50 acres with a man can

CitizenQ

CitizenQ

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May 5, 2006
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I've been thinking of buying some land for a while. I'm thinking 50-acres. The property purchase is probably many (4?) years off but I'll be planning in the meanwhile. After the purchase I'd like to get some shelter on the property immediately and I've done a lot of thinking about basic temporary shelters, from campers to sheds...and everything in-between. The shelter needs to allow comfort and security, both when I am in the shelter and when I'm away.

I been reading a lot about folks turning 20-foot and 40-foot ocean freight containers into hardened "cabins" and it sounds like a good idea. They are cheap, and as strong as can be. I've collected a lot of web links to such shelters but they're at home and I'll try to post them later.

Of primary concern is price, so everything I do needs to be smart and cheap...but effective.

I like the idea of buying a 20-foot ocean freight container, parking it in my driveway and working on it for several years to "outfit" it. Then -- when the container is finished and the land is purchased -- I can truck it to site, drop it on the property, and I'm done.

Here are my initial ideas...
  • Insulate it and build interior walls, maybe with this Owens Corning system
  • Water drums on the roof to gravity feed the shower, toilet, and sink
  • Simple shower stall, with a toilet, sink, and a small counter
  • Gravity drain the waste water out the bottom...still gotta figure that (and solid waste disposal) out
  • Queen bed on a loft with a work table/bench below
  • 2 or 3 hardened windows with steel shutters
  • Solar panels on the roof but they need to be removable so they can be stored away inside the unit for when I button it up for extended away periods
  • A wall with a sliding patio type door just inside the 20-foot container's rear double doors so when I'm "home" and it's "safe" I can open the 20-foot container's rear double door and see nature in all it's beauty
Now here's where I start to get a wee bit whacky fellas...so bear with me. This is the part I really like...maybe there's still some 8 year old kid left inside me.

The Secret Tunnel Plan...

If I wanted to get someone out of a 20-foot ocean freight container I'd cook them out by piling a bunch of brush and wood on it to burn them out. They'd die or come out in short order, so I need a secret escape tunnel. ;) Best way I figure to to dig a 50 yard trench, bury concrete sewer pipe, hide the freedom end in a culvert or something, do a concrete elbow that turns up into the 20-foot container's floor, put 1/2" steel doors on each end, bury the pipe, re-plant on top of it and voila...instant secret escape tunnel.

:rolleyes: Yes. I used to build a lot of forts in the woods when I was a kid. ;)

So I thought I post these initial ideas here for all youze guys to shoot holes in it, mock it, and suggest alternatives, ideas or whatever.

So have at it boys!

Whaddya think?
 
Yeah...I just thought of that while re-reading my initial post. Hand-crank pump? Perhaps best would be many drums (fed in parallel) on the roof with a water collection system to collect rain water. I dunno! Still thinkin' all this out.
 
Not so wacky when you see the way the ATF and media treats citizens who have any firearms.
Seen the sewer pipe idea done in to a panic room disguised as a wine cellar.
 
Just build a log cabin

warrens1.jpg


It's not hard to dig a shallow well and put a pump on it. On this one under the styrofoam is a DC pump that runs off of solar that pumps water up the hill and into a plastic storage tank buried in the hillside. Then the water gravity feeds down to the house

warrens5.jpg


If the property you have has partial mineral rights you can have free natural gas lights and yard torches and have people over to drink homebrew

warrens6.jpg

warrens7.jpg
 
Building a cabin is not possible. Land purchase will be up to 500 miles away and I have to work where I presently live. But I can work on the container in my driveway every day for a few hours.
 
The tunnel isn't as easy as you make it sound.

First, construction needs to be rock-solid. I assume you're in an area where there won't be any trenching restrictions or permits required.

The concrete (or steel drum) sections must be tightly fused together, or your tunnel will become a drainage tile overnight. You'll have standing water, fumes, bugs, vermin, etc., quickly established in no time. And the bugs will be cool: picture huge, blind, white centipedes.

Sorry about that tangent. Anyway, assuming you get the tunnel water tight, you need better closure at the far end, or you'll have animals getting in as well. And fumes will come up into your container.

So: seal it off well from water and vermin. Also, remember that you'll need some sort of ventilation in there, or you'll have a build up of gas. Could be methane, could be carbon dioxide, or whatever based on what gets in there as you're closing it. If you use it, you might not make it to the far end.

Again, remember your winter. You need the tunnel insulated on top, or your tunnel will be really visible when there's a light snowfall: you'll have bare grass or dirt above it. If you're in an area with a lot of snow, you want it 24-36 inches below grade to ensure this.

Remember to make your trench much wider than the tunnel: otherwise, it'll keep collapsing on you as you lay the sections in place. Slope the sides, if you can, to prevent that. Of course, once it's done, you can bury it as you want.

I wouldn't go with a culvert at the far end: your easy escape makes it real easy for critters to get in.
 
I think the idea of buying property is great.I just bought some myself.

I don't see the shipping container as practical or extremly useful to live in.It would be great to store tools and materials in while you build something nice.

The cheapest thing would be to get a camper on your property while you build something.

I've thought about the kind of house that would be useful in an emergency situation and here are my thoughts.
First build a reinforced concrete poured basement with a safe room.I've built these with reinforced poured tops about 10 inches thick.You can put a tunnel if you want and have enough money but if it's to escape from someone outside it will need to be a lot longer than 20 yards.
My main thought for security though is to build my doors with a steel plate core and made to open only outward.I don't want ATF bursting in and shooting my dogs or me, as in the recent case of that town mayor.
I've got no problem with law inforcement.I just don't want them getting in untill I open the door.
Windows offer some problems.I see the choices as either bars, skylights or putting the windows in a foyer that can be closed off from the rest of the house at night or when I'm away.My plan has an entire roll back wall that can close off the living dining area.

My homesite has a locked gate on a very long drive.When I move in I will set it up with a remote lock and video camera.I also don't like unexpected company.
 
shipping containers are extremely hot or cold with out means to cool or heat them....I would use it more for a storage shed.
 
CitizenQ said:
[*]Water drums on the roof to gravity feed the shower, toilet, and sink
Click to expand...

shipping containers are designed to have their weight held and distributed at their corners - the individual containers stacked on top of each other distribute the weight on those below them at the corners. so you have to be real careful loading up the roof with weight anywhere except the corners. which is why they don't make very good underground bunkers - you can't pile more than a few inches of dirt on top of them (soil is very heavy). so you're probably not going to be able to load up your roof with large water drums unless the weight is distributed to the corners or the drums aren't very big/heavy.

i say buy a big cotton tent or tipi - and a pack of dogs. holing up inside a hardened structure isn't my idea of a strategy - if there is a threat on your perimeter it's usually best if you go out to meet it, not allow it to lay siege to your castle.

CitizenQ said:
[*]Simple shower stall, with a toilet, sink, and a small counter
[*]Gravity drain the waste water out the bottom...still gotta figure that (and solid waste disposal) out
Click to expand...

An outhouse/latrine is simpler and more sanitary. And outdoor shower/bathing area isn't a bad idea either. In the winter, a bucket-bath with a pot of water warmed up on the woodstove will do quite well.

My best advice is simplify - everything gets easier once you draw a clear line between what you want and what you need. I have friends who live without indoor plumbing and get all their water from a hand-pumped well. And they're doing just fine, raising kids and running a farm. :thumbup:

Do get electricity if you can - it's a godsend as to how much easier it makes life.
 
akennedy73 said:
shipping containers are designed to have their weight held and distributed at their corners - the individual containers stacked on top of each other distribute the weight on those below them at the corners. so you have to be real careful loading up the roof with weight anywhere except the corners.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with this caution!

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I have researched shipping containers as well. I think they offer a very good platform for what you are looking to do. When I was looking I could buy used 40 ft. containers for around $1700.00 and those were the high volume type which means you get more head room. I must admit that I was not going as hardcore on security as you so I was looking place 2 of them in a configuration that would allow me sleeping quarters upstairs and living accomodations in the lower unit.

Paul
 
i own land and have been thinking about ways for a cheap, easy to set up shelter that can last. ive come to the conclusion of permanent tent. i know your sold on the container idea. but i just couldnt aesthetically enjoy living in a big square of steel in the woods.

however, if i was going to go this route i would consider burying the container into a hill. this way you have good insulation and can have runoff areas to collect rainwater. either way good luck with it. i love thinking of new ideas for simple non traditional shelters. -CB
 
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