You have used containers at work or during building a home. You love to hunt. You don’t have a cabin on your land. Enter – the connex box. Drop a container on your land, add in a door and some windows and you have a perfect hunting retreat. Whether it is just a basic spot to base camp, or a complete man-cave, conex boxes offer all the flexibility and ruggedness to be a perfect hunting cabin.
You can insulate them, add in heat (or cooling, or both), add in features that make the cabin perfect for you. It might be the ultimate get-away cabin for the guys or it might be a snug, welcoming place to bring your kids and grandchildren to teach them how to hunt.
Here is a series of my new favorite hunting cabin. I got these by email from a colleague. If you know anything more about this cabin, please let me know!
So you have shopped around and didn’t like container prices and then turned to eBay and Craigslist to help you out. You think you found the container of your dreams. It doesn’t look too bad, there were plenty of pictures and the pricing seems decent. So do you hit the “submit” button? Here are 3 things to consider before committing.
What is the delivery cost? Does that include setting it down?
1) Where is the container located? Sure, the container is nearly free, but if it is over 1,000 miles from you, all those savings will go out the window with a huge trucking bill. Make sure you know exactly where the container is located and how far that is from where you want it to go. Did the price include delivery? If not, get a quote on that before you commit or you might be taking on a headache instead of a solution, or worse, a very expensive cost.
2) How will it arrive at your location? Does the listing include delivery? If so, be sure to get the particulars on that. Is delivery up to a certain distance included? What are the extra costs if you are beyond that point? What kind of truck will it be delivered on? Will that truck set the container on the ground at your location or will you need to rent a forklift or other equipment to offload the container. Many hidden fees can be put in there. If they are not including delivery, have you found someone to do that for you? Have you asked them all the questions above?
Typical container number
3) Is that really the container you will get? Containers are numbered when they are used by shipping lines. The numbers are generally 4 letters followed by 6 numbers and then a number in a box. If you are looking at pictures of the container, the number should be clearly posted on all 4 sides of the container as well on in 2 places on the roof and in the inside of the door. If the pictures show a container, but the number is different in each picture, beware. They could be posting pictures of multiple containers. Since the container probably isn’t too far from you, it is worth a trip out to take a look at the container to make sure you know what you are getting into. Everyone describes quality in different ways. What may be a “great container” to one person may be a “pile of junk” to another. Pictures and visual confirmation are really the best ways to make sure you are on the same page.
What kind of damage? This one has an end that is pushed into the container and is curving the corner posts.
4) What about common sense safety? So now you have the delivery figured out, you’ve looked at the container and know it is just what you want, use your common sense. Usually eBay has some safeguards on the site to help protect you. Be sure that it is a respected vendor with a good record. If you are on Craigslist, check out the buyer the best you can. You don’t want to hand over your money and not end up with a container after all that work. Common sense and intuition are great tools. You use them in every other part of your life, don’t let this be an exception!
In this age of container scarcity, finding containers on sites like Craigslist and eBay can be great. Particularly if you and the seller are in the same market and use that as a tool to meet each other. But remember to do your homework and listen to your gut. Don’t be afraid to walk away from the deal if it doesn’t feel right. But if you check everyone out and the container is what you want, great!
Keith W. Tantlinger invented a very small thing that had a very big impact. He invented the twist-lock corner to containers. This simple device allows containers to be stacked and locked together on ships or locked down onto a truck.
Container Corner
While that doesn’t seem like inventing fire, it has had an enormous impact on all of our lives. By creating an efficient way to stack containers that can be loaded in one location, sent by truck or rail to a port, shipped overseas, travel by truck or rail to a destination – all without unloading the container – opened new possibilities. It opened the door to globalization.
So when you enjoy food from across the globe, find imported goods at a reasonable rate, or export goods overseas, that was made possible by one small invention that revolutionized the shipping industry.
Mr. Tantlinger invented the corner casting and twist locks in the 1950′s. He passed away on Aug. 29, 2011.
For more information, please click here for more information. Also, click here for more coverage on Mr. Tantlinger.
Super Cubes has some extra inventory in this time of container shortages, so we thought we’d share what we’ve got in case you need it!
While we can do our best to accommodate all container requests, we are trying to move the following inventory more quickly than usual.
Chicago
Sample Gray one-trip 20'
4×20’ new/one-trip containers.
These gray containers are in great condition. One-trip/”new” containers are containers that were manufactured in Asia, then shipped to the U.S. where Super Cubes is selling the container to you. In addition to meeting the requirements of used containers, these containers have a fresher, crisper look than used containers.
These containers are in Chicago and ready to ship immediately. Please note the picture is of a SAMPLE gray 20′ container. It is not one of the ones available, but is similar in quality and color to those available.
1×48’ High cube Steel containers in Cargo-worthy condition
48' container. Containers available are from this set of containers, but not necessarily the same container as in the picture.
This cargo-worthy container is great! Not only do you get extra length, they are 9’6” AND 8’6” wide – wider than your usual 40’ or 40’ high cube containers. It is in cargo-worthy condition.
Cargo-worthy containersmeet the same standards are weather-tight, insect- and rodent proof, have good floors, doors, seals on the doors AND have the structural integrity to be used in shipping overseas.
Please note that the containers in this picture are all a part of the same set of 48′ containers. The 1 available is similar to these particular containers.
Minneapolis
40’ High cube container in Cargo-worthy condition – SOLD
The top container is the cargo-worthy 40'HC on sale
If you mention this blog post, we would be happy to give $75 off of our regular price on these containers!
Sale limited to the containers listed above. Once the containers are sold, this deal is no longer valid.
Containers are making a splash in movies lately. Sure, they have always been a great backdrop for dangerous encounters “down at the docks” for that renegade cop who is solving the latest mystery. But lately, containers are coming more into their own. The latest cameo is in TRON: Legacy.
Interior of Disney's TRON home
In TRON: Legacy, Sam Flynn, son of the creator of TRON, lives in a home made from containers. Disney went with a distressed-industrial look for the home which opens up for a spectacular view of Vancouver for a critical conversation in the movie. According to Jetson Green :
“The shipping container house style was chosen because [director Joseph Kosinski] and our production designer, Darren Gilford, couldn’t find a house for Sam Flynn in Vancouver with suitable architecture and as designers both were interested in retro-fitted shipping containers as living spaces”
20th Century Fox's A Team
It is nice to see container architecture getting a nod. They are a great green option for unique building materials.
Containers were almost extras in 20th Century Fox’s A-Team. After hijacking a container delivery, the team has to prove their innocence. The finale is at the LA Port where the A Team uses containers in order to prove their innocence, but not before many containers are destroyed.
20th Century Fox's A Team
Even the small screen is getting in on the action. On TNT’s Leverage, one episode was centered on tracking a container full of cash. (See link below) Despite being safe storage options, particularly with the lockbox on the containers in this clip, Super Cubes does not recommend storing large quantities of cash in containers.
Containers long have been a backdrop for movies, but it is nice to see they are finally getting their close-up. I wonder how they would show up in a fluffy romantic comedy–maybe a couple on the run from the law will hide in a container used for farm storage or spend a weekend in a container home on the beach. When that happens, you’ll be sure to read about it here.
We have covered what size container to buy, how it will be delivered, how you can modify it, and a whole list of different uses for containers. But one huge question is – where are you going to put that? Of course you need enough room for a truck to get in to deliver the container, but beyond that, what do you need to think about? Here are three things to keep in mind when planning your container location.
Plenty of access, with firm ground
1) Access. Your container will come on a large truck. That truck needs space to get in and deliver the container. Make sure you not only have enough room for the truck to maneuver, but also that the ground the truck will be driving over can handle the weight involved. This means steer clear of lawns, soft dirt or anywhere where a truck can sink into the ground. The last thing you want is to pay to get a tow truck out to pull out your container. Best bets: paved ground, graveled areas or packed dirt. Also remember that if you are going to have the driver go over packed dirt or gravel that can be affected by rain, check the area before delivery so you can reschedule if there are any issues.
Firm Ground (and access on the other side of the container)
2) Terra Firma. Your container is made of steel. That is heavy. And it is going to sit there for a long time and you are going to put more heavy things inside it. The bottom line – you need some firm ground underneath your container. This can be a concrete or asphalt pad, gravel or packed dirt. 20’ containers weigh 5,000 pounds and 40’s are just under 10,000 pounds – empty. Over time, your container will sink if the ground is not firm enough. This can cause problems in opening the doors and keeping the container floor in good shape. If you don’t have firm ground where you want the container, you may want to consider adding gravel to that spot. It will provide firm ground that drains well and sits a little higher than the rest of the ground in that area. All of those things will help in the long run.
Good blocking, but VERY SOFT ground
3) Blocking. This is a personal preference. You can block or not block your container. The pros to blocking are that they raise the container up a little bit, which helps if you are putting it in an area that does not drain well. It will extend the life of your container. Also, if you are concerned with the container shifting, you can readjust the blocking by using a car jack to lift of that corner of the container enough to reposition the blocking. The pros to not blocking is that the container will be closer to the ground if you plan on rolling items into it. You will still need a ramp to get up the 6” of flooring. Also, if you are putting the container on a paved surface, the container will settle in more consistently than just in the areas where the blocking is. If you are going to get blocking, try either railroad ties or take a 6”x6” or 8” x 8” and cut it into 2’ pieces. For 20’ containers, have at least 4 pieces, for 40’ containers at least 6-8 pieces of blocking.
One other big rule of thumb – if you have questions about placement, it is definitely something that needs to be discussed. No one who drives a large truck wants to get stuck or not be able to make a delivery, so save everyone some headaches by discussing your concerns ahead of time. Pictures can really answer so many questions, so feel free to take pictures of your delivery area and the area the driver will have to go to access the delivery spot. This can help everyone problem-solve before the container is loaded and your delivery will go smoothly.
The following posting was put up in the end of July. As the economy rebounds (great news!), containers will be tougher to get. Here is an article which quotes the second-largest manufacturer of containers. He points out that due to lack of production during 2008-2009, and increased demand, containers are in short supply.
Here is the original posting:
There is a myth in the container-purchasing world that containers are a magical, renewable, free resource. Of course, that has never been the case, but never more so than now. Right now the container industry is experiencing unheard of low supplies in the market. Container availability is at historic lows. As container markets dry up, container prices are on the rise. For more information on these shortages, please refer to the following article: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9c028c3a-7a35-11df-aa69-00144feabdc0.html.
Let’s separate fact from fiction and tell you what that means to you if you are buying containers.
Myth:
Here are some of the most popular myths about containers:
Containers are free.
They have so many of them at the port you can’t see the sun.
The railroads just leave them by the side of the tracks.
My personal favorite – the $500 container.
None of these are true.
Containers at a depot
Fact:
Let’s take those claims one at a time.
Containers are made of steel and are a commodity. So naturally they have a value. If they didn’t, you wouldn’t be reading this right now. They are traded just like everything else you buy.
Ports may have many containers near them, but that does not mean that they are empty or available. Shipping lines own those containers to provide to their own customers. The containers you see at ports are either full, and are on their way to the customer who will unload them, or they are empty on their way to be loaded by a shipping line customer. The shipping lines do sell their containers to brokers in the industry, and we in turn sell them to you. But those sales make up a very small percentage of the containers that you see at the ports.
Railroads do no such thing. First of all, why would they stop the train? Second, how would they dump them along the side of the tracks? Even if you go to a rail ramp, containers move more quickly in and out the same way they do at the ports, often on behalf of the shipping lines.
The $500 container. That may have been true 10-15 years ago. But containers are subject to inflation just like everything else. The steel alone is worth more than that these days. And in recent years, there have been more and more uses for containers beyond shipping lines. That increase demand for used containers has only brought the price up.
So what does this mean for you?
Containers are a great option. But, you are going to have to pay for them just like you would pay for anything else for your home or business. Increasing your flexibility regarding where your container comes from, or getting on waiting lists for containers in your city are ways to cut down on costs. Start looking for a container before you need it so you have time to get one in stock. And whatever you do, don’t tell us you can get one for $500.
Here’s your idea: Get a steel container and bury it as a root cellar, storm shelter, or both. You have the land. Now you need a plan. Here are the 5 things you need to consider to make your container cellar or shelter a reality:
1) Zoning. Are there any state, county, or city zoning laws that would restrict where or how you bury a container? This may vary depending on where you are, what the ground is like in your area, and how far into the ground you want to go. You can go the range from buried underground, nestled into a hill or embedding the container just far enough into the ground to be secure. Either way, zoning rules may apply. Start with a quick search of your city and county websites, then follow up with phone calls to offices listed on the sites. Take notes on the calls—and as decisions are made, “get it in writing” if you can.
2) Placement. Is your plan to bury the container completely? Just far enough that a tornado won’t send it to Oz? In working out placement details, be sure to think through how you will use your container. If it will be a root cellar, will you build your container into a hill with steps and a door? If it will be an underground storm shelter, how will you provide access in and out? Keep in mind that the more deeply a container is buried, the greater the planning.
3) Structure. If you will bury your container, even partially, how will you ensure that it withstands the pressure of earth? Containers were made not to be buried, but to be stacked on a ship. Only the four corner posts of a container are load bearing, with the sides strong enough to support only the roof. You’ll need to plan on building a retaining wall around the container location. Be sure to include drainage so that heavy rains won’t leave your container submerged in water. If your cellar or shelter calls for completely covering your container’s roof, you’ll also need to build a platform to push all the weight to the 4 corner posts (products are on the market to do this). Never simply bury a container or it will collapse.
4) Moisture. Containers are wind and water tight, but think about how you will prep your buried container against earthen moisture. The container floor has treated plywood on steel cross-members. You will want to seal under the floor—and probably will want to set it on a cement slab foundation. In addition, you will need to seal your container with roofing tar, plastic tarps, or truck bedliners (such as RhinoLinings). A little research will help you find the most cost-effective solution for your container use and location.
5) Ventilation. If you’re turning your container into a storm shelter, you’ll want to make sure it will have good ventilation and air flow for the people who will use it. You’ll also want to add an extra door—ideally a man-door with a panic bar so it can be opened safely from inside and so that no one can be accidentally locked in.
For an example of one being installed, see this video. They approached some of the issues listed above a little differently, but it still provides some great ideas.
Once you have your container cellar or shelter in place, the rest is pretty easy—making sure your root cellar has the right humidity level for vegetables or that your shelter is outfitted to work well as a storm refuge. If you’re just beginning to start your cellar or shelter project, please keep in mind that SuperCubes offers a variety of kits to help you modify your container—and we’re always happy to provide friendly advice as well.
We like to hear about where our containers end up. No two customers are alike, so we like to hear how you are using them. Here are some examples of our containers in use:
1) Bright Hope International. Bright Hope is sending off their second shipment to Haiti. Bright Hope had already been helping build the Haitian economy with microloans before the earthquake. Since the earthquake, they have been sending supplies and increasing their microloan efforts to help Haitians get back on their feet, while continuing to ship needed supplies. Visit their website for more information: www.BrightHope.org
2) Arizona correctional facility. One of our customers is using one of our containers for storing office supplies and furniture at their facility.
Extra office furniture storage
3) Florida retreat. Another customer purchased a 20’ container for his land in Florida. After getting the container, he painted it and is planning on camouflaging it this summer. See it while you can!
Used 20' container in Florida
Painting it makes it blend in more
4) Goat farm. A client in Maryland needed a container on their hobby farm. Even the goat likes it!
Send us your container pictures. Even if you didn’t buy it from us, we still like to give people ideas on how to use these versatile containers.
