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READ THIS FIRST-LETS TRY TO KEEP THIS TECH FOCUSED AND IDEAS AND EXAMPLES, THANKS!!! 
Excellent suggestion from Farmall, Lets make a tech post! Based on ideas for shipping, storage and workshops I am going to post up some of what I know, and soon will post updates after remodeling some of mine & my "Adventures in Moving!" (Nothing I do ever goes to plan, I screw up a lot!)
So, Stay tuned for more pix and updates but a little background:
I used to run a shop, and prolific collector (Also known as Hoarder) I came VERY close in 2017 to appearing on American Pickers. It came down to contract signing time with the producers and I backed out. I dont want to get harassed each time late night TV reruns my episode and people are chasing me down in the grocery store " I need a BSA LH foot peg whitworth nut and I KNOW you have them!" Maybe I should have,, They spent the most money ever while here in Oregon. I did tell them to send the badass chick from the store instead of the 2 goofballs.
So my first purchase was I had a big farm and 3 bay shop, But I was filling up all my space and then some, So my neighbor on his farm was selling a Semi trailer. This was a "Railroad shipper" Which means it went on & off train flatbeds and had more bracing and features than a regular semi truck box trailer. (Axles slide Fwd & back for turn radius, More internal bracing and heavier overall construction as well as a solid oak floor). Most OTR semis are limited to 80,000 lbs gross, so the lighter the truck/trailer the more freight=Money$$$ So not a lot of market for a trailer like mine. But I love the thing. High cube (Tall) and 48 ft long, can lock it and very secure.
I paid $1000 w/title. It was also mobile & I hired a local trucker "Big Vinny" and he moved it for me multiple times. At one point we were going to convert it into 1/2 shop & 1/2 storage and take it to regional biker events, swap meets and rallies, But legalities stood in the way (insurance, Maint, Tags & regis)
(Add pix here x2)
Keep in mind, Older trailers dont have huge value, you CAN cut off the axles and landing gear and make it a stationary container, Or back it into a hillside cutout and be flush with the ground. One issue, Tires age, Axles have bearings and oil, and brakes. If you want to put back in service this has to be addressed. One other thing to look for is old Reefer units. The AC cooler/Refrig can be removed and these Trailers are already well insulated and why that is important I will address shortly.
I added lighting, shelving and run my Air compressors inside it instead of the workshop and then run a air line INTO the shop. Saves space and not as noisy.
(Add more tech text here)
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Shipping containers: Totally modular and useful, There is a crap-ton of websites on design ideas, How to's and designs you can look at on the web, No point in rehashing it all here or repeating it all, surf to your hearts content. Ill just hit some high points and my experience.
I currently have 2 40 fts High cubes. They present many opportunities but their own challenges, There is MORE value in 20 footers for many reasons. #1 is moving them. In my area there is limited services for moving a 40 footer, But Any roll off tow truck can move a 20 footer and place it damn near where you want it. Its not just size, its also weight. In many ways, Its better to go multiple 20's than 40's. You can stack containers, or weld/bolt them together, add a truss clear span across several, Or even make them portable on a trailer or RV frame.
Doesnt this one look bad ass???? (No its not mine, but that gives you an idea.)
Here is mine being moved into place by a local company called Container lifters NW, and yes, The mgr and driver is a dead ringer for Papa Smurf, But this one charges $125 per hr. (IE: Have your sh*t together, have more than enough room and above all DO NOT GET THE DELIVERY TRUCK STUCK like I did, Because if you do, Semi truck tow trucks charge $250 per hr and take their sweet A$$ Time)
These are not staying in these locations, My farm is under renov and building a new shop and other construction. But I got a way of moving them on the farm. (insert Youtube epic fail-Here hold my Beer hillbilly video clip)
Plan is this summer is paint the exteriors dark forest green. My neighbor suggested making one look like a giant catepillar?Centipede with rebar legs and big googly eyes facing the side road (My neighbors get an eyeful as it is, This would freak out the looky lou's & Rubber neckers) But you can paint or reside the exterior however you like, Some face them with wood siding or shingles, But paint offers a LOT of options,, If your neighbors or the govt complain, Paint it as an American Flag, and scream "Why the F### Do You Hate Our Freedom??" and make it a first amendment issue which MIGHT or Might NOT get you around code enforcement or HOA. (Helps if you are Veteran w/ issues)
I already got shelving and some of the lighting up in mine, But its gotta come out this summer when we move them and do the rest of the painting (Inside & out) plus the flooring and some of the plumbing/wiring so right now stuff is not as organized as I like.
I found some sources for checker board laminate flooring, and seeing other containers it looks like a million bucks. I also have been buying commercial pallet racks and Industrial shelving. Shop CL, Industrial recyclers and auctions for discounted shelving and pallet racks. Some I bought are really wide and I am cutting down and rewelding the end posts (I call them goal posts) to make narrower. I am cheap, poor, and a scrounger so, modify what I can get/find rather than pay top dollar. But even old scrap with a fresh coat of Industrial paint can look damn nice.
Lighting - Electrical: The new LED 4 ft shop lights are amazing, and come up for sale a lot, Been buying them as I can afford it, they are 10x better than my existing Fluorescent shop light fixtures, Draw less power, and above all,, When its cold as hell, they come on instantly instead of the old ballasts. Plus, they are VERY BRIGHT. Good idea to use proper wiring, terminals, junction boxs and conduit, If you dont know how, bribe someone who does with Beers or favors. A small breaker box in the entrance and run the power in thru a conduit, and you dont need much just for lights. ( 20 amp??), Not a bad idea to add a few 110v outlets so you can plug in a drop light or dehumidifier, alarm or other. If you ARE converting to a workshop with welder, Machinery etc,, then that is a topic in itself,. But there is some good software and designs out there for ideas. Keep in mind, this is a STEEL Structure, so dont electrocute yourself!
This one is a tip out design and should make any gear head Drool,,,,
Excellent suggestion from Farmall, Lets make a tech post! Based on ideas for shipping, storage and workshops I am going to post up some of what I know, and soon will post updates after remodeling some of mine & my "Adventures in Moving!" (Nothing I do ever goes to plan, I screw up a lot!)
So, Stay tuned for more pix and updates but a little background:
I used to run a shop, and prolific collector (Also known as Hoarder) I came VERY close in 2017 to appearing on American Pickers. It came down to contract signing time with the producers and I backed out. I dont want to get harassed each time late night TV reruns my episode and people are chasing me down in the grocery store " I need a BSA LH foot peg whitworth nut and I KNOW you have them!" Maybe I should have,, They spent the most money ever while here in Oregon. I did tell them to send the badass chick from the store instead of the 2 goofballs.
So my first purchase was I had a big farm and 3 bay shop, But I was filling up all my space and then some, So my neighbor on his farm was selling a Semi trailer. This was a "Railroad shipper" Which means it went on & off train flatbeds and had more bracing and features than a regular semi truck box trailer. (Axles slide Fwd & back for turn radius, More internal bracing and heavier overall construction as well as a solid oak floor). Most OTR semis are limited to 80,000 lbs gross, so the lighter the truck/trailer the more freight=Money$$$ So not a lot of market for a trailer like mine. But I love the thing. High cube (Tall) and 48 ft long, can lock it and very secure.
I paid $1000 w/title. It was also mobile & I hired a local trucker "Big Vinny" and he moved it for me multiple times. At one point we were going to convert it into 1/2 shop & 1/2 storage and take it to regional biker events, swap meets and rallies, But legalities stood in the way (insurance, Maint, Tags & regis)
(Add pix here x2)
Keep in mind, Older trailers dont have huge value, you CAN cut off the axles and landing gear and make it a stationary container, Or back it into a hillside cutout and be flush with the ground. One issue, Tires age, Axles have bearings and oil, and brakes. If you want to put back in service this has to be addressed. One other thing to look for is old Reefer units. The AC cooler/Refrig can be removed and these Trailers are already well insulated and why that is important I will address shortly.
I added lighting, shelving and run my Air compressors inside it instead of the workshop and then run a air line INTO the shop. Saves space and not as noisy.
(Add more tech text here)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shipping containers: Totally modular and useful, There is a crap-ton of websites on design ideas, How to's and designs you can look at on the web, No point in rehashing it all here or repeating it all, surf to your hearts content. Ill just hit some high points and my experience.
I currently have 2 40 fts High cubes. They present many opportunities but their own challenges, There is MORE value in 20 footers for many reasons. #1 is moving them. In my area there is limited services for moving a 40 footer, But Any roll off tow truck can move a 20 footer and place it damn near where you want it. Its not just size, its also weight. In many ways, Its better to go multiple 20's than 40's. You can stack containers, or weld/bolt them together, add a truss clear span across several, Or even make them portable on a trailer or RV frame.
Doesnt this one look bad ass???? (No its not mine, but that gives you an idea.)
Here is mine being moved into place by a local company called Container lifters NW, and yes, The mgr and driver is a dead ringer for Papa Smurf, But this one charges $125 per hr. (IE: Have your sh*t together, have more than enough room and above all DO NOT GET THE DELIVERY TRUCK STUCK like I did, Because if you do, Semi truck tow trucks charge $250 per hr and take their sweet A$$ Time)
These are not staying in these locations, My farm is under renov and building a new shop and other construction. But I got a way of moving them on the farm. (insert Youtube epic fail-Here hold my Beer hillbilly video clip)
Plan is this summer is paint the exteriors dark forest green. My neighbor suggested making one look like a giant catepillar?Centipede with rebar legs and big googly eyes facing the side road (My neighbors get an eyeful as it is, This would freak out the looky lou's & Rubber neckers) But you can paint or reside the exterior however you like, Some face them with wood siding or shingles, But paint offers a LOT of options,, If your neighbors or the govt complain, Paint it as an American Flag, and scream "Why the F### Do You Hate Our Freedom??" and make it a first amendment issue which MIGHT or Might NOT get you around code enforcement or HOA. (Helps if you are Veteran w/ issues)
I already got shelving and some of the lighting up in mine, But its gotta come out this summer when we move them and do the rest of the painting (Inside & out) plus the flooring and some of the plumbing/wiring so right now stuff is not as organized as I like.
I found some sources for checker board laminate flooring, and seeing other containers it looks like a million bucks. I also have been buying commercial pallet racks and Industrial shelving. Shop CL, Industrial recyclers and auctions for discounted shelving and pallet racks. Some I bought are really wide and I am cutting down and rewelding the end posts (I call them goal posts) to make narrower. I am cheap, poor, and a scrounger so, modify what I can get/find rather than pay top dollar. But even old scrap with a fresh coat of Industrial paint can look damn nice.
Lighting - Electrical: The new LED 4 ft shop lights are amazing, and come up for sale a lot, Been buying them as I can afford it, they are 10x better than my existing Fluorescent shop light fixtures, Draw less power, and above all,, When its cold as hell, they come on instantly instead of the old ballasts. Plus, they are VERY BRIGHT. Good idea to use proper wiring, terminals, junction boxs and conduit, If you dont know how, bribe someone who does with Beers or favors. A small breaker box in the entrance and run the power in thru a conduit, and you dont need much just for lights. ( 20 amp??), Not a bad idea to add a few 110v outlets so you can plug in a drop light or dehumidifier, alarm or other. If you ARE converting to a workshop with welder, Machinery etc,, then that is a topic in itself,. But there is some good software and designs out there for ideas. Keep in mind, this is a STEEL Structure, so dont electrocute yourself!
This one is a tip out design and should make any gear head Drool,,,,
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