shiping container

C

cjd1980

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Sep 3, 2008
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I'm thinking about purchasing a shipping container and converting it into a shop. I was wondering if any one had any experience buying one oar had any thoughts on whether or not this is a good idea thanks for the help chris
 
I think it could work out well. We have a few conex boxes at work for our range stuff and I know of others that are put through a variety of uses. Don't just drop it on the ground. Lay a good foundation or else the doors are prone to get out of alignment and cause difficulty in locking and also leaking. Make sure you inspect it first and plan out how you want it set up. If you are going to leave the doors open when you use it then a big fan would probably be all the ventilation you need. Good luck!

Edit: I just saw you are in Vermont so heating and ventilation should be high up on your priorities which means you need a good electrical set up. A kerosene heater should suffice but extension cords still aren't going to cut it.
 
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I would definately prefer a large shed type building. With a container you have no windows for natural light, no ventilation. I would like one for storage but not a shop but thats just my opinion.
 
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Temperature and humidity are the biggest problems I've tended to come across with shipping containers used for storage and workshops in the UK. I'm guessing your climate is not too dissimilar, though the Gulf Stream over here probably knocks off the worst of the peaks and troughs.

They obviously get very hot when it's hot and sunny and cold when it's cold, so are not ideal for actually working in. Lining them helps a lot though.

Running a good dehumidifier seems to eliminate pretty much all the condensation issues for much less power than heating them instead. We've used refrigerant dehumidifiers for years, but dessicant dehumidifiers look like they'd do a better job, especially in the cooler months.

If you use a space heater (gas or oil, no flue), condensation will be an issue. We've tended to find short periods of space heating with constant dehumidification are OK, but YMMV.

Room can be pretty tight with only the 8' width, but otherwise they are the cheapest way I know to get a secure dry building fast, assuming you can get one where you need to put it.
 
We just bought one for storage at the hunt camp. Even after inspection , not all leaks are visible. We found that out the hard way! Ours leaked where the roof had already been patched and painted, but the weld was not continuous under the paint and cualk. I don't know if it's possible to get a leak free quarantee. Ours had one but where we are is so remote that it turned out to be more trouble to get the seller to come fix it than to just do it ourselves.

The other thing is that you will need to add alot of lighting as the longer ones are really dark in the end away from the door. I have seen adds from companies that modify them to your specifications(add windows, doors, ect) but then the price goes up.

Best of luck.

Jeff
 
Windows and doors are easy. Just cut out the hole big enough to weld in a metal frame and use steel wide enough to take care of the folds in the connex sides to form a place to mount the window. Used to work at a place that made rock crushers and mining equipment. We did lots of them for offices and control rooms. Some 2x2s screwed to the walls and ceiling some insulation and 1/2" plywood and the inside is nicer.What makes a great shop is 2 or more set across from each other and a concrete slab between then roof over it. A guy in Portland used 12 of them to make a huge shop. 3 long and 2 high on each side with a large space between the 2 setups. Machine tools in some, storage in others, an office in another. Then the shop floor was in the middle. Even had a bride crane for the center bay which was 30' wide 120' long and 0ver 16' high. Huge shop for under 100k
 
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Jerry McClure uses a old refrigerated container it works well as it is insulated. I think Ray Rodgers is as well. If I did it it would have to be insulated because they can become big sweat boxes.
 
I was gonna mention Ray, too. I've been up there a couple of times, he has two insulated containers side by side. It works well, especially considering that winters here are hard, And Ray lives way out in the middle of nowhere in the highlands. The thing I wouldn't like about it is the lack of windows- they could be put into a reefer container like that, but would take a bit more work.

I must say, that shop Jim mentioned sounds pretty kickass. You could do that In Portland, not here.
 
If you are near a port city, the cost of a container is reasonable. More containers come to the US than leave. If it needs to be trucked a long distance, it can get expensive enough that other prefab buildings could be more cost effective. The floor on a lot of containers is plywood, which if not placed over a well drained base could rot over time. 8' really is not very wide, make sure you have adequate work space around each machine, and that being in such a long narrow room won't make you crazy. Make sure you have adequate maneuvering space for whatever machinery will be used to deliver the container, one place I worked at rented out some space in the parking lot for containers and the company that delivered them brought the biggest forklift I've ever seen to place them
 
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