New Shop

KnuckleDownKnives

KnuckleDownKnives

Time to make the doughnuts..
Joined
Feb 12, 2015
Messages
1,715
Hi all. So I'm fed up with my current shop leaking and need some security, so I'm ordering a 40' conex box hopefully Friday. I'm working on a floor plan to maximize the space having room where I need it and tools placed that seem to make sense, keeping the grinders, forge, press, anvil and dirty metal tools located near the container doors. FYI the square thing between the drill press and the grinders will be my metal band saw. I'll use my current dust collector and vent it straight out the side.

I'm going to add a personnel door on the side so I can easily roll out the wood working tools if needed. The far back will be my clean area. The square table across from the small door will be movable as well as the table saw next to the door which will give me a 6'x 8' area if I need room for working on something big as I do more than make knives, such as 4 wheeler repair and other things. The door will be a 48" door so If I need to bring in a 4 wheeler I can bring it right in through the side provided it doesn't have huge mud tires. Oh, there will be a 12' lean to roof coming off the side with the small door, and probably an 8' roof coming out over the big doors.

Anyway, let me know what you think.NewConexShop Model (1).png
 
Layout looks good. 4' between the benches and 3' between the grinder bench and the wall. If that is a forge next to the anvil, I'd put the forge on a rolling cart so it wasn't right against a wall.
 
Awesome man! Can I come do some of my knife projects there? My 10'x10' room is getting cramped, lol!
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Layout looks good. 4' between the benches and 3' between the grinder bench and the wall. If that is a forge next to the anvil, I'd put the forge on a rolling cart so it wasn't right against a wall.
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Yes I'm planning on a rolling cart I may play with this area a bit, but yes a rolling cart is definitely in the plans for the forge. One of my issues right now is my forge is right in front of my anvil 6' away and stationery and it's way too hot. I am going to have the container sitting about 1' to 1.5' off the ground maybe as high as 2.5' so it's usable/accessible storage and will build a 'porch' outside the main doors to roll the forge out on.

I'm contemplating building all the extended roofs and said porch framed in steel so that if I need I can simply fold them up or down and lock them to the side of the container for easy transportation.

Call me crazy, but I've had something like this built in my mind for 20+ years. Come time to move it, fold it up, load it up and move it. If my plans go right, down the road I'll get a second container place it 30' away and build a modular roof system that bolts together to create a 30' x 40' covered area between them.

120 Acres said:
"Clean Area" could you elaborate? I'm not sure what that is!
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Cleaner than my grinding area. Lol. Thinking of some kind of siding door system so I can open or close the center 4'.

kuraki said:
Where's the fridge?
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I didn't go that far into detail, but rest assured it'll be in the works. Probably in the bottom right corner of the clean room bench or in top.
 
What...no bathroom?!! Also I found that Clear Vinyl Curtains work well for separating clean area without having to build a wall for a door. Do you have a lighting solution yet?
 
Made a few adjustments. I'm really liking this layout.

NewConexShop Model (2).png

Busto said:
What...no bathroom?!!
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No, no bathroom, just water the grass. I thought about it, but I really don't want to dig as far as I would need to get to my septic tank. I even thought about just doing a drum septic system but easy enough to just go in the house. I will have a small sink though.

Busto said:
What...no bathroom?!! Also I found that Clear Vinyl Curtains work well for separating clean area without having to build a wall for a door.
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I think that's what I'll do. One by the dirty room and one by the clean room.

Busto said:
Do you have a lighting solution yet?
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Yes. Just going to use 4' LED lights down the center. I'm going to run like a 6" x 24" or 8" x 24" rectangle AC duct down the center and mount the lights under it. Then some LED under cabinet lights for where the wall cabinets are.
 
Yeah Conex boxes are pretty dark but easy enough to hang conduit for power. Well good luck my friend hope to see pics in the future!!:thumbsup:
 
Paint the interior white before you fill it up with stuff. I really like your idea for placing two and joining them with a roof.

How much does a 40' box cost for you? I imagine they're a little more reasonable being closer to ports.
 
kuraki said:
Paint the interior white before you fill it up with stuff.
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That is the plan already... :D :thumbsup: Last time I talked to them on Monday that was the question I asked. "What colors can I get?" Said since I am buying a fully refurbished one they'll paint it what ever color I want. Olive drab exterior to blend into the property and a white interior.
 
kuraki said:
Paint the interior white before you fill it up with stuff. I really like your idea for placing two and joining them with a roof.

How much does a 40' box cost for you? I imagine they're a little more reasonable being closer to ports.
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You must have edited your post while I was replying. $2500.00 delivered.
 
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Looks great !
If its size fits, its the best bargain in a ready made workshop building.
Some years past we set up two 20' & one 40'. Arranged like a "F" with covered courtyard between the 20's.
"F" while not ideal but fit the property.
Back then surplus containers were not so abundant. We had to settle for rough examples at about 2k$ ea. for the 20' footers. 40's are less demand for. That was about 1800$ and much better shape.
Now days a new one trip container from China is dirt cheap.
Btw,
If you go with water source you might consider an Eccotemp L5 waterheater. Its the best 100$ I ever spent.
 
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Just placed my order... :D :) :cool: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: Ordered a high cube as well. 9'6". Just waiting to hear back from them to arrange delivery details. Got a fresh coat of hunter green paint going on it. They want to much to paint the interior the color I want so I'll paint it myself.
 
I just painted mine last week, light tan, so much better than the "look-at-how-ugly-I-am red". Should help with cooling as well, but it's sitting underneath a giant walnut tree so only a little corner gets sunshine in the summer. Not sure where you are or your climate, but i used sheet foam on the ceilings and spray foam on the walls. A small through-wall heater/AC unit in the middle does a great job of keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I see your dust vent, but it doesn't look like an exhaust fan. I'd recommend a 20" wide window on the far end, so you can stick a box fan in it and air the container out. Box fans are great in that they easily reverse to bring air in or out. I always vent in to keep smoke out of the container, out when the wind is blowing the wrong way. You will want flow through the entire container to prevent CO2 build-up.
 
Atlas Knife Company said:
I just painted mine last week, light tan, so much better than the "look-at-how-ugly-I-am red". Should help with cooling as well, but it's sitting underneath a giant walnut tree so only a little corner gets sunshine in the summer. Not sure where you are or your climate, but i used sheet foam on the ceilings and spray foam on the walls. A small through-wall heater/AC unit in the middle does a great job of keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I see your dust vent, but it doesn't look like an exhaust fan. I'd recommend a 20" wide window on the far end, so you can stick a box fan in it and air the container out. Box fans are great in that they easily reverse to bring air in or out. I always vent in to keep smoke out of the container, out when the wind is blowing the wrong way. You will want flow through the entire container to prevent CO2 build-up.
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The dust vent is for my dust collector which will be mounted under the bench right under the grinders and vent right outside. I plan on installing a window behind the grinders so I can use a box fan as you describe. You may have overlooked my updated drawing a few comments up. (See attachment)



View attachment 717502
 
What kind/size AC unit are you going to use to keep it cool down here? I see it at the clean end on your drawing. This type container works great for Jeremy from Simple Little Life (YT) but he's in Canada, Ottawa I believe. Maybe painting the top white would help some. Good luck with it!
 
WaltE99 said:
What kind/size AC unit are you going to use to keep it cool down here? I see it at the clean end on your drawing. This type container works great for Jeremy from Simple Little Life (YT) but he's in Canada, Ottawa I believe. Maybe painting the top white would help some. Good luck with it!
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I'm looking at a 12k btu mini split heat and air unit. Not quite sure yet.
 
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