Thinking about shortening a sea container

[Gilbert1960]

I need some enclosed storage next to my shop and would like to use a steel sea container, but only have room for 30 ft not a full 40 ft unit. Does anyone have any experience in shortening one? It seems fairly straight forward but any insight is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[rickcact]

Boy will that be a project!!! I thought they made 30 footers?

 

[Gilbert1960]

I have never seen an "off-the shelf" 30 ft they have 20 & 40 ft units.

 

[porschedude996TT]

I have never done it, but it can't be that hard. A bunch of sawz-all blades and a stick welder. Cut 10' out and weld it together...

 

[NRChopshop]

those things are a lot thicker than you think. The right way to do it would involve a gas powered 14" saw, a set of torches, and time

 

[porschedude996TT]

those things are a lot thicker than you think. The right way to do it would involve a gas powered 14" saw, a set of torches, and time

I think you are right. They are probally 3/16 to 1/4". How about a plazma arc? It would give you cleaner cut lines.

 

[revlover]

Damn that would be interesting...

You should consider videoing it. Seriously.

 

[Torque1st]

Many sizes are available, just get the size you need.

I doubt that the city of Littleton will allow that type of storage tho.

 

[Dogberry01]

I bought the box off a box truck for storage. all alum. no rust, soild wood floor. They come in all sizes, rool up door which is nice also.

 

[autoist]

Just buy one of the 1/2-size containers.

 

[SUPERCOUPE]

I'm with Dog. Alum. or Fiberglass box van container. Check your local auction guide. 2nd down neighbor just picked up a 94 E-450 with slipping trans and 24' box for $600. He just parked the van, but you could recoup your investment by selling off teh parts and jsut keeping the box. Or try U-Haul, Budget, etc. They also rebox their trucks from time to time.

 

[ProGun3400]

I have never seen an "off-the shelf" 30 ft they have 20 & 40 ft units.

I second the 20' container. Check your local Craigslist. There's always an ad on ours selling them. http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/for/1038145445.html

 

[Torque1st]

Sizes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containerization#Dimensions_and_payloads

 

[jerk_chicken]

I would love to see this procedure. I've grown up around those things since mz family was in importing. Jesus, they are thick. Several times, we got ones with holes in them. Something big must have done that.

I'd also use the expanding foam or Siloprene in the seams, especially corners. We got some loads that were pretty well ruined due to rain storms and leaks we couldn't find.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

I need some enclosed storage next to my shop and would like to use a steel sea container, but only have room for 30 ft not a full 40 ft unit. Does anyone have any experience in shortening one? It seems fairly straight forward but any insight is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

They come in 20 footers...I have one. Its 8X8X20...

They are all over E-Bay for all kinds of prices...

 

[denis4x4]

Here's a pair of 20 footers with trusses/roof to give me 40' of storage and covered parking 9' wide. Total cost was about $10,000 and required no building permit as it is "temporary".

 

[fotoflojoe]

Here's a pair of 20 footers with trusses/roof to give me 40' of storage and covered parking 9' wide. Total cost was about $10,000 and required no building permit as it is "temporary".

That's pretty slick.

 

[Frank Elson]

Here in the UK a friend of mine bought an old truck with a body on it.
The plan was to lift the box into place then sell off the remains of the truck. Then the local council said he couldn't do that... but they conceded he could park the truck...
It's been there ten years now

 

[fotoflojoe]

Here in the UK a friend of mine bought an old truck with a body on it.
The plan was to lift the box into place then sell off the remains of the truck. Then the local council said he couldn't do that... but they conceded he could park the truck...
It's been there ten years now

Threadjack:

Frank, In the UK, what level of government is a council? City, county, national? What kind of authority does it have?
When someone lives in a "council flat" (UK version of the projects I think), is that the same council?
Always been curious about this. Thanks.

Now back to our regularly scheduled thread...

 

[Chestrockwell]

Containers are great I have shortened a few of them. If you don't have a forklift or OH crane I wouldn't bother because the pieces are heavy. The wall thickness is about 1/8" steel it's quite thin. Best way is to cut the end off and loose the 10' or whatever you want to, then weld the end back on. Any ureathane sealant or Sikaflex works to seal off the welds after. Spend the 4 hours or more to draw the lines exactly square and straight. A zip cutter on a 5" grinder is one of the fastest ways to do it and keep the lines straight. Plasma cutter works well but sometimes the paint on the container can throw mess up the cut. For the floor you have to think about it with a measuring tape for a while but remember that there is a metal strip about 2" wide under the seam down the middle of the can; so make sure you use a carbide tipped skill saw.

Go for it! (if you have a forklift)...

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

How about making your whole damn house out of shipping containers?

http://weburbanist.com/2008/05/26/cargo-container-homes-and-offices/

http://www.fabprefab.com/fabfiles/containerbayhome.htm

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/01/shipping_contai.php

 

[Frank Elson]

Threadjack:

Frank, In the UK, what level of government is a council? City, county, national? What kind of authority does it have?
When someone lives in a "council flat" (UK version of the projects I think), is that the same council?
Always been curious about this. Thanks.

Now back to our regularly scheduled thread...

there are city councils, town councils, rural councils, county councils... some regional councils with no legal powers...
council houses can be built by any of them... except that no council is now allowed to own houses, so they set up a "private" housing association to run ex-council houses.
Nobody understands the council system in the UK - least of all councillors.

I'm not being cute here. Can you add the vowels to "f*ck *p" ?

I live in a rural council area. They provide street lighting and...er... collect the trash bins I think. The county council look after the roads and don't grit our road into the village when it snows. So why do I pay them some of my taxes?

Back to the thread, I may start crying...

 

[jettago]

I've had the pleasure to live in one for a year or so...My side was 20'

 

[jerk_chicken]

What was the reason you lived there?

 

[Foul]

What was the reason you lived there?

looks like temporary military barracks. I'm guessing he was in Iraq.

dan

 

[Ironcrow]

I need some enclosed storage next to my shop and would like to use a steel sea container, but only have room for 30 ft not a full 40 ft unit. Does anyone have any experience in shortening one? It seems fairly straight forward but any insight is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Buy two 20 footers and stack them!

 

[johnny1290]

I've had the pleasure to live in one for a year or so...My side was 20'

I'll be damned. Do those have any kind of insulation?!? Wouldn't the walls get scorching hot?!?

 

[IDASHO]

How about making your whole damn house out of shipping containers?

I wonder if they would support the bearing load of being in-ground

 

[tatra]

yes they have been used for underground gro-ops........at least around here........damhikt.........

 

[ProGun3400]

I would love to see this procedure. I've grown up around those things since mz family was in importing. Jesus, they are thick. Several times, we got ones with holes in them. Something big must have done that.

I'll bet it was done by one of these:

 

[krooser]

They are using these things to fabricate houses... a guy near me used four 40'ers to build his house.