# 20 Foot Shipping Container Metal Shop



## samthedog

I have recently moved and need to move my machines. I don't have the ability to build a garage as we are renting so the plan is to make a 20 foot container my shop. I will be getting the container this week (hopefully) and then will insulate it. The plan is to have an RPC to get 230 3 phase, and a transformer to step that up to 400 volt 3 phase as well. This way I'll have 230 and 400 volt three phase outlets in the container with 230 single phase as well.

I have needed to sell on some of my machines such as my lovely Wadkin tablesaw but I will still be keeping my combination machine (table saw, planer thicknesser, morticer and spindle moulder) and wood bandsaw. 

Anyway, here is a list of the equipment I need to house in the container so that it functions as workable metal shop:

lathe
mill
metal bandsaw
combimachine
wood bandsaw
floor standing drill press
bench drill press
compressor

workbench
rolling bench with grinders
2 x large tool chests
assorted plastic trays and containers
I am not sure how I will be housing all this but the plan is to insulate with styrofoam plates 2 inches thick. I will be gluing the wall studs and the ceiling battons on. I will be using OSB sheets for the walls as it can withstand loads and will enable me to screw into the walls to hold shelves and racks.

Anyway, I am looking for ideas specifically on how to hold the machines down in the container as I will be using it as a mobile workshop and will take it with me when we move next. I am keeping it certified for sea freight on the off chance I move countries and take the shop with me. Ideas, thoughts and comments are welcome.

Paul.


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## davidh

and for heat ? ? ?  that seems to be a lot of stuff to jam in there.  the saws and floor drill should be placed at about mid point (10 feet from front or back)  two strips of lights about 18" in from walls, on both sides, full length.  don't forget a exhaust fan and fresh air inlet. . . . . 
thats quite a project looming in the dark, so to speak.


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## Franko

I considered using OSB for the interior walls of my converted carport, but opted for 3/8 BC plywood. Styrofoam is pretty good insulation. I used 5.375" slabs between the rafters. It is messy to work with. You'll have little white static charged specks everywhere for quite a while. I've found that a bandsaw is good for trimming foam to size.

You've probably already made your deal on the container, but I should mention that you _can_ get an insulated refrigeration container that  has insulated and skinned interior walls. The refrigeration compressors and stuff is removed. A friend who lives on the Gulf Coast got one for his shop.


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## ogberi

My workshop is an old reefer semi trailer with the chiller removed.  I would recommend a 40' if you can swing it, because these things are narrow.  Mine is about 7'8" wide inside.  You have to put almost everything against the walls, and space goes fast that way.  The walls are thin plywood, and I use furring strips as a frame to secure my pegboard.  Conduit and shelves that support heavy items are screwed to the ribs.  A shipping container is steel, whereas my trailer is steel framed with aluminum skin on the outside.  I have to be careful not to punch all the way through with a screw.


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## samthedog

davidh said:


> and for heat ? ? ?  that seems to be a lot of stuff to jam in there.  the saws and floor drill should be placed at about mid point (10 feet from front or back)  two strips of lights about 18" in from walls, on both sides, full length.  don't forget a exhaust fan and fresh air inlet. . . . .
> thats quite a project looming in the dark, so to speak.


 
Heat will be a small panel oil heater. Since it is so well sealed and insulated it won't require much to keep warm. I can't cut into the container as I want to retain the CSC certification in case I ship it later. I was thinking of LED spot downlights as they require very little electricity and have a longer life than flourescent tubes. I can get them quite cheap from IKEA and they will require less power which is a consideration since it is likely I will only have a 16 amp 230 volt supply.

I am having to thin oout my equipment substantially as I it will be a tight squeeze.

Paul.


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## samthedog

ogberi said:


> My workshop is an old reefer semi trailer with the chiller removed.  I would recommend a 40' if you can swing it, because these things are narrow.  Mine is about 7'8" wide inside.  You have to put almost everything against the walls, and space goes fast that way.  The walls are thin plywood, and I use furring strips as a frame to secure my pegboard.  Conduit and shelves that support heavy items are screwed to the ribs.  A shipping container is steel, whereas my trailer is steel framed with aluminum skin on the outside.  I have to be careful not to punch all the way through with a screw.


 
Unfortuantley I can't have a 40 footer as the neighbors will never forgive me. I just look at this as a challenge to showhorn 10 pounds into a 5 pound bag.

Paul.


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## brav65

My suggestion on the floor would be a couple of layers of osb T and G floor decking.  Glue and and screw the decking and you will have a very solid floor.  You can paint it with an epoxy paint and it will be bulletproof. Mount your machines directly to the osb. I am not sure what your budget is but spray in closed cell foam would fill every nook and cranny. It would also absorb sount well. Definitely bring in fresh air as mentioned above. Mitsubishi makes a Great Wall mount AC unit with a remote condenser that you could mount outside. If you have to move just disconnect the condenser and your off. 

Good luck with the project.


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## juiceclone

Always wanted to try one of those for a shop!!   I had a small one for storage a while back.--- In my experience at least, they will rust out starting at the top flat surface surprisingly quickly.  Plan on putting some serious paint into protection.  Maybe even adding some kind of "slope" to the roof?  Splash from the water running off the top also rusted the bottom 6 to 10 inches.   I guess they aren't supposed to last long in use and are discarded when they are deemed not suitable, so be careful you aren't getting one already on it's way out. 
Please show it off to us before and after . :>)  :>}


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## Franko

I was advised by a friend who rents construction storage containers and trailers to steer clear of anything but one-way containers.


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## samthedog

Franko said:


> I was advised by a friend who rents construction storage containers and trailers to steer clear of anything but one-way containers.



It is a one way container nad has 4 1/2 years CSC certification so I expect it to hold together for at least that long. It production date was 6 months ago so it's like new. I'll still get up on the roof and ensure there is no rust and do touch-ups if necessary to keep it in shape.



brav65 said:


> My suggestion on the floor would be a couple of layers of osb T and G floor decking.  Glue and and screw the decking and you will have a very solid floor.  You can paint it with an epoxy paint and it will be bulletproof. Mount your machines directly to the osb. I am not sure what your budget is but spray in closed cell foam would fill every nook and cranny.



Here in Norway that kind of insulation is expensive. The styro is the cheapest I found. I am not settled on what to use on the floor but I like the idea of T&G and epoxy. As far as I know it already has marine grade ply flooring however I want a way to strap the machines down so adding a couple extra layers would be a great way to add thickness so I can screw the machines down.

Paul.


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## brav65

samthedog said:


> It is a one way container nad has 4 1/2 years CSC certification so I expect it to hold together for at least that long. It production date was 6 months ago so it's like new. I'll still get up on the roof and ensure there is no rust and do touch-ups if necessary to keep it in shape.
> 
> 
> 
> Here in Norway that kind of insulation is expensive. The styro is the cheapest I found. I am not settled on what to use on the floor but I like the idea of T&G and epoxy. As far as I know it already has marine grade ply flooring however I want a way to strap the machines down so adding a couple extra layers would be a great way to add thickness so I can screw the machines down.
> 
> Paul.



You could try coating the roof and sides with elastomeric paint. It adhears very well and will flex with the metal as it expands and contracts.  Prime any bare metal with rust inhibiting primer then coat with the elastomeric coating. You can even have them tinted to the color you would like. 

There should be 3/4" plywood floor the additional 1-1/2" would allow for 2" of embedment of the lag bolts  which should hold the equipment down pretty well.  

If you have not priced the spray foam you should. I was surprised to find that it was only 20% more than standard batt insulation here in the states.


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## Dubbie

For my temporary home shop, I currently have a 20' container. Inside I have:
Lathe,
Mill,
Metal bandsaw,
Surface grinder,
Workbench
HT oven
Welder
Welding bench
Computer
Small Cnc desktop mill
Bench grinders
2 large rolling toolchests.

All that is a squeeze but I still get a lot done in there. 

I cannot imagine having wood tools in there as well. It would never work.


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## rrjohnso2000

Very cool. If you need to skin in wood I have to recomend plywood over osb. Screws hold so much better. Good luck on the buildout. Please keep us posted, pics too. 

I will now search usernames for pics of shops. If posters don't have them, kindly post some of your shipping container shops.


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## fastback

I also have a 8 x 20 storage container.  I bought mine to store my daughters furniture etc. after she lost her husband.  Mine was an older unit and we noticed some leaks so last fall I placed a large tarp over the top.  I'm thinking about installing a pitched roof this summer this should cure the leak problem.  I can tell you that 8 x 20 is  not all that large.  Good luck on using one for a workshop.

Paul


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## Boswell

If you can't put any holes in the container, the how about a "False" front to temporarily replace the opening. It can contain a normal door, window and A/C-heater and any other openings. You could even make it so it breaks down and can be put inside the container when you need to re-position it.


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## Ianagos

Man I'm sure you can do it ill snap some pictures of my shop  later in a 23ft box trailer. And my lathe is 15ft long and 5ft wide ha. I also have a 10"x50" mill in there a big bandsaw 8'x32" bench press and tons of other stuff.


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## cjtoombs

Before you go at putting everything in there, I would recommend getting some CAD software and making some crude space claim models of all of your tools and then using the computer to arrange them in the space.  It's not perfect, but it will give you some idea of where you can place things and how much isle space you will have.  You will need to pay attention to things like access to electrical boxes and belts that need to be changed so that you can make space for them.  It beats trying to move all that stuff around by hand and guessing at it.  It will also give you an idea of how much cabinet space and workbench space you may be able to build into it.  I've done this with my shop, and it has worked out fairly well.


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## samthedog

cjtoombs said:


> Before you go at putting everything in there, I would recommend getting some CAD software and making some crude space claim models of all of your tools and then using the computer to arrange them in the space.  It's not perfect, but it will give you some idea of where you can place things and how much isle space you will have.  You will need to pay attention to things like access to electrical boxes and belts that need to be changed so that you can make space for them.  It beats trying to move all that stuff around by hand and guessing at it.  It will also give you an idea of how much cabinet space and workbench space you may be able to build into it.  I've done this with my shop, and it has worked out fairly well.


 
I have drawn up the container on grid paper and made some cut-outs. I found this to be faster and cheaper than modelling it on CAD. So far the figures look like this:

Square meters of space in container: 13.8
Square meters of equipment combined: 6.8

This includes all the machines, tool boxes and rotating small parts storage. This didn't include a work bench as I am looking at making a folding bench to maximize space. I had allowed for taking up 2/3rds of the floor space so if I need to, I can still add a fixed bench. I have not calculated the amount of space for access to the mill and lathe yet as this could be organized so that the space needed can be combined with the walk way or open space.

Paul.


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## cjtoombs

That will work, too.  The only thing doing that won't give you is how it is going to feel trying to get around things and actually work.  I did that in my shop, but I did have to make a few adjustments after working with it, as there were things poking out that were uncomfortable to get around sometimes.  Good luck.


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## ogberi

I found that the least painful arrangement for me was to have all the machines on one side, storage and pegboard on the opposite side.  Had a nice little bruise on my back from stepping back from the drill press right into the handle of the Atlas horiz mill's Z handwheel.  Right angles may work as well in the corners if possible.  I used graph paper and cutouts, too.


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## samthedog

ogberi said:


> I found that the least painful arrangement for me was to have all the machines on one side, storage and pegboard on the opposite side.  Had a nice little bruise on my back from stepping back from the drill press right into the handle of the Atlas horiz mill's Z handwheel.  Right angles may work as well in the corners if possible.  I used graph paper and cutouts, too.


 
I have been considering going this route but it makes the container very one sided with regards to weight. This may cause some issues with stability later. I also have the added challenge that I have a wood bandsaw and metal bandsaw that are quite high and will interfere with the cupboards I will be installing. The plan is to have cupboards with plastic tubs that hold my small items so that the cupboards can be closed and locked to avoid spilling items under transport. This quite a challenging puzzle however I need to get the container insulated first, rust proofed (I am thinking of zinc cathodes attached in the walls and ceiling) and electricity connected. The placement of the powerpoints depends on machine placement of course but I need to get an RPC installed into an electrical cabinet with my transformer from 230 - 400 volt 3 phase and my step down / up from 230 - 110 single phase. Oh, and I need to get some decent lighting organized ASAP.

On a positive note, the container arrived today however I am in Houston on business so I can't do anything for 10 days 

Paul.


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## ogberi

If the machines need to be on opposite sides, offset them so you have machine on one side, cupboards floor to ceiling opposite it.  That will distribute the weight better.
I believe the sacrificial anodes will only work if there's conduction between the anode, the cathode, and the corrosive medium.  I'm not sure it'll work in air.  Maybe ospho the heck out of it, and slather on por-15?


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## samthedog

ogberi said:


> If the machines need to be on opposite sides, offset them so you have machine on one side, cupboards floor to ceiling opposite it.  That will distribute the weight better.
> I believe the sacrificial anodes will only work if there's conduction between the anode, the cathode, and the corrosive medium.  I'm not sure it'll work in air.  Maybe ospho the heck out of it, and slather on por-15?


 
Apparently the containers are made from Corten steel which by it's nature is rust resistant. Rather than bolting scarificial blocks to the container I will just build a roof for it to keep the water from pooling on horizontal surfaces and keep up the inspection and maintenance of the paint. The container is new so all I have to do is be diligent in maintenance. I am looking into my flooring options at the moment as I have purchased some recessed tie down loops while in Houston so I can secure the mill. I could only find 6 and since I am car-less while I am here I am not able to get around to the other Home Depot stores to get the rest. The plan was to have about 20 - 24 of these to secure everything when it came time to move the shop. I'll have to order the rest from ebay and have them shipped to Norway when I get back.


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## ogberi

Living in Florida, I can tell you, a sloped roof that keeps the sun off will shave a lot of temperature out of your workshop.  If the sun doesn't beat down on it, it won't get as hot.  

Norway....  For some reason, the Monty Python skit about the dead parrot keeps coming to mind..   Pining for the Fijords.....  Bea'iful plu'mage 'at!  'E's 'ust sleepin!

Douglas Adams comes to mind too.   Yeah, I'm a nerd.  Proud of it.   For some reason, everybody I know asks me to fix it, make it, or repair it.  And I usually can.   

I'll shut up now.  Had two fingers of good vodka, a good cigar, and got off work early.   Life Is Good.


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## stupoty

samthedog said:


> It is a one way container nad has 4 1/2 years CSC certification so I expect it to hold together for at least that long. It production date was 6 months ago so it's like new. I'll still get up on the roof and ensure there is no rust and do touch-ups if necessary to keep it in shape.
> 
> 
> 
> Here in Norway that kind of insulation is expensive. The styro is the cheapest I found. I am not settled on what to use on the floor but I like the idea of T&G and epoxy. As far as I know it already has marine grade ply flooring however I want a way to strap the machines down so adding a couple extra layers would be a great way to add thickness so I can screw the machines down.
> 
> Paul.



A friend of mine insulated their roof with kingspan 2 inch foam board, it has a protective foil like coating on both sides, its very very good, also very expensive but they found a source of seconds/returned sheets they had minor surface defects like creases in the foil coating, nothing major and were about 10% of the price of the pristine sheets.  

Worth having a hunt around for that sort of stuff.

Stuart


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## Mark_f

I think it will work nicely. My shop is not a container, but it is an 8 x 20 shed (Out side dimensions)(7'4" x 19'4" inside) and I have a good bit of room. Everything is against the walls and I have an isle down the center. I hang everything I can to use all the wall space.I have storage drawers and spaces under everything (floor real estate is a premium and does not get wasted). I have two lathes, a band saw,  a mill, a workbench, tool chest, a die filer, tool and cutter grinder, air compressor, two bench grinders, and a drill press. and I still have some space left for a couple more machines and a good bit of wall space left too.


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## samthedog

mark_f said:


> I think it will work nicely. My shop is not a container, but it is an 8 x 20 shed (Out side dimensions)(7'4" x 19'4" inside) and I have a good bit of room. Everything is against the walls and I have an isle down the center. I hang everything I can to use all the wall space.I have storage drawers and spaces under everything (floor real estate is a premium and does not get wasted). I have two lathes, a band saw,  a mill, a workbench, tool chest, a die filer, tool and cutter grinder, air compressor, two bench grinders, and a drill press. and I still have some space left for a couple more machines and a good bit of wall space left too.


 
After reading your post I got all inspired and roughly planned out the floor of the container. See attachment **note, grid lines are equal to 125mm or 6 inches and container doors are to the right.*

Some things to note -

The metal bandsaw does not protrude so far out normally, only when the saw is in the lowered position during cutting
The tool chest is the rolling variety and so can be rolled out of the way when the lathe needs the changewheel config. altered
The milling machine is a Deckel FP1 and therefore requires working from the side. The current position allows more room where the majority of controls are located
I have allowed excessive room for the small parts storage as it is a rotating variety
The red arrows indicate the working position of the operator
Hatched lines indicate space required for the opening of drawers, cupboards etc... of items that will be floor standing
There will be cupboards mounted on the walls, and also cupboards mounted on the doors
 
This exercise has literally been cramming 15 pounds into a 5 pound bag. I still have welders and grinders to accomodate however I think these will be mounted on the walls, along with the compressor and electrical items (RPC, transformers etc...).

Opinions are welcome.


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## catskinner

You might want to consider putting wheels on your equipment that is not bolted down. I have wheels on both of my welders and my radial arm saw. They can be wheeled out of the way when not in use, or wheeled outside weather permitting to get it out of the way or used where you have more room. Here are a couple pictures of my saw with two wheels on the back and folding handles on the front.


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## catskinner

I guess my attachments _were_ uploading sorry for the duplicates.


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## samthedog

catskinner said:


> I guess my attachments _were_ uploading sorry for the duplicates.


 
Iwas thinking about this and will have wheels on the combination machine, mill accesory cabinet and am also considering putting them on the wood bandsaw. I was thinking of downsizing the workbench as the one I have is huge and super heavy duty but having the extra space and rigidity is really nice. The metal bandsaw has wheels and that has made it very easy to move around when the mood hits me. The mill and lathe won't have wheels as I want these to be very rigid. I am considering making a special metal pallet for the lathe though to make moving easier.

I will have a challenge with stock storage. I was thinking of making a rolling rack that will slide under the work bench that I can slide out when I need to however this will  be quite heavy. You realize just how much you have when you need to start getting rid of things. I also have a bunch of shadow boards in metal that I need to hang so I am considering the wall layout next. There won't be an inch of wasted space in this shop and it will have to be kept immaculately clean otherwise it will get unmanageable very quickly.

Paul.


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## Franko

I do most of my planning with Adobe Illustrator because that's what I have and I'm pretty fluent with it. I made plan views of the shop and all my tools and storage boxes and worked with my shop layout for almost a year before starting the build. My shop is 12' x 20'.


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## ogberi

For storing rod and bar stock try cutting rings of 4" pvc pipe, about 4" long.  Screw them to the wall vertically, with spaces between the rings, maybe 3 rings, a foot apart.   You can store short and long pieces, you can see them and rummage around through the gaps, and handing a piece upwards to remove it is easy.   Keeps them together, too.  If you glue a cap to the end of one ring, you can mount it off the floor to hold smaller, shorter stock closer to chest level.


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## catskinner

ogberi said:


> For storing rod and bar stock try cutting rings of 4" pvc pipe, about 4" long.  Screw them to the wall vertically, with spaces between the rings, maybe 3 rings, a foot apart.   You can store short and long pieces, you can see them and rummage around through the gaps, and handing a piece upwards to remove it is easy.   Keeps them together, too.  If you glue a cap to the end of one ring, you can mount it off the floor to hold smaller, shorter stock closer to chest level.




I like this idea. Another solution is to put strips of angle suspended from the ceiling a few inches  where it would be up out of your way.


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## rrjohnso2000

If it was me I would start thinking even leaner. What can I live with and without. Really only you can know what you really need and what is nice to have.

I would keep the large bench, to me that is a must, but maybe you could rethink it. Maybe its only 3/4 or half in size with solid wings that pull out. Or its only half as deep and you hinge a larger top to the wall that pulls down when needed.

You have two bandsaws. Maybe one would work. You could use a variable transformer and blade swap for wood and metal. Pain in the butt, but more space. Wheels have been mentioned.

I'll assume you have a stand alone drillpress. If you changed your small parts storage to something that could roll under the table portion and over its foot you could find a little more space. Most of the time it would be fine, sometimes you would need to roll the parts storage out to drop the table. 

You mentioned making something to add stability to the lathe. I'm going to be lazy and not look back to see what mill and lathe you have. Depending on what you have maybe you could build a bit of a stand for it that puts it eight inches up the air. Build some slide out drawers for some of the heavy tooling you use once in a while. Useless if this throws off the working height. 

You mentioned cabinets on the walls. Maybe cut these down in depth. I find that once it gets packed I loose things. It cuts down on space but opens things up a bit. 

I want you work out all the bugs and let us all know because I really want to do this.


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## samthedog

rrjohnso2000 said:


> If it was me I would start thinking even leaner. What can I live with and without. Really only you can know what you really need and what is nice to have.
> 
> I would keep the large bench, to me that is a must, but maybe you could rethink it. Maybe its only 3/4 or half in size with solid wings that pull out. Or its only half as deep and you hinge a larger top to the wall that pulls down when needed.
> 
> You have two bandsaws. Maybe one would work. You could use a variable transformer and blade swap for wood and metal. Pain in the butt, but more space. Wheels have been mentioned.
> 
> I'll assume you have a stand alone drillpress. If you changed your small parts storage to something that could roll under the table portion and over its foot you could find a little more space. Most of the time it would be fine, sometimes you would need to roll the parts storage out to drop the table.
> 
> You mentioned making something to add stability to the lathe. I'm going to be lazy and not look back to see what mill and lathe you have. Depending on what you have maybe you could build a bit of a stand for it that puts it eight inches up the air. Build some slide out drawers for some of the heavy tooling you use once in a while. Useless if this throws off the working height.
> 
> You mentioned cabinets on the walls. Maybe cut these down in depth. I find that once it gets packed I loose things. It cuts down on space but opens things up a bit.
> 
> I want you work out all the bugs and let us all know because I really want to do this.


 
The large workbench is a dilemma. If you make it with wings, then stability suffers. I also have a vice and very robust drawers and a shelf under the bench which makes it useful for storage (see image).

The bandsaws are a bit tought to consolidate as one is a horizontal metal bandsaw, the other a vertical wood bandsaw. Both are industrial and the smallest industrial machines I could find. I do quite a bit of woodwork and the wood bandsaw is extremely useful for ripping down aluminium sheet stock too. Your idea of storage under the drill is a good idea and I was going to put a shop vac or the rubbish bin there as there is enough room (see attached image)

The lathe and mill have little opportunity for storage underneath (again, see attached pictures) and so I'll be depending on cupboards. On the positive side, they are only 12 inches thick so they won't take up too much head-room.

The thing that eats up the most room is the woodworking combimachine however I am very reluctant to sell it as it is such a compact, robust machine. I will however remove the mortice attachment to make it narrower (again... see attached pic)

I have attached pictures of all the machines I want in the workshop and included the workbench. It will be a tight squeeze.


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## samthedog

I have been quite busy with work lately so progress has been very slow. When downsizing the work space you end up having to change your philosophy somewhat as every piece of equipment needs to be absolutely critical to what you forsee yourself building or working on in the future.

I have had to make a choice in selling off some machines in order to have extra storage space. The storage space is critical as the machines often have many optional extras and attachment that need to be stored and without these pieces, the working potential of the machines is significantly reduced. This leaves me with a dilemma - storage on walls or storage in cupboards and drawers?

I have downsized my workbench to a rolling tool trolley that I purchased for 75% discount -


I have also bought a LIsta cabinet and the gent threw in a small drawer unit to put on the top as well. It turns out he has a great deal more of used Lista equipment so I will be picking up more since he has 2 more of these rolling units, plus a large cupboard:


And also 2 stationary drawer units that I will stack on top of each other:


As you can see they are a bit dinged up and worse for wear but I plan on dismantling them and giving them a re-spray. I am also looking into changing all the locks out to the same lock so one set of keys will open everything. As you can see, some locks are missing so this will have to be done at some point after painting anyway.

I also picked up a rotating small parts storage unit. My reasoning is that with this unit I can have hundreds of small trays in a compact package, keeping the walls free for shelves:



So that is where I am so far. I will be chasing up the rest of the materials to insulate the container later this summer. My floor plan has also had to change as I have changed my storage plan. More updates to follow as I get started on the actual insulating.

Paul.


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## brav65

Paul I love your lathe.  Did you do the restoration as it is absolutely beautiful.  This is a very interesting exercise in design.  Thanks for sharing.


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## VaBob

I know this comment wont really be that helpful to you, but.....

I just searched google images for "shipping container machine shop" and got some interesting photos.  Seems like "re-purposing" old shipping containers is the new hip and posh thing to do.  Everything from mobil concert stages, offices, work space, and living spaces.  You might browse through some of them and get some ideas from there also.


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## samthedog

brav65 said:


> Paul I love your lathe.  Did you do the restoration as it is absolutely beautiful.  This is a very interesting exercise in design.  Thanks for sharing.



Believe it or not I didn't do anything but change the motor to star configuration, changed the contactor and just toushed up the chip tray a little with a lick of paint. The machine was in exceptional shape when I bought it. It had 1 owner from new which babied it from when he had it delivered in 65. When he passed away it went into storage for a while and then I bought it. You can still see the grind lines in the bed and the screws have zero backlash to speak of.


VaBob said:


> I know this comment wont really be that helpful to you, but.....
> 
> I just searched google images for "shipping container machine shop" and got some interesting photos.  Seems like "re-purposing" old shipping containers is the new hip and posh thing to do.  Everything from mobil concert stages, offices, work space, and living spaces.  You might browse through some of them and get some ideas from there also.



I did look all over the internet for ideas and found very little for a metal / hobby shop. There is a lot of info on making micro homes and such but nearly nothing that was particularly useful for building and planning out a workshop. This is one of the reasons why I wanted to document my journey and thoughts. I also want to document how I insulate, wire and light the container so others can use this as a guide later. All in all it is a very cheap alternative to building a shop and if you are only renting, it makes perfect sense if you have room for a container.

Paul.


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## samthedog

I have now sourced styrofoam panels and reflective foil for the walls. I will use 20 mm styro panels and cover them with the reflective sheeting. I will then use 9 mm ply over that. The flooring will be refelctive foil with 21 mm water resistant ply over that. I will screw the floor panels down and recess tie down loops into the floor.

I am also looking into having a travelling bridge crane so that removal of the mill table and head will be much easier. I will be picking up the crane and trolley on Friday and will be checking out some extruded aluminium as the beidge. It will only be holding 250 kg over an 8 foot span so I think the aluminium I have sourced will be plenty strong enough.

I have also picked up the cabinets and will be sanding and respraying them. SO far things are looking on track however I need to get the walls and ceiling sorted out so that I can control the temperature inside a little better.

Paul.


----------



## Jim Nunn

I have seen several sea/land containers converted to electrical control rooms in rock plants and in the Oil patch.  They build a false floor 12 to 18 inches above the floor this allows them to run all the power and control lines in the "basement".  Most floors are made out of 2 x 10 planks screwed to a steel stud frame built on close centers.  This may not be rigid enough for machine tools but you get the idea.

Jim


----------



## samthedog

Jim Nunn said:


> I have seen several sea/land containers converted to electrical control rooms in rock plants and in the Oil patch.  They build a false floor 12 to 18 inches above the floor this allows them to run all the power and control lines in the "basement".  Most floors are made out of 2 x 10 planks screwed to a steel stud frame built on close centers.  This may not be rigid enough for machine tools but you get the idea.


Hello Jim, we do the same thing with our offshore containers. I will have a rotary phase converter, a 3 phase transformer and a single phase transformer wall mounted. I plan on having the ability to plug any input voltage into the container and get the required single and 3 phase out. This however will require an electrical cabinet and access. Since the space is so tight, I will also run the wiring on the walls so that I have the ability to move power points as I tune the layout.

I have also just purchased the H beams I will be using for the bridge crane rails and for the span on the ctane. I need to order some skateboard wheels for the crane to roll on and some scrap metal to make the mounting brackets. I have a friend who is a welder so he will weld the rails up for me. This needs to be done before I put up the walls and ceiling so I will carefully plan the dimensions and location for the mounting points.
I am spending extra time planning now so that I won't run into any major problems.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

Well things have been a little slow. I figured that I would like to have a rolling bridge crane to help me change the milling tables and heads. It will also come in handy for storing heavy items like my anvil up on my tool cabinets. It makes sense to install this before I start with the insulation so the heat from the welding won't melt the styrofoam. I was lucky to be able to pick up the winch / crane, the trolley and the H beams all in one trip for a very reasonable price:




Since I need a table saw to rip down the wall studs to the right size and won't have 3 phase on for a while I decided to purchase a small diesel generator. It's 4.5 KVA and has dual 3 phase and single so I can use it for the machines I need to use to get the container sorted. I wanted to get a decent genset straight away and stumbled onto a used Yanmar YDG5500 TE that has electric start. It was used on rare occasions so it appears to be in good shape. I tried to get a half decent generator straight away as this has been on my list of must have items for a long time.This will provide my power needs in the immediate future.


The next step is to fetch my bandsaw, angle grinder and metal brackets that will hold the H beams in place. My neighbor who was a professional welder said he will do the welding for me. I then need to ensure the materials show up so I can get a start on insulating the container.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

I repaired the generator today so it is now operational. I now have power to rip down the studs I'll use on the walls. The problem with genny turned out to be a stuck fuel pump piston. It took me about an hour and a half of fiddling with it but I eventually got it loose. After re-assembly and bleeding the fuel lines, I gave the pull started a single pull and it came to life. All voltage readings were correct so I was a very happy camper indeed. 

I'll be picking up some tools this week to help me dimension the materials for the container. Photos to follow as I make progress.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

It has been a hectic last week. Inbetween rainfall and bedtime I have been working non-stop on the container. The first step was to pick up all the materials.




I chose to reinforce the floor with 21mm waterproof ply wood. I ground the underside so that the building glue would stick well to the surface and hold it down to the 25mm untreated ply beneath. Once the floor was glued it was also screwed down, then  I started on the wall studs. I tried to optimize the work flow by setting up a saw station with stops at the appropriate lengths to save time.







Once the wall studs were in I glue up ceiling battons. I then moved on to the doors and began installation of the styrofoam insulation on the walls.




Since the idea is the machines can be strapped down for transit, I needed to cut out the walls where the tie-downs were located. My first pass was with a smaller hole-saw as I didn't have access to my large hole saw at that time.




I located my larger hole saw and cut out the styro and the ply seperately as I didn't want to risk cracking the insulation on breaking the fragile edge of the ply.




We have begun screwing up the walls as well now. As you can see we have pre-painted the ply (my friend Oreste painting in the picture) and the horizontal wall braces. I chose a light machine grey for the walls and the same blue colour as my machine cabinets to tie everything in together. I wanted a wall colour that would not be too bright to reduce glare and eye strain since I will be using flouro lights.







I have had to stop as it's time to weld up the H beams in the corners for the rolling bridge crane. I have cut all the brackets and and the H beams to length and ground all the weld points in the container and on the H beams and brackets. I am just waiting on a friend with the appropriate welding ticket to weld everything.

Although containers look quite precise there is huge variation and tolerances are very sloppy to what I am used to even in the carpentry game. I have spent hours on the planer to shave down the door studs so that the ply wood will not put too much strain on the glue when it is screwed onto the walls. I have also had the help from my friend and his son. This has been very valuable as the window of opportunity between rain is often short and they have really helped speed things along. Their German attention to detail means they have done a top job and require no supervision at all making the process very fast. More photos to follow as I make more progress.

Paul.


----------



## JimDawson

That's going to be a nice shop, looks great!


----------



## JPigg55

I did the same thing, finishing out a 20' shipping container for my shop. Might not be enough room for all your machines.
Mine, I framed it out with 2X4's and fiberglass insulation and sheeted with 3/4" tongue and grove OSB. Drilled holr for power and connected 100 amp 220v breaker box with wiring ran through surface mounted conduit.
Flooring in theses is 3/4" marine plywood. You need to find the floor crossmembers for mountin bolts. I tried lag bolts, but they kept pulling out.
I currently have the following in it:
SB 9A lathe with original cabinet
Clausing 8520 mill
New floor mounted drill press from Lowes (don't rememberr the brand right off)
5' steel work bench
HF power hack saw
Miller stick welder
Couple self built shelves
I went this way for a couple different reasons, but same idea as wanting to sell house and wanted it moveable and no property tax issues.
Not much room left for anything with room to work. Plus side is I can heat it with a small 2 settings (1300 watt/1500 watt) electric heater and cool it with a 5,000 BTU window AC unit.
I'll post some pic's later to give you idea of room.


----------



## Wheresmywrench?

I would like to put two 20 foot ones beside each other and cut an opening in the sides to join them together for a shop.


----------



## John Hasler

Wheresmywrench? said:


> I would like to put two 20 foot ones beside each other and cut an opening in the sides to join them together for a shop.


Set them 8' apart and roof over the space for storage.


----------



## samthedog

My friend (and landlord) Frank who is a welder came over this afternoon and we managed to get the H beams for the travelling bridge crane welded up in place. I over specc'ed the supports as I only needed 3 but wanted to leave nothing to chance and used 5 per beam instead. This means I have a clean run to get the rest of the walls and doors insulated and sheeted tomorrow and Tuesday.






This will allow me enough time to install my RPC, transformer and electrical sockets throughout the week. I will also install recessed tie down loops into the floor but will wait until the machines are in before I do this. I also have 3 more cabinets to paint before moving in the machines. I will wait to paint the drwaer faces as this can be done even after the machines are in place.

Paul.


----------



## fastback

I haven't had time to read all of the post to date but  thought I would offer some advice. First, you should install some type of air exchange.  Some insulations have off gasses, you may want to check into the one you are using.  Second, if you intend to work in this container in the winter you need some fresh air coming in.  I would also install some type of automatic lighting in the event of a power outage.  Without windows it would be black as pitch without lights.  You could become confused and walk in to something.  Even generators have problems.  One other thing make sure that the box can not be locked with you inside.  I know that this sound strange, but you can not be too safe.

Paul


----------



## samthedog

fastback said:


> I haven't had time to read all of the post to date but  thought I would offer some advice. First, you should install some type of air exchange.  Some insulations have off gasses, you may want to check into the one you are using.  Second, if you intend to work in this container in the winter you need some fresh air coming in.  I would also install some type of automatic lighting in the event of a power outage.  Without windows it would be black as pitch without lights.  You could become confused and walk in to something.  Even generators have problems.  One other thing make sure that the box can not be locked with you inside.  I know that this sound strange, but you can not be too safe.
> 
> Paul



I will have sensor lights that are battery and use LED's so when the container is opened they will automatically turn on above the light switch. I believe the insulation is stable as it is a styrofoam based and the MSDS states that after 1 - 2 weeks of expansion it releases pentane so slowly that only if heated above 70 degrees C does it pose any explosives risk and it appears that the health risk for gas release of my particular insulation is extremely low:

http://www.sundolitt.dk/download.aspx?object_id=7BAA7A369AA44950AB7974503F06D958.pdf

That said, I am looking into installing a small ventilator to add to the vents already present on the container of which there are 8 in total. 

The ability to get locked in has concerned me so I will be fitting a deadbolt on the inside so that when engaged, the doors won't be able to be locked from the outside. Thanks for the comments though as they are all valid and I had to consider these carefully before I went with my particular space solution and materials selection.

Paul.


----------



## Charles Spencer

In Afghanistan two of us shared a shipping container as an office.  We had a false front just inside the double doors.  It had a regular door, windows, and a heat pump.  At the end of the day we could close and lock the outer doors.  I suppose we could have done the same at both ends but there were just too many cobras out back.


----------



## samthedog

I have started insulating the ceiling yesterday and today I will be finishing it off. I am hoping to have all the sheeting done today and will start putting up tool boards, shelves and electrical. I will be wall mounting the compressor and also the rpc, transformer and circuit breaker. There are also retractable compressor hoses and electrical extensions to put up.

I am still uncertain regarding how many lights to install. I have 3 at the moment but am considering one more. The only problem is that I have a single 16 amp 230 volt supply so I don't want to overrun the supply with utilities like lighting and heat / cooling. Pictures to follow of the shop set up in it's current state.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

I have now finished the ceiling and touching up the paint work where I have scraped the walls or welding slag has marred the paint. I am in the process of installing the electrical and have so far installed the lights.




I chose natural flouro tubes as they make the colours seem more natural and reduce eye strain. I can always change them to brighter tubes later if they prove to be too dim. The electrical system will be outside the walls as this is the normal practice in Norway and conduit is not a requirement unless the system is internal.




The plan is to have the single phase inlet which goes to a double power point and to the lights. A heater will be connected to the power point and the RPC will also connect to the power point. From the RPC I will then run power to a mobile electrical cabinet which has 4 circuits with circuit breakers - 1 3 phase and 3 single phase circuits. The fused circuits will run all the power points while the heat, light and RPC will be fused from the house's breaker. I have done this as the mobile cabinet requires 3 phase input and I don't want to have the RPC spinning in order to have heat and light in the workshop.

Going has been a bit slow due to the bad weather but I am on the home stretch now. I am also finished with my holidays now so everything I do has to be done in the evenings after work 

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

A quick update- I am currently looking at replacing my old air compressor with a dental unit. I know they are smaller and usually only have a max pressure of 110 psi with constant 80 psi but for their size and low sound, I think a dental type would be ideal in my shop. I am also heading out to pik up the electrical cabinet tonight so I can get the power points up. The RPC should be arriving tomorrow so things are getting close to being completed now.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

The RPC arrived and I have had a chance to test it. It is working well however my power budget is pretty tight. I currently have-

3000 Watt RPC
500 Watt heater
224 Watts for lighting
This gives me a total of 3724 Watts on a 16 amp, 230 volt single phase circuit. This gives me a peak draw of 16.2 amps. This means I really have to manage the inrush current to my various machines, specifically the lathe and mill which are both 2.2 kW machines. I have also made the decision to sell my old faithful compressor and go with a "silent" dental compressor. It is a Dürr unit like this one:




It is a 3 cylinder, 3 phase unit with maximum pressure of 10 bar but only produces about 72 decibels of noise.

The compressor is 1.5 kW so it is unlikely I would want the compressor and mill / lathe running at the same time. I'll keep plugging away. More pictures to follow when I get the wiring completed.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

I have been working on the wiring but it's looking like a dog's breakfast. I have a friend who is an electrician and he offered to help me get it sorted out. I think I will take him up on the offer.

I picked up the dental compressor today. It works however there have been some dimbulbs fiddling with it. The water seperator and condensator has been bypassed meaning that instead of blowing dry air, the air is humid. I will be fixing the seperator unit and re-attaching it. Anyway, pictures or it didn't happen:







I did test out the compressor and it works and is extremely quiet. It was also bigger than I expected and is far heavier than my old compressor was owing to the 3 cylinders. More pictures to follow as I set up all the tool boards in the garage.

Paul.


----------



## extropic

I just found and read your thread. I wish you the best of luck with all aspects, and I know you're fully committed to your approach(es). However, I'll offer a couple of comments as food for thought  for yourself and other readers.

Your placement of the metal cutting band saw near the rear limits the length of cut stock severely (less than 5 feet?). Can you swap locations with the workbench?
Apparently, you have more faith in the adhesive/paint system, holding the studs to the walls, than I do. I expected that the studs would be mechanically restrained from moving away from vertical, in addition to the adhesive. Maybe the magnitude of my imagined loads on the paneling and horizontals are far greater than you plan. I hope that paint is well is well stuck to the interior walls, or did you remove to bare metal at adhesive locations?


----------



## samthedog

extropic said:


> I just found and read your thread. I wish you the best of luck with all aspects, and I know you're fully committed to your approach(es). However, I'll offer a couple of comments as food for thought  for yourself and other readers.
> 
> Your placement of the metal cutting band saw near the rear limits the length of cut stock severely (less than 5 feet?). Can you swap locations with the workbench?
> Apparently, you have more faith in the adhesive/paint system, holding the studs to the walls, than I do. I expected that the studs would be mechanically restrained from moving away from vertical, in addition to the adhesive. Maybe the magnitude of my imagined loads on the paneling and horizontals are far greater than you plan. I hope that paint is well is well stuck to the interior walls, or did you remove to bare metal at adhesive locations?



I glued some studs up, then proceeded to hang from them in an attempt to pull them off the walls. Add to that, the horizontal blue pieces are also glued to the walls. There is also styrofoam, plywood and the blue horizontal pieces supporting the walls against shear. The only way to pull the studs off the walls is pulling perpendicular to the walls which isn't going to happen. In fact, there will only be toolboards mounted on the walls.
I thought about grinding off the paint until I tested the studs and couldn't pull them off the walls. This was a testament to the adherence of the paint and the super expensive glue I used.

Also, the latest rendition of the workshop is plan is below:



With this plan, the bandsaw can be rolled out providing clearance for longer pieces as the long pieces will fit down the middle "coridor".


----------



## extropic

Thanks for the reply. 
Some how I had the idea that you planned on mounting cabinets to the walls. Maybe that was someone else or I just imagined it. Anyway, no fear with just tool boards.
The latest floor plan solves my saw/stock length issue too.

I should have mentioned before, your bridge crane will be a joy every time you use it. You're doing a great job.


----------



## samthedog

extropic said:


> Thanks for the reply.
> Some how I had the idea that you planned on mounting cabinets to the walls. Maybe that was someone else or I just imagined it. Anyway, no fear with just tool boards.
> The latest floor plan solves my saw/stock length issue too.
> 
> I should have mentioned before, your bridge crane will be a joy every time you use it. You're doing a great job.


 
Thanks  I had decided against cabinets since the container is so small, I didn't want to make it feel any smaller by having cabinets at eye level. I also have a way of mounting brackets to the H beams to mount heavy items so I don't have to mount anything heavy on the walls although I am really trying to keep the walls clean.

This has really been an exercise in patience and perseverance. I also have had to be brutal in deciding what to keep and what to get rid of since the floor area is so tiny.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

extropic said:


> Thanks for the reply.
> Some how I had the idea that you planned on mounting cabinets to the walls. Maybe that was someone else or I just imagined it. Anyway, no fear with just tool boards.



I should tell you that you did make me nervous though. I rang a friend yesterday who works with offshore containers and spoke to him about the paint / glue issue. His opinion was that the painting process is carefully regulated and must follow precise processes so the adhesion and holding to the paint would be better than adhesion to bare metal. He said the primer and paint used is extremely tough and is design to take abuse without chipping or flaking easily as these containers are often ill treated and must hold out against rust for at least 5 years.

I redid half of the wiring with a friend of mine last night. I wasn't happy with how it looked when I did it the first time and when I move the rest of the machines in, it will be nearly impossible to get to the cables. We decided to use ducting this time around instead as it looks neater. The cables are quite large as I decided to go with 2.5mm square rather than the standard 1.5mm square cables for the 3 phase supply.




I'll be installing an electrical contactor as well so I can control the RPC that feeds the electrical panel. I still have not tidied up the RPC as this will take a little more creativity and finesse to make it a feature rather than trying to hide it away from view. More to come this evening when we finish the wiring.

Paul.


----------



## extropic

You're just showing off now. 

Those grey/blue receptacles look like they might be expensive. Care to share?

Are your peg boards a commercial product or did you do the high gloss finish? What material are they? Looking very good.


----------



## samthedog

extropic said:


> You're just showing off now.
> 
> Those grey/blue receptacles look like they might be expensive. Care to share?
> 
> Are your peg boards a commercial product or did you do the high gloss finish? What material are they? Looking very good.


 
 The receptacles are the 3 phase outlets and they are not that expensive - about 12 USD. We have a store here called Biltema where they sell most of this stuff and nearly everything is made in China hence the low price. I also bought the tool boards there. The boards are high gloss enamel paint on sheet metal and there are a large number of different brackets and shelves available for the boards which is why I went with this solution - and also because it is reasonably cheap by Norwegian standards.

I did some more wiring last night with an electrician friend and am nearly done. I will be installing an electrical contactor between the mains and the RPC as well just to make sure everything can be safely turned off. We redid some wiring yesterday as my friend (who is a perfectionist) couldn't sleep as he was unhappy with some of the cables in the ducting. I always trust the instinct of people who take pride in their work so we went back and redid some of the wiring to a standard he was happy with. Once we were done I then set up my handtools on the tool boards so we can easily locate what we are looking for.

As I am getting closer to finishing I am realizing how much work it will be to get all the drawers and cabinets organized. I have accumulated alot of random components in the off chance I will find a use for them one day. Now I no longer have room so I am having to be quite pragmatic and strict about what I choose to keep.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

I have now finished the wiring of all the outlets and all that is left is the enclosure for the RPC!  I have also set up my old tool boards so I no longer need to search for my most commonly used tools.







I have also moved in the drill press and the laptop. I went with a stand to keep the workbench free from clutter. This way the laptop can be swung out of the way.




The cabinets I bought for the container were in pretty bad shape so I have also re/painted them now. I will paint the drawer faces later. Some before and after shots:







And this is the final result:










I have also been working on removing the labels from my small parts storage. That has been a huge job as I have had to glue some of trays as they were cracked and have had to wash every tray as well. I will hopefully get the RPC boxed up and mounted tomorrow and should fetch the last cabinet over the weekend. The last cabinet is large and needs repainting and some body work. More pictures to follow...

Paul.


----------



## brav65

That looks more like a surgery suite than a shop!  You are going to give Darkzero a run for the cleanest shop around.  Absolutely beautiful work!  Thanks, Brooks slinks off to clean up his messy shop....


----------



## samthedog

brav65 said:


> That looks more like a surgery suite than a shop!  You are going to give Darkzero a run for the cleanest shop around.  Absolutely beautiful work!  Thanks, Brooks slinks off to clean up his messy shop....



Don't sweat it Brooks, it's only clean like this because I have such a small space I can't afford any clutter. 

I can't find all the brackets I would like to have on the walls so I have decided to buy a finger brake to make a few oil pans and brackets. In a shop this size you can't have a 40 inch unit so I have opted for a 24 inch brake. I am going to pick it up next Tuesday. I will be making alot from aluminium so I hope the max thickness of 1.25mm applies to steel:







Don't ask how much these cost in Norway,it will terrify you  I am of course buying it secondhand and will likely mount it on a cabinet. I'll post more pictures of the RPC and bench tops when I get back from church.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

I spent some time yesterday boxing up the RPC:













The inside will have sound deadening and a labyrinth air intake and exhaust. It will also have a pererspex door to seal in the noise. I also repaired the emergency stop on my drill press:




Set up the compressor and hose reel:




And installed a white board for sketches and calculations:




So I now have 3 phase and single phase shop power, shop air and my drill press up and running. I need to finish the RPC enclosure and move in the other machines this week. I am trying my best to stay busy and tackle a few tasks each day.

Paul.


----------



## extropic

Just gorgeous Paul.

I was wondering what your plan is to secure all your rolling gear (cabinets and machines) for transit.

"To be revealed at a later date" would be an acceptable answer. I can wait. I just don't want to miss it.

Keep up the great work.


----------



## samthedog

extropic said:


> Just gorgeous Paul.
> 
> I was wondering what your plan is to secure all your rolling gear (cabinets and machines) for transit.
> 
> "To be revealed at a later date" would be an acceptable answer. I can wait. I just don't want to miss it.
> 
> Keep up the great work.


 
No great mystery for how I'll secure the cabinets. I added 21mm waterproof ply to the floor specifically to add thickness so I have 40mm of wood to screw into the floor. I bought a bunch of recessed pan fittings like these:

http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Ratch...-Rings-D-Ring-Tie-downs/Pan-Fitting-5-000-Lbs

I will use the router and rout out recesses and the fittings will be glued in, then coach screwed into the floor. This will allow me to strap from the H beams in the top corners to the floor to hold the cabinets against the walls, and then from tie-down points that are in the bottom of the walls to the recessed pan fittings for my machines like the lathe and mill. The pan fittings don't have to hold a massive amount of weight as the container should never be flipped upside down, they just have to stop the equipment from tipping or sliding around under transit by truck, rail or ship.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

I didn't get a whole lot done in the last couple days. Yesterday was my wife's birthday so had dinner plans and today I fetched my mill cabinet and the finger brake. I did however get the cabinet insulated with sound deadening material, installed the hinges, latches and the handle:




I will finish installing the start and stop switches into the perspex tomorrow. I also installed a motion sensing light so if the power goes out, I can find the electrics and the door:




I had to spend some time cleaning the finger brake as it had a little light rust, but worst of all was that the person the seller bought it from used it to stub out cigarettes. I used some Jif on the cigarette burns and some fine emry paper and WD on the rust and it came up pretty good:




More to follow as I make more progress on the cabinet and moving in the machines.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

Yesterday was such good weather that I took advantage of my flex time and took the day off from work. I had moved the mill cabinet on tuesday night and didn't want to move it in until I could straighten it out and paint it. I had been moved with a forklift and was suffering from a "frown" in the metalwork.
The doors before:



The cabinet before:



The frown:



The finished product:






There was a lot of work in this cabinet. I had to;

Disassemble
Straighten out the panels- notch out where the metal was stretched and make bracing

Remove the contact cemented rubber on the top, then remove the rubber by scraping with thinners
Strip the paint from all the screws
Sand all the panels
Remove the rust and prime with zinc primer
Re-assemble
I still have to mount it on a base with wheels and move it into the workshop. 

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

Today has been a really busy day. I picked up the lathe, milling machine and bandsaw:




We managed to load everything without incident. My friend Bjørn brought a lifting frame and we used a chain hoist to lift the lathe onto a pallet:




On the way home we stopped to check the straps but it seemed like everything was holding. We passed a roadside burger joint where there were a bunch of motorcyclists. They stopped eating and pointed out the convoy of machines.




My landlord and a friend of his with a tractor helped me offload the machines. Bjørn stayed to lend a hand and his pallet jack was very convenient to have.







I have now put all the machines in the container but have quite a bit more to do to tidy up inside. I need to make some bench tops and some wooden tops for the cabinets so I can stack items on them. More pictures to follow of the inside as I get things in order.

Paul.


----------



## bjornsh67

Hi Paul,

Good to see all your machines placed safely into your container. I know you have been extremly buzy finnish this amazing project.

Your workshop container is awesome.

If project of the month has a workshop category, this is a great candidate.

Bjorn


----------



## samthedog

bjornsh67 said:


> Hi Paul,
> 
> Good to see all your machines placed safely into your container. I know you have been extremly buzy finnish this amazing project.
> 
> Your workshop container is awesome.
> 
> If project of the month has a workshop category, this is a great candidate.
> 
> Bjorn



Thanks again for the help Bjørn. I couldn't have done it without your help today and I owe you big time! I will spend some time on tidying up the shop tomorrow and will snap some pictures.

Paul.


----------



## brav65

Excellent progress Paul!  It is a beauty to behold. I can't even take a picture of my shop it is such a mess.  I'm a single dad, so when I do make into the shop I don't always pick up,after myself.


----------



## samthedog

brav65 said:


> Excellent progress Paul!  It is a beauty to behold. I can't even take a picture of my shop it is such a mess.  I'm a single dad, so when I do make into the shop I don't always pick up,after myself.



The only reason I have this shop is because my wife understood how much having my own space and the ability to make things means to me. People keep asking me how I convinced my wife to go for this idea but the truth is it really was her idea for me to have a movable shop after we sold our house. She's been looking after the kids while I have literally spent every spare second getting the container up and running.

We'll see how long it stays clean for. I really have such a small space that any clutter quickly makes working in the container unmanagable. I still have some storage issues to resolve and will likely need to put some shelves in over the lathe and the mill to help reduce clutter on cupboards and cabinets.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

Here is an update...

I ended up making a few bench tops, drawer inserts, cut out some rubber matting and hung the first aid kit today to allow me to do a tidy of the shop. I could put a few things away however I still have some shelves to make, the crane to build and the platform out the front of the container to construct. I also need to level the container as it is a bit off and the drawers in some cabinets roll out when you open the doors making things inconvenient. Anyway here are some pictures:

A before picture:




... And a current state:

With the main entry open:




Both doors, which will lead out to the platform where the woodworking machines will be rolled out to in order to reduce dust and increase work space:




A look down the main machining wall:




A view from the back of the garage to the front:




The cabinet I had just painted, at home opposite the mill:




The bench top with the vice mounted:




So that's it so far. When the crane is finished I'll lift the lathe from the pallet and place it on the floor. I'll be making some rolling bases for the bandsaw and the woodworking combi machine. I will also be neatening up the wiring on the RPC this coming weekend. I have a lot of organizing to do now as many of the drwaers are empty and some are just filled with bits and pieces with no real order to them. More photos to follow as I make progress.

Paul.


----------



## extropic

I'm enjoying your thread immensely.

I'm going to be interested to see what your "platform" turns out to be. Primarily, do you intend to lower/raise it when opening/closing the door(s) (my preference) or will you build a stationary base platform and add something to bring the surface up to floor height after the doors are open, or move the whole thing? Moving bits around is probably cheaper but a PITA and besides, you have to store them when not in use. Non-trivial project, either way.


----------



## samthedog

extropic said:


> I'm enjoying your thread immensely.
> 
> I'm going to be interested to see what your "platform" turns out to be. Primarily, do you intend to lower/raise it when opening/closing the door(s) (my preference) or will you build a stationary base platform and add something to bring the surface up to floor height after the doors are open, or move the whole thing? Moving bits around is probably cheaper but a PITA and besides, you have to store them when not in use. Non-trivial project, either way.



Thanks! The platform will be stationary and I think I will just opt for ramps to roll the machines in and out. The door hitches are what cause the most problems as they extend so far down. I could remove 2 arcs from the platform to allow the doors to swing open, allowing me to have the platform match the height of the container. I am still not decided. 

I have not done anything more since the weather is wet at the moment.

Paul.


----------



## Firestopper

Really coming together nicely. Reminds me of a shop found aboard a small Navy ship (only nicer). 
Keep the updates coming Paul.


----------



## Round in circles

Franko said:


> I considered using OSB for the interior walls of my converted carport, but opted for 3/8 BC plywood. Styrofoam is pretty good insulation. I used 5.375" slabs between the rafters. It is messy to work with. You'll have little white static charged specks everywhere for quite a while. I've found that a bandsaw is good for trimming foam to size.
> 
> You've probably already made your deal on the container, but I should mention that you _can_ get an insulated refrigeration container that  has insulated and skinned interior walls. The refrigeration compressors and stuff is removed. A friend who lives on the Gulf Coast got one for his shop.



The ex fridge/ freezer   containers are fantastic .. we had two mobile mortuary / pathology  containers  for the honey production side of the  farm.
One still with sink,  bench and all manner of marine grade fittings & internal electrics .  We disconnected the redundant wiring where the generator had been , sealed the holes with a gasketed plate and put in our own 3 phase male socket , bringing the power in via a heavy fly lead from  one of the pout buildings .

No problems in  winter due to condensation for we had 2 x 25 watt bulbs wired in parallel on in each container 24/7 and a small fan to circulate the air.
In the store container we also added a stand alone dehumidifier to stop any chance of the finished jars getting rusted lids ..it worked well.


----------



## Round in circles

Make a removable wooden or metal slope to get in & out once the back door is open if you make it like a draw bridge you can pull it up and close the door whilst working inside so long as you have plenty of fresh air coming in & bad air being taken out .

That CSC   does it not allow sealed  fixings to be used in the side walls & flooring ?  I seem  the recall that in the fridge bodies we had had no end of sealed anchoring on them that held internal bars & beams  to fix the equipment and wall coverings  so there was no cold bridge path present .

 Fixing things.
If you have a standard corrugated mild steel sheet outer skin  can you use all manner of bolts such as coach bolts or  TEC screws  to put in from the outside  in the depressions of the corrugations and then bolt or screw them to internal bearers or runners runners just ensure that all the bolts & screw heads have decent sealing washers on them.

    I'd also have a serious think about raising the container up on some concrete block piers to allow you to get underneath for you might find it advantageous to  put through bolts up through the floors to secure machinery ..
You may need reinforcing strips for each bolt hole and again a decent compressible rubber seal to keep things water tight .   You can use square steel stand off sleeves /round  tubes of steel with nice big thick washers fitted  to stop you dragging the metal & flooring together


----------



## samthedog

Round in circles said:


> Make a removable wooden or metal slope to get in & out once the back door is open if you make it like a draw bridge you can pull it up and close the door whilst working inside so long as you have plenty of fresh air coming in & bad air being taken out .
> 
> That CSC   does it not allow sealed  fixings to be used in the side walls & flooring ?  I seem  the recall that in the fridge bodies we had had no end of sealed anchoring on them that held internal bars & beams  to fix the equipment and wall coverings  so there was no cold bridge path present .
> 
> Fixing things.
> If you have a standard corrugated mild steel sheet outer skin  can you use all manner of bolts such as coach bolts or  TEC screws  to put in from the outside  in the depressions of the corrugations and then bolt or screw them to internal bearers or runners runners just ensure that all the bolts & screw heads have decent sealing washers on them.
> 
> I'd also have a serious think about raising the container up on some concrete block piers to allow you to get underneath for you might find it advantageous to  put through bolts up through the floors to secure machinery ..
> You may need reinforcing strips for each bolt hole and again a decent compressible rubber seal to keep things water tight .   You can use square steel stand off sleeves /round  tubes of steel with nice big thick washers fitted  to stop you dragging the metal & flooring together


 
I don't think I am allowed to make any changes to the outside at all. This was one of the reasons I opted to use glue for the walls and scoured all the shops for screws that wouldn't penetrate the floor. I will be lifting the container onto concrete blocks. In fact the delivery guy was supposed to have dropped it off on the blocks I set out for him but like a fope, he just left it wherever he wanted and left. I had so much drama with the company I opted not to bother with trying to get them back to do the job properly.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

I was looking for a small tool and cutter grinder since I have several hundred HSS endmills, shell mills and boring bars. I came across a Clarkson MK II for 600 USD. It was in great shape since the owner had it from new and ran a single man job shop. It is quite basic however it has a tiny footprint compared to most other grinders I have seen and will allow me to sharpen all the various cutting tools I have. Anyway, a picture is worth a thousand words:


----------



## bjornsh67

Hi Pauls,

That one is perfect for your shop!

Bjorn


----------



## samthedog

bjornsh67 said:


> Hi Pauls,
> 
> That one is perfect for your shop!
> 
> Bjorn


Thanks Bjørn. I think we are finally getting to a point where our shops are equipped for most tasks. We just have to start using all the equipment 

I picked up a huge grinding wheel from work today that I'll be taking to the waterjet cutters to have converted to grinding wheels for the Clarkson. I think I may be able to get at least 1 or 2 usable wheels from it....


----------



## uncle harry

samthedog said:


> I was looking for a small tool and cutter grinder since I have several hundred HSS endmills, shell mills and boring bars. I came across a Clarkson MK II for 600 USD. It was in great shape since the owner had it from new and ran a single man job shop. It is quite basic however it has a tiny footprint compared to most other grinders I have seen and will allow me to sharpen all the various cutting tools I have. Anyway, a picture is worth a thousand words:
> 
> Thou shalt not complain !


----------



## Franko

I know squat about tool grinders, but that one looks like a doozie, Samthedog.


----------



## sgisler

What a beaut, great score!


Stan,
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## middle.road

I was browsing this thread last night. Drifted off to sleep realizing that I must be the most disorganized shop junkie around.
When I get into the shop today I'll have to analyze what the devil I'm doing wrong.

All that into a short shipping container. WOW. Adds a whole new definition to 'Space Utilization'.

Looking at the pics, and the difference between items available over the pond and here, I want some of that pegboard and the holders.
I've never seen holders like that. I'd also like to find a step stool with steps like that. The Rubbermaid I use is a bit risky.


----------



## samthedog

middle.road said:


> I was browsing this thread last night. Drifted off to sleep realizing that I must be the most disorganized shop junkie around.
> When I get into the shop today I'll have to analyze what the devil I'm doing wrong.
> 
> All that into a short shipping container. WOW. Adds a whole new definition to 'Space Utilization'.
> 
> Looking at the pics, and the difference between items available over the pond and here, I want some of that pegboard and the holders.
> I've never seen holders like that. I'd also like to find a step stool with steps like that. The Rubbermaid I use is a bit risky.



The pegboards are bought at a big box store and are powdercoated steel. They are pretty cheap by Norwegian standards. The stepstool is a standard type of stepladder found here that is used by electricians and plasterers. I am not sure what brand it is as I bought it secondhand (like most of the other items I have). 

The real boon about living in Scandinavia / Europe is the access to the beautiful, high quality machines. Back in Australia I never dreamed of having these kind of machines.

Paul.


----------



## samthedog

Ok folks, I uploaded a vid of my workshop. I hope you guys enjoy.


----------



## JimDawson

That is an awesome shop.  Well done.


----------



## Boswell

Fantastic.  I have three times the space and less equipment and my shop feels crowded. Very inspirational.


----------



## Franko

Great workshop, Sam. Your machines all look very special.

I had an old dentist's air compressor in the foggy past. It was a twin cylinder with a giant flywheel and ran almost silent. It had a cool steampunk look to it.


----------



## Firestopper

Beautiful work space, well planned out for the space. I especially like your chipmaster lathe. 
Well done sir!


----------



## thomas s

That is one great shop well done Sam. thomas s


----------



## Eddyde

Wow! Great job, I'll never again complain about not having enough space!


----------



## samthedog

Thanks so much for the nice words guys. It's been a major project but now I feel like have made headway. I'll be making some more movies about the concepts behind and the reasoning for the tools I have.

Franko - I don't know why more people have not caught on to the dental compressor for the hobby shop. They may be a little expensive bu they have filtered air and run far slower and quiter. I have been blown away with the quality of the compressor and kick myself for not going with one earlier.

Paul.


----------



## middle.road

I think it's time for you to redo your Sig List. Just need to show it compressed a bit:


----------



## MozamPete

Nice vid and sweat workshop - wish I could be organised like that.

p.s. I'd be very proud of such a lathe too.


----------



## samthedog

Thanks guys. I am taking a week off and am holidays in Poland. When I get back I will be organizing the tool boards above the mill and lathe. I will be buying a tailstock turret set in MT3 with a bunch of accessories:

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Lathe-Accessories/Tailstock-Accessories

Even though this is an Eastern tool the chucks I will be using are high quality so it should still function well. This should save me a heap of time on limited runs since it has 6 holders. I will also be picking up 10 - 12 more tool holders for the QCTP. I'll have to make some custom brackets to hold these on the tool boards so I'm looking forward to this project.

I also did a trade with an electrician friend who is going to get the elctrical working on the mill. I can't wait to have a mill again since I have been mill-less for nearly a year.

Paul.


----------



## hydguy

Nice job! Looks really good


----------



## samthedog

An update on the workshop...

I've installed a heater, levelled the shop and now have music and wifi!!






Paul.


----------



## uncle harry

Tunes are a high priority in any hobby-based shop. You must derive great pleasure in your beautifully arranged shop. I am inspired by your achievement here.


----------



## samthedog

uncle harry said:


> Tunes are a high priority in any hobby-based shop. You must derive great pleasure in your beautifully arranged shop. I am inspired by your achievement here.



Thanks Harry. I am considering getting rid of the wood working machines and buying another lathe. I have an opportunity to get a Schaublin 135 in decent condition which would likely go where the combination wood working machine is located. The other alternative is to buy a smaller container and move the wood working machines into there. Either way, this hobby is starting to get time and funds hungry.

The little bluetooth speaker is excellent and although pricy, it lasts 8 hours on battery and sounds wonderful.

Paul.


----------



## taogden

Terrific job Paul.  I got my wood working out of the garage and metal shop, just to much chance to get oil on a nice project and not have the finish stick or go crazy on you.


----------



## Matabele

Fantastic job Paul!! Not meaning to pry but would you be able to let us know what you have spent on the container so far? Would you say this has worked out cheaper than other possibilities, or was the cost secondary to the "portability" of the container?


----------



## samthedog

Matabele said:


> Fantastic job Paul!! Not meaning to pry but would you be able to let us know what you have spent on the container so far? Would you say this has worked out cheaper than other possibilities, or was the cost secondary to the "portability" of the container?



You're not prying at all. To date I spent:

- Container £2000
- Insulation and wall / ceiling sheeting £1000
- Flooring £700
- Electrical, lights and networking £500

The total: £4200

This was a cheaper, faster and more portable solution than anything else available. I didn't need permission from the council and it allowed me to have a garage at a rented property. I would do it again howbeit a little faster next time around now that I have learned a few lessons.

Paul.


----------



## FOMOGO

Thanks for the tour, you've done an amazing job there. There's a container down the hill from me that had the doors open, and I spied much to my amazement a milling machine and general workshop area. Just goes to show how universal our hobby is when you can find it on a tiny island like ours. Cheers, Mike


----------



## Matabele

Thanks for the info Paul, and that is a very reasonable cost indeed!


----------



## rcflier

Hi Paul.
One question:  Where are you going to put your new Schaublin 135?
I thought your shop was smaller than mine - it's larger! Not by much, but still...
I meet up with a new friend living near Oslo next Tuesday - if you need something
from down here, I can ask him, if he'll take it home.

Cheers
Erik


----------



## rcflier

Hi Paul.
Thank you for the video - I enjoyed it a lot and it's nice to hear your twang again.
But you made me want a dental compressor, of course.
I still need to sort out how I'll furnish my shop. I don't like it as it is. But it's hard to
imagine my machines being anywhere else, than they are. My FP2 take up a lot of room
while you have, your albeit smaller, FP1 tucked away in such a small space, that I don't
feel convinced you'll like using it that way.
How are you heating your shop?
Cheers
Erik


----------



## samthedog

rcflier said:


> Hi Paul.
> One question:  Where are you going to put your new Schaublin 135?
> I thought your shop was smaller than mine - it's larger! Not by much, but still...
> I meet up with a new friend living near Oslo next Tuesday - if you need something
> from down here, I can ask him, if he'll take it home.
> 
> Cheers
> Erik



I have my own business and have started it up again. I have now leased a workshop of 220 square meters so the Schaublin will be housed there. Thanks for the offer to bring some things. I would love some tool holders but don't think I'll have the time to organize them by then.



rcflier said:


> Hi Paul.
> Thank you for the video - I enjoyed it a lot and it's nice to hear your twang again.
> But you made me want a dental compressor, of course.
> I still need to sort out how I'll furnish my shop. I don't like it as it is. But it's hard to
> imagine my machines being anywhere else, than they are. My FP2 take up a lot of room
> while you have, your albeit smaller, FP1 tucked away in such a small space, that I don't
> feel convinced you'll like using it that way.
> How are you heating your shop?
> Cheers
> Erik



I am using IR heaters to save on power. The IR heats the solid objects and then they heat the air. It's the most efficient way I have found to heat the shop. You are likely right about the FP1 and it's positioning however I have some extra room when I lift the lathe from the pallet. It will give me another couple inches or so. I may even move the machine to the new workshop to help out with prototyping. I'll Skype you and give you the tour so you can see my new workspace 

Paul.


----------



## Matabele

Hi Paul. I was just wondering how you are getting on with your workshop, and how you are finding the layout, workflow etc? What sort of projects have you been able to tackle in your new space? Cheers!


----------



## olcopper

I've owned and used several containers over the years, every one was a non insulated type and without exception, all had a very heavy duty wood and steel beam floor, you shouldn't have to do anything to the floor to make it usable.
I looked hard at an insulated container, but the floor in the one I checked out was aluminum and was of a design that would need a wood floor installed to make it usable.
I like the idea another poster suggested about removing the door and fabbing a bolt together design from wood, that you can remove and store inside the container when you have to move it.
Rather than selling off our tools, do you think your neighbors would object to two 20 footers side by side? By changing out the doors,as mentioned above you could have a nice looking front to both of them that the neighbors would see.
In any case, I applaud you for utilizing a container, it's always better to recycle when you can.
My next project is to build a guest house in a 40 footer.
olcop


----------



## GA Gyro

Interesting discussion about shipping containers...

Years ago, I was involved in a project to use a shipping container for an 'on site lab'...
The purpose of the lab was to provide an ASTM approved environment for curing concrete test cylinders... forgot the specs, however it was something like 95%+ humidity and 70-72 D/F... for 30 days straight, for each cylinder.  And of course, cylinders were cycled in and out, as the concrete was poured.  

When we were looking at containers at a large yard... the guy walked us to the back: 
Seems they were working on a project putting 3 containers together side by side, cutting doorways through, attempting to make a home.  
Never went back to see if it worked out... however we did walk through the 'shell'... and it was more than roomy enough for modest living.
I would HATE to try to heat and AC it though... without some serious insulation.  
Side note: When insulating a metal building that is studded inside... one need to NOT have the studs touching the metal frame.  The heat or cold will transmit from the metal building frame into the studs and into the living space.


----------



## Cheeseking

We bought one to store surplus equipment behind our building at work.  All I can say is we dubbed it the "rust-o-matic".  Anything stored in there became a ball of rust in short order.   Temp and humidity swings killed things.  If you do use one be sure to seal and climate control it.


----------



## kvt

I have seen several things here lately where they have been building modular homes out of the shipping containers.   They were not bad.   IN fact one was like 3 or 4 wide and 2 to 3 high.   Not sure what they used to seal between them, or to insulate the inside with.    My wife keeps thinking about One for me but the Heat and Cool is what I'm worried about (mainly cooling in south TX heat)


----------



## samthedog

Matabele said:


> Hi Paul. I was just wondering how you are getting on with your workshop, and how you are finding the layout, workflow etc? What sort of projects have you been able to tackle in your new space? Cheers!



I have no idea how I missed this post. A year or two later and everything is still in one piece in the container. I have had to make some small adjustments - for example I needed to sure up the ceiling as the expensive building glue I used was not as good as I had hoped. The cheaper glue I purchased as a supplement to the expensive glue turned out to be much better. 

The work flow has been excellent in the container and I have no complaints at all. It was well worth the hours of planning to have a good workflow. With 1 person there is enough room. With 2 people there is a bit of "musical chairs" happening but there is still ok room for small projects. 

The heating solution with IR lamps has proven to be a great solution. The ambient temperature in the container never drops below 14 degrees celcius despite dropping to -25 degrees celcius on occasions over the winter.

Despite the small size, I still have not managed to fill all the storage I have available. The rotating small parts storage was a great investment and has been a huge benefit. The plasma screen arms behind the tool-boards have also worked great as I don't have to reach for tooling. 

Overall, I am really pleased with the solution. I am trying to find the time to make another video to follow up on the previous 2. I just want to get the rolling bridge crane fixed before I shoot the video.

Paul.


----------



## Eddyde

kvt said:


> I have seen several things here lately where they have been building modular homes out of the shipping containers.   They were not bad.   IN fact one was like 3 or 4 wide and 2 to 3 high.   Not sure what they used to seal between them, or to insulate the inside with.    My wife keeps thinking about One for me but the Heat and Cool is what I'm worried about (mainly cooling in south TX heat)


They are pretty easy to insulate with rigid or spray polyurethane foam, you also might be able to score a used refrigerated container that has the insulation and AC built in!


----------



## samthedog

kvt said:


> I have seen several things here lately where they have been building modular homes out of the shipping containers.   They were not bad.   IN fact one was like 3 or 4 wide and 2 to 3 high.   Not sure what they used to seal between them, or to insulate the inside with.    My wife keeps thinking about One for me but the Heat and Cool is what I'm worried about (mainly cooling in south TX heat)



Since the volume is quite small and the container can be well sealed, keeping it hot or cool is not a problem. If you choose to set in an additional personnel door then you can really seal the container up well with an air inlet and outlet so that you can expell the hot air when you turn on the airconditioner. The main challenge in climates like TX is the humidity and as a consequence the condensation that aqppears on machines. With the sealed container condensation is very easy to conrol. In the time I have had my container I have not seen a spec of rust despite weeks/months of rain over autumn and spring. I owe the effectiveness to the IR lamps which heat solid mass and not the air, meaning that the machines are always warmer than the ambient air eliminating the condensation risk.

With spray foam as an insulator you could get an excellent R rating that would make it a piece of cake to keep the shop constant temperature. This option was outrageously expensive in Norway so I had to opt for styrofoam panels behind the plywood panels which was extra hassle but allowed me to make a very strong wall structure that allowed me to hang heavy items like the RPC on the wall.

Paul.


----------



## Tailormade

This is kind of an old thread, but a couple things I'd add, since I helped a friend do this in a storage container not so long ago.

I second the one way only containers, by the time they are selling those containers for cheap, you can assume they are falling apart from rust, and will have a LOT of small and not so small holes show up over time.

Before anything else, rent a sprayer (if you don't have access to one) and spray a heavy coat of paint on the container, inside and out. Be safe when spraying paint inside it of course. If you had the cash and access to the stuff, I'd spray or roll on a coat of truck bed liner all over the outside and on the floor inside.

If no access to the bed liner, then consider spray polyurethane insulation if its available for the outside (not the floor).

Instead of cutting styro insulation with a bandsaw, or any saw for that matter, spend an hour or two and make a hot wire cutter. They can run off the wall (with some resistors and such) or some batteries. You probably won't need to do it, but you can even make them quite large if you needed to. You'll be able to cut shapes and sizes with a precision you could never manage with a saw, and make MUCH less mess.

Whoops, I just noticed someone else mentioned spray insulation, I fail at completely reading thread.


----------



## Matabele

samthedog said:


> I have no idea how I missed this post. A year or two later and everything is still in one piece in the container. I have had to make some small adjustments - for example I needed to sure up the ceiling as the expensive building glue I used was not as good as I had hoped. The cheaper glue I purchased as a supplement to the expensive glue turned out to be much better.
> 
> The work flow has been excellent in the container and I have no complaints at all. It was well worth the hours of planning to have a good workflow. With 1 person there is enough room. With 2 people there is a bit of "musical chairs" happening but there is still ok room for small projects.
> 
> The heating solution with IR lamps has proven to be a great solution. The ambient temperature in the container never drops below 14 degrees celcius despite dropping to -25 degrees celcius on occasions over the winter.
> 
> Despite the small size, I still have not managed to fill all the storage I have available. The rotating small parts storage was a great investment and has been a huge benefit. The plasma screen arms behind the tool-boards have also worked great as I don't have to reach for tooling.
> 
> Overall, I am really pleased with the solution. I am trying to find the time to make another video to follow up on the previous 2. I just want to get the rolling bridge crane fixed before I shoot the video.
> 
> Paul.



Many thanks for the reply Paul, took me a while to get back to this thread but am doing so with renewed interest. I've been researching all manner of possible workshop solutions and keep coming back to the shipping container as a good option for my budget. Local companies (I'm in the UK) are quoting around £1380 for a 20' High Cube container, which I think is reasonable as a starting point, they can be found cheaper on Ebay but look pretty rough. Was your container a "once shipped" or used out of interest?


----------



## samthedog

Matabele said:


> Many thanks for the reply Paul, took me a while to get back to this thread but am doing so with renewed interest. I've been researching all manner of possible workshop solutions and keep coming back to the shipping container as a good option for my budget. Local companies (I'm in the UK) are quoting around £1380 for a 20' High Cube container, which I think is reasonable as a starting point, they can be found cheaper on Ebay but look pretty rough. Was your container a "once shipped" or used out of interest?



My container was a one way or once shipped container. These are in the best condition and if you keep it heated, you won't need to worry about spraying the inside if the paint is ok as you won't get any condensation. £1380 is ok as I paid significantly more for mine. The great thing is that because it's not a building with a slab, it's often easier to get approval for than a shed.

Paul.


----------



## Matabele

samthedog said:


> My container was a one way or once shipped container. These are in the best condition and if you keep it heated, you won't need to worry about spraying the inside if the paint is ok as you won't get any condensation. £1380 is ok as I paid significantly more for mine. The great thing is that because it's not a building with a slab, it's often easier to get approval for than a shed.
> 
> Paul.



Yes, we rent at the moment so keeping things temporary and by-passing planning permission is big on the list. I'm looking forward to your follow up video, cheers for now!


----------



## samthedog

I made a quick video on the container after 18 months:






Enjoy.


----------



## FOMOGO

Very nicely none. Really enjoyed the walk through. Mike


----------



## MonkMan

Thanks for the tour. Great work!
Paul


----------



## brino

Thanks @samthedog !

I noticed your cabinets for tool and material storage are on wheels. 
Do you ever roll those around?

-brino


----------



## Tozguy

Thanks for the tour, what a superb job you did Paul. It is an inspiration me who has more space but has less organization.


----------



## ch2co

Wowser! Nicely implemented and appointed.  Came out better than I would have imagined. Congratulations.


----------



## samthedog

brino said:


> Thanks @samthedog !
> 
> I noticed your cabinets for tool and material storage are on wheels.
> Do you ever roll those around?
> 
> -brino



Not often. I do move them from time to time if I need to sweep under the storage. This way everything stays clean. I can also reorganize things if I have to without the need of a pallet jack since the cabinets will be too high for the rolling bridge crane.

Paul.


----------



## Matabele

Looks fantastic Paul! Do you feel short on bench or table space on occasion? My main workbench probably isn't much bigger than yours although I do find the ability to use additional benches useful... for example for storing parts for current projects. I was also wondering if you've had any ventilation issues, perhaps when using solvents or with burning cutting oils on the lathe/mill etc?


----------



## samthedog

Matabele said:


> Looks fantastic Paul! Do you feel short on bench or table space on occasion? My main workbench probably isn't much bigger than yours although I do find the ability to use additional benches useful... for example for storing parts for current projects. I was also wondering if you've had any ventilation issues, perhaps when using solvents or with burning cutting oils on the lathe/mill etc?



More bench space is always nice but if you plan your activity the small space is normally sufficient. I have the top drawer available to store parts as I disassemble and use plastic trays that I can place my parts into and store in my storage cabinets.

When I planned the workshop, I decided on the bench based on the capacity of the machines. The work bench, lathe, mill, drill press, bandsaw and tool grinder are all sized to handle 10" x 2o" work. If the job is bigger than that then the bench and the machines are too small. I find most of my jobs (about 95%) are within that envelope.

When I get smoke or fumes, I just swing open the two doors and I get all the fresh air I need. Since my heaters are IR, it can be -25 degrees C outside and I will still be nice and warm with the doors open. I also drilled ventilation holes in the ply walls to align with the vents on the container so I get a bit of natural cross-ventilation even with the doors closed.

Paul.


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## Matabele

For the projects I tackle I reckon a setup like yours would be more than adequate as well. Those IR heaters must be pretty efficient, I didn't even consider you'd be able to open the doors at those low winter temps! 

Thanks for the update Paul, I look forward to your future vids. Cheers for now.


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## samthedog

I'll be posting a few more videos on YouTube. Any specific requests on the container build or machines?

Paul.


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## Matabele

Paul, I see no one has bitten yet on the video suggestions. I'm looking around for a lathe at the moment and the odd Chipmaster comes up for sale. It would be great to have an indepth look at your machine, and I'd personally be interested in your approach to turning long stock between centres on the Chipmasters compact bed.

Apart from that It would be nice to follow you along on any project really, I think that would show nicely how you utilise the space, workflow etc


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## samthedog

Matabele said:


> Paul, I see no one has bitten yet on the video suggestions. I'm looking around for a lathe at the moment and the odd Chipmaster comes up for sale. It would be great to have an indepth look at your machine, and I'd personally be interested in your approach to turning long stock between centres on the Chipmasters compact bed.
> 
> Apart from that It would be nice to follow you along on any project really, I think that would show nicely how you utilise the space, workflow etc



I'll have a crack at this for you. I have a quiet weekend so I'll get around to a video and post it on YouTube.

Paul.


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## strantor

First few seconds of your video were a bit confusing; I was expecting a Norwegian accent!


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## samthedog

strantor said:


> First few seconds of your video were a bit confusing; I was expecting a Norwegian accent!


I speak the "hurgen flurg" fluently and also speak Russian but it likely wouldn't be as interesting as English...

Fortunately people like Aussies here so it has helped me make a lot of good friends!

Paul.


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## extropic

Please post a link to your video.


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## RandyM

extropic said:


> Please post a link to your video.



See post 129 in this thread.


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## Firestopper

Paul,  you might be setting a trend  as low density housing is dwindling. Your layout and setup is exceptional and at the end of the day secure.
I said it before, It reminds me of a ship board shop.
Nicely done and thanks for sharing.
Paco


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## strantor

samthedog said:


> I speak the "hurgen flurg" fluently and also speak Russian but it likely wouldn't be as interesting as English...
> 
> Fortunately people like Aussies here so it has helped me make a lot of good friends!
> 
> Paul.


I have the Spanish vocabulary of a Mexican toddler and I'm a 75% fluent listener in Tagalog.
When I try to speak either of those languages, most of the words don't make it to my lips and the words that do, come out all mutated.
Props on learning the local language; my kind of immigrant!


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## uncle harry

samthedog said:


> I have no idea how I missed this post. A year or two later and everything is still in one piece in the container. I have had to make some small adjustments - for example I needed to sure up the ceiling as the expensive building glue I used was not as good as I had hoped. The cheaper glue I purchased as a supplement to the expensive glue turned out to be much better.
> 
> The work flow has been excellent in the container and I have no complaints at all. It was well worth the hours of planning to have a good workflow. With 1 person there is enough room. With 2 people there is a bit of "musical chairs" happening but there is still ok room for small projects.
> 
> The heating solution with IR lamps has proven to be a great solution. The ambient temperature in the container never drops below 14 degrees celcius despite dropping to -25 degrees celcius on occasions over the winter.
> 
> Despite the small size, I still have not managed to fill all the storage I have available. The rotating small parts storage was a great investment and has been a huge benefit. The plasma screen arms behind the tool-boards have also worked great as I don't have to reach for tooling.
> 
> Overall, I am really pleased with the solution. I am trying to find the time to make another video to follow up on the previous 2. I just want to get the rolling bridge crane fixed before I shoot the video.
> 
> Paul.



I really like your TV wall mount bracket solution. I have a deeper bench that I got for free and that idea would be excellent in one of my shops to access tools etc.


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## samthedog

uncle harry said:


> I really like your TV wall mount bracket solution. I have a deeper bench that I got for free and that idea would be excellent in one of my shops to access tools etc.


It's one of the solutions I have been really happy with. It's worked really well for the last 2 years. I had to do some fiddling to mount handles on the tool boards but it came together really well.

Paul.


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## Robert LaLonde

Nice video overview.  I could very easily see how your shop is laid out.  I could very easily see how everything works out.


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