Container workshop

[X100]

Hi folks. New to this forum but I have used other forums to great effect for everything from photography to fitting an in car entertainment system.
My next project is kitting out a forty foot refrigeration container into a three room workshop. Small room further in will be a clean seating computing room/electric and electronic work area. Next and biggest room will be a woodworking area with a side door either side. And the main door end will be a metal working area. I have all the machines and tools now so with exception of work benches and storage shelves, which I intend to make myself, I am ready to rock and roll. Any pitfalls, tips, advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Claymore]

Hi and welcome to the Forum! now this sounds like an interesting project and look forward to seeing you progress..... don't forget we need photos once your up and running. Hope the container is well anchored as it gets a bit windy up your way? 9-)
Cheers
Brian
ps what's ya name? bit easier than calling ya x100? lol

 

[X100]

Hi Brian.
Thanks for the reply. It should weigh around four tonnes so reckon no need to anchor. Have yet to scrape out the hole as I am moving earth putting in bottoming and banking the removed soil to shelter and hide container. Two house sites down the road so that's the digger and bottoming sorted.
Regards
Mark

 

[hammer n nails]

Look forward to your photos

 

[Parquet Dave]

If its a former refrigeration container it will most likely be insulated, so the biggest problem of condensation should be solved.
I'll be looking out for pics as I've a friend who is planning a new build on Harris in the next couple of years so this might be an idea.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Paint everything white while you have good access.

 

[heimlaga]

Refridgeration containers are usually ionsulated with polyurethane foam which is extremely flammable.

Be careful!........ especially in the metalworking shop where sparks tend to fly around.

 

[DiscoStu]

I hope the insulation will sort out the sound. I've used a drill inside a metal container and the noise was something else. Can't imagine what a planer would sound like. Hopeful you won't have that issue. I think careful planning as to what goes where is called for as they are not very wide.


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[X100]

It is insulated. It is painted white. The content of the insulation being flammable is an over sight on my part so thanks hugely for the heads up. Metal end will be mainly machining as there will be a 20ft concrete hard standing in front of it for welding grinding etc and I plan to site a Forge underneath it which I will drag onto the hardstànding for use. On the condensation I will have a dehumidifier int he wood section as I will be conditioning wood and monitoring its moisture periodically. Thanks for the comments. Mark
PS I will try and be good with the photos. When I did my car stereo I forgot :-(

 

[X100]

The equipment positioning not so critical. I have triton work centre and most other tools bench mount so will be shelved outwith use. A wood lathe and metal lathe and a wood designated pillar drill will probably be the only "fixtures" rest of equipment will be use off work benches which I hope to be moveable too.

 

[lurker]

Sort out the ventilation early on. Those things have been death traps in the past.
Envy where you live.

 

[X100]

Ventilation again shouldn't be an issue given a door each side. I will probably have to fit vents due to condensation at some stage though. I did think about solvents etc but just decided to police on a per use basis opting for storing no paints etc in unit.
Where I live? Weather sorts folk out. Hurricane winds just called force 12's here as big words are not usually appreciated. I have lived many places in my time but still seem to gravitate to home every four years or so. Born and raised up here I seem to becoming a minority ;-)

 

[mseries]

I'd love to see pictures of this build. The idea of reusing a container appeals to me. I suppose if you decide to leave Orkney again it'll be easy to take it with you this time !!!!!

 

[lurker]

I used to live just over the water in Thurso.
We were on the sea front and twice had bedroom windows broken by stones thrown by the waves
They reckon on the odd day the wind doesn't blow you lot all fall over :lol:

 

[dickm]

Can't clearly visualise the nature of the interior, but would it be worth lining at least the metalwork bit with plasterboard as a flame retardant? If fixed to a framework, it could also help with wall mounted storage?
(Peered across to the islands from Dunnet head last summer after delivering some mower spares to a guy in Dingwall. We had planned to come over on the ferry from Aberdeen this summer, but got "invited" into hospital for hand surgery two days before we were due to go )

 

[X100]

Right work begins tomorrow. It is basically a fibre glass box on a substantial floor. I will be scraping out the hole tomorrow for siting. Then I need to put a load of bottoming on that. Next move after that is getting crane and low loader to move it from over the hill.

 

[X100]

Metal end I am planning to leave floor metal and just clad up the walls with tin and plywood. Digging to start today hopefully.

 

[X100]

Found dug with aa jcb loadall yesterday. Next step hardening or bottoming to cover that. Might borrow a jcb proper and put in a drainage pipe too though.