Asking for help in thwarting thieves:

This may have less to do with motorbikes and more to do with cars, but I know some motorbikes do have catalytic converters, albeit small ones, so the risk is there: here in Indy we are having a dramatic rise in the theft of catalytic converters, of all kinds.

I am told this is how it is done: the thieves use a pickup truck with an air compressor and an air-driven reciprocating saw, most probably with a tungsten-carbide hacksaw blade. This method has been found to work so fast it's frightening. The thieves cruise parking lots, hack off a converter before anybody knows what's what, then leave as quick as they came. They probably sell it later as a used part or for scrap.

This is currently the best coping method most people have come up with so far: to build a steel wire cage around the converter. This only slows the thieves down and it doesn't slow them down much. I want to invent a better plan.

I have the blood of inventors in my family, and I myself am always looking for better ways to do things. My first thoughts were "What could we use to bind the saw?" I thought about something like roofing tar on the far side of the pipe where the thief might cut through and get stiff tar on the blade. But these saws are über-powerful. I don't know if tar would be enough. Magnesium tape, for that "surprise" factor? Or would it be financially workable to case harden a steel sleave for the pipe?

Has anybody here been sawing through a steel pipe and hit an impasse that really, majorly slowed them down? Maybe even stopped them? I want to know how it came about, please.

Any other ideas of your own? Care to elaborate on mine with your experience or wisdom? Please do. I wish to combine my love of inventing with my loathing of thieves. The amount of stolen catalytic converters is already alarming, and growing very, very costly for our motorists in Indy to cope with. I ask anyone who reads this, if they have anything at all to contribute, help me in developing a better-working plan of action to take a bite out of crime. Thanks all.

You've all given me some great ideas. I think I may indeed pursue legislation along the lines of restrictions and regulations regarding sale of scrap/used cats. But I am also looking into the viability of some form of sandpaper which uses a kind of grit that is harder than your usual garnet paper or flint. Something that is just hard enough to dull the saw. You could roll it up in a very tight roll, cover it in some kind of resin like they use in muffler patches, and sorta hide it behind on the far side of the pipe. That in addition to other methods like chicken wire cages should help people hang on to their cat. Maybe if I develope an overall working combination, I could get word out on a Catalytic Converter Retention/Anti-Theft service. Right now it may be just a pipe dream, but wish me luck. I want to pursue this.

timboellner said:

The chicken wire idea got me thinking.

Have you ever tried to sawzall through the metal lathe that was used in plaster
walls before sheetrock was put into use?

That stuff is gnarly and dances around like crazy when you try to cut through it, especially if it is not tightly held in place.

Worse yet is it's tendency to rust and cut you up really badly trying to handle it.
I hate the stuff but it's perfect for this.
TiM

Click to expand...

It does sound like a good material for a cat cage. Some thieves are apparently expecting chicken wire these days and carry a small set of wire cutters with them. Like I say, it slows them down but not by much. This stuff though, that might do the trick. Follow it up with something stuck to the pipe itself - and maybe they'll have the good sense to leave the cat alone and take off before the owner returns. (We can hope, can't we.)

Now all I need to do is pick up some parts and materials and do some testing. BUT: keep the ideas coming! Remember, if we can make something that's easy and workable, it may be YOUR cat we save.