I feel obliged to chime in on this one, since I store my equipment outside, in a trailer, in my driveway. There is no harm in keeping equipment outside, just allow very cold equipment to "warm-up" before use. If you can't set up at least an hour or 3 before the gig, get yourself a portable heater. I have a multi-fuel "torpedo" type forced air heater that I picked up on craigslist for $35. Open a door, point the heater in, let her rip for a bit.
As for theft prevention, I live near one of the most crime-ridden areas of the metro Detroit area. If the would-be thieves get past my multipurpose locking systems, they must still contend with the very itchy trigger fingered neighbors around me. I am the newest neighbor when I bought in 2010. We all look out for each others properties, children, and guard them as if they were our own. Careful planning, and making sure everyone knows
your intentions[/i,] makes would-be thieves think twice about trying to "obtain" your property.
Bruce Weldy wrote:It would take a while to cut through ball lock in the picture. I have that one - it's pretty stout. Sure ain't gonna' happen with a boltcutter.
Certainly, storing inside is better....but I feel pretty safe with mine in the driveway locked up. Plus, I DON'T advertise what's inside. It's always tempting to put your band name or DJ service on the side - but, it's not worth it.
+1,000! If you make it very difficult to take what is not theirs, and extremely dangerous to get caught trying, you should be OK. There are no guarantees against theft, but making your property hazardous to their health is pretty darn good repellent. I, and at least 2 of my neighbors, have no qualms over protecting our property using any and all force available.
I know money often seals the deal, but seriously, quality is an investment, not an expense... Grant Bunter
Accept the fact that airtight and well-braced are more important than pretty on the inside. Bill Fitzmaurice
