Fighting a box...

"SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media" (silentbutnotreallydeadly) 04/14/2020 at 02:33 • Filed to: The Sheddening

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Our inherited shipping container was dragged down from its original position on the property the other day and now sits in its new permanent location at the end of the shed.

Yesterday, I tore the remainder of the half arsed roof that the previous owner placed on it. Today, the Lad and I place it on new concrete pads and levelled it. Then I ripped out the partially rotted timber floor...

In order to be sufficiently watertight to serve as a timber store...it needs a new roof structure. That we pretty much knew.

In order for that timber to not end up sitting on the ground...it now looks like I need to replace most of the structural elements in the floor as well. Excellent.

Shipping containers. So good in principal...

Why do I do these things to myself, Oppo?

Nom De Plume > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 04/14/2020 at 02:59

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As someone who may or may not have long experience in propositions of this sort. In your climate/situation/etc how viable would you rate expending the minimum amount of time and materials into the shipping container and reduce these shortcomings through external structures of known good quality?

This is based off your assessment by inadmission the four vertical sides remain sound enough to repel the environment and what sounds like wood being stacked against them.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 04/14/2020 at 05:40

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Was that container found on the bottom of the ocean?  I’ve never seen a shipping container in that poor of shape.  Good luck with getting this usable for your purposes.  

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Nom De Plume 04/14/2020 at 06:54

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The basic frame, the walls and the doors are, being corten weathering steel, are mostly sound. This container dates from 1987 and has probably spent the best part of 20 years sitting in the Australian bush.

Since the basic container is essentially overbuilt (especially for its current role) I think I can fix it. And I think I can rebuild the floor using normal building techniques and codes. The current floor is 4 mm steel C section at roughly 270mm ( 10") centres with a 25mm ( 1") plank on top. I see no reason why I can’t go out to 450mm ( 18") centres using some local   100mm x 50mm cypress pine that I have to hand plus some flooring material that I don't...though we might now that I think on it .

Given a used but sound container of similar size would set us back around four grand delivered...I can fix it for far less but at the expense of time...

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 04/14/2020 at 07:08

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It’s well over 30 years old and has lived more than half that time sitting on the ground in the scrub. 

The roof of any container is the least durable component. Once that goes (and is mismanaged like this one has been ) then the rest of the box is impaired. This example has been further compromised by being dragged over rough ground at some point, bending and twisting some of the floor beams...

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 04/14/2020 at 08:18

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I feel like you’d be better off calling a scrapper to come pick up the container and just build a lean-to enclosure off the back of the shed.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/14/2020 at 09:15

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No scrappy would be interested given the current scrap price is 2 cents per kilogram , delivered to the yard . So...about $30?

It would probably cost me $500 in machinery time just to get rid of it. And that’s assuming that our tip 4 km away will let me leave it there...rather than at the scrappys yard which is 120 km away.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 04/14/2020 at 09:26

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Those sides would make a pretty good floor. Turn the container on its side ;)

Nom De Plume > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 04/14/2020 at 13:26

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Out of curiosity what are you planning to do for a roof? I agree a structure so overbuilt won’t need armored flooring to sit for another 20 years.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Nom De Plume 04/14/2020 at 18:16

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Probably a basic skillion using a simple C purlin frame and corrugated steel roofing.

The previous ‘roof’ was a few lengths of 90x35mm pine bolted to the long edges plus a 100x100 Oregon spine which was then covered in builders plastic and overlayed with sheet metal roofing that was split over the spine and screwed down occasionally to the outside edge.  It didn't leak much but part of it blew away shortly after it was moved into this position...

Rufant > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 05/01/2020 at 01:19

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Nice shed!

Got spare room for cars?

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Rufant 05/01/2020 at 04:23

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I’ve got a hundred acres to park cars in...and there’s tractor and farm ute parking in the shed. But, as for project cars, there’s neither time nor budget...or anything I really want to play with. Unless I get a momentous deal on a Mini Mike...

Rufant > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 05/01/2020 at 17:22

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SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Rufant 05/01/2020 at 18:52

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Fugging spellcheck