in my home. Some homes have been
burglarized recently: smash a door glass, open the door, march the proceeds
out to the driveway (where a van has been waiting with rear doors right up
against the house) and load up everything.

Wouldn't they also take the *bench*? (as has happened here, recently,
with homes being "cleaned out").

Perhaps a wiser approach might be to affix a sticker to each piece
of kit offering a reward for its return! Then, if it ends up in a
pawn shop, etc. SOMEONE has an incentive to contact you.

Hillarious. Why not just put stickers on stuff that says "don't steal,
it's wrong"?

"Do not remove, under penalty of law" on the stickers?

I was looking for a tile saw at one of the (many) pawn shops here
some months ago. Seeing the variety of "stuff" they had up for
sale, I thought maybe this would be a great place to get rid of
some of my test/development equipment (logic analyzers, freq
counters, waveform generators, programmable power supplies, etc.).

Of course, I was sure the prices on the devices for sale there
had to exceed the $$$ they were willing to "loan" to the original
owners. But, by how much, I was not sure. (I was just looking
for "anything" to save me the hassle of eBay-ing it all -- how many
folks want to pay to ship a heavy piece of kit?).

When I asked the guy at the counter, the first question out of his
mouth was: "Is it from a business?" Technically, my answer would
be "Yes" -- and he just shook his head, "No". Apparently, the
inventory control tag -- or any other "formal" reference to business
ownership -- is a red flag for them. Had they been marked "Spehro
Pefhany" (even if ENGRAVED nice and pretty), they would have had no
problem with them -- just like most of the other stuff that was
displayed for sale.

I guess they figure folks won't bother checking serial numbers on
<whatever> (tile saws, televisions, computers, etc.). Or, that
it's enough of an effort that they can "reasonably" ignore that.

OTOH, an inventory control tag that says "Burr Brown", "Texas
Instruments", "Local University", etc. is too much for them to
bother with -- even if you can demonstrate legal ownership of
those items!

Amusing as most of those are easily removed. But, the guys
burglarizing a home are typically looking for something "generic"
to flip -- a TV, tools, lawnmowers, etc. *NOT* something that
they are going to have to post on eBay for a buyer!

Thankfully, I know enough folks that I could find good homes for
all of the kit that I was shedding, at the time! The *next*
batch I will be sure have no inventory control tags if I revisit
a pawn shop!

 

[David Eather]

On Tue, 19 Aug 2014 11:16:19 +1000, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:

Hi Spehro,

On 8/18/2014 11:24 AM, Spehro Pefhany wrote:
On Mon, 18 Aug 2014 17:06:57 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
presence@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote:

In sci.electronics.equipment Don Y<this@is.not.me.com> wrote:
On 8/17/2014 8:56 PM, DaveC wrote:

This is my business workbench/equipment in my home. Some homes have
been
burglarized recently: smash a door glass, open the door, march the
proceeds
out to the driveway (where a van has been waiting with rear doors
right up
against the house) and load up everything.

Wouldn't they also take the *bench*? (as has happened here, recently,
with homes being "cleaned out").

Perhaps a wiser approach might be to affix a sticker to each piece
of kit offering a reward for its return! Then, if it ends up in a
pawn shop, etc. SOMEONE has an incentive to contact you.

Hillarious. Why not just put stickers on stuff that says "don't steal,
it's wrong"?

"Do not remove, under penalty of law" on the stickers?

I was looking for a tile saw at one of the (many) pawn shops here
some months ago. Seeing the variety of "stuff" they had up for
sale, I thought maybe this would be a great place to get rid of
some of my test/development equipment (logic analyzers, freq
counters, waveform generators, programmable power supplies, etc.).

Of course, I was sure the prices on the devices for sale there
had to exceed the $$$ they were willing to "loan" to the original
owners. But, by how much, I was not sure.

If they are like Australia then buy about 4-1

 

[Don Y]

Hi David,

On 8/19/2014 12:37 PM, David Eather wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2014 11:16:19 +1000, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:

I was looking for a tile saw at one of the (many) pawn shops here
some months ago. Seeing the variety of "stuff" they had up for
sale, I thought maybe this would be a great place to get rid of
some of my test/development equipment (logic analyzers, freq
counters, waveform generators, programmable power supplies, etc.).

Of course, I was sure the prices on the devices for sale there
had to exceed the $$$ they were willing to "loan" to the original
owners. But, by how much, I was not sure.

If they are like Australia then buy about 4-1

That probably makes sense. You have to assume most folks are NOT
coming back for their "escrow"... so, they have to gamble as to
what they can sell the items for, "quickly" (as they have limited
space to warehouse the stuff).

I'd be curious as to how much they "lose" fencing stolen merchandise
(confiscated by police) but assume it probably isn't that much!
Too many places an "individual" would have to check in search of
*his* stolen goods (do you have S/N's of everything you own recorded?).

Neighbor was burglarized and police "made out a report" but were
pretty frank in saying the chances of any recovery were zero!