Originally Posted By dhmjr40:
Great thread,   I needed the inspiration.  Looking to do something similiar, but maybe burying one or two and stacking one overhead.

Originally Posted By Diablo_svr:
Is this tread dead?

Would be nice to see any updates.

Originally Posted By coconut1:
okay, my parents just got 130 acres, we have started a house/shop for them and I think I found this thread way too late.  They currently have 2x 20' crates and 1 40' crate which they are currently using for storage.  

I thought, 130 acres, they want me to built out there, I need some walls (ecoblocks look perfect) a tower (still looking for good plans, my sister is an architect, so hopefully she can help and some ideas for strong rooms, tunnels and secret passage ways.  All the cool anti zombie/commie stuff.  This thread is totally getting bookmarked.  Not to find some tower and perimter wall threads...

What ever happened to the thread one building gun/strong rooms?

Originally Posted By SkyKing69:
Pigaloo,

There is more than one thread on that topic.  Here are two - The Gun Room Picture Thread and The proper way to build a home vault/gun room.  If we could keep this one on point, shipping/cargo container conversion, I would appreciate it.  

Thanks,

Phillip

Originally Posted By SkyKing69:
Maroman,

I notice you have not posted since March of '09 and I hope you still peek in on occasion and could answer some additional questions on your build and what I am imminently starting.  If you know Maroman and would not mind dropping him a note pointing him to this post I would appreciate it.  I have spent a lot of time on the 'net looking into this and noted two curious things:

1 - None I have found have as thoroughly documented and shared what they did, or did as nice a job, as you have done.
2 - When I Google the topic this thread does not even come up, not that I have seen, so thank goodness I stumbled across it last year when I was starting to do my research.

Anyway, to set my project up - I am putting together a temporary shop so over the next year I can dozer down a barn, old house, old detached two car garage and some out buildings.  I have a "high cube" 45' container being delivered as soon as I get my rock smoothed down.  I went 50' x 15' x 4" road base white rock so once our permanent shop is completed I can later move this to where I will build our range and use it as a range house.  So, no slab and no questions about wind loads, burying, etc.  

Mine will start off standard other than I have the company in Dallas welding in a 3'0" steel door and door frame on one side, toward the end away from the double-doors, in order to help me get started.  I have a plasma cutter, wire and stick welders and know how to use them.  If you or anyone else knowledgeable on the topic has any constructive criticism and/or suggestions they will all be welcome.  Problems I have identified will be:

Insulation versus humidity/condensation
Wanting a way OUT in case something goes terribly wrong inside while I am forty feet from the primary entry/exit door
Attaching furring strips and ensuring they stay in place

My thinking is to do things generally in this order:

Weld channel from one end to the other on one side along the top, open to the bottom/floor.
Use that to hold/support the top of 2" x 4" studs "Liquid Nailed" into the lower portions of that side and one side of the roof/ceiling structure.
Weld channel from one end to the other on the other side along the top, channel down.
Use that to hold/support the top of 2" x 4" studs "Liquid Nailed" into the lower portions of that side and the other end of the roof/ceiling structure.
Weld metal strap at the bottom and along the middle, wall and roof/ceiling structure, to additionally hold the 2" x 4" studs in place.
Lay foam insulation panels on the 2" x 4" studs and then screw OSB decking to those studs.
Note: I recognize this will leave a void at every other section of the corrugated panels.

Using channel as I describe will help me, working by myself, with placing items where I want them and have them stay until they can be secured at the other end (i.e.  Insulation and OSB placed into channel on one side of ceiling/roof structure, lifted on other end, propped into place, additional piece welded into place at opposite side.).  I hope that makes sense.  I may could just use strap; I am still pondering exactly how to do this part...

I will cut in openings for a forced air vent such as you used, as well as the exhaust vents for a portable air conditioning unit I have for the project (I will probably weld expanded metal protective boxes over them), as well as put a load control panel inside and connect that to a main disconnect outside for the utility service to be tied into.  It will have a dedicated ground rod.  All the wiring will be run in conduit to metal boxes surface mounted to the OSB.  Ditto cold-start fluorescent light fixtures on the center-line of the ceiling.  I will also run an air line from the compressor down one side, probably copper based on PVC failures I am familiar with, with at least one connection plumbed through the wall to the exterior.  Alarm and camera ties to my residential system will also be done.  Eventually I may cut a sliding door into the side to facilitate driving two four-wheelers and a riding mower into it from the side while allowing room to walk in front of them while inside.  Not wanting to initially complicate the construction I will take lots of measurements and pictures to allow me to come back and add that feature later.  Ditto a "bug out" door of some kind.

Based on your experience does this design seem to be logical to you?  Having read other people worrying about condensation induced rust I am concerned about that insulation setup.  Some say to spray in closed or open cell insulation, but the cost of that would be quite high (my guess $2k - $3k) compared to the $400 (non-aluminum faced) - $500 (aluminum faced) I could do the job for if I used the foam panels from Home Depot, Loew's, etc.

I noticed looking at some of your later pictures, particularly the one where you had the .50 BMG cartridge cases on the loading bench, it looks like you finished yours out with some sort of interior paneling.  Did you insulate it and if so can you give me the particulars of how you secured everything and what materials you used?  My design is one to facilitate use of the furring strips so I can use traditional construction techniques to hang everything.  If you did it differently I am, to quote Ross Perot "All ears..."  

OK, as I do this thing I too will take pictures and post to this thread.  Mine will not have a roof over it, a patio/carport cover or any of the off grid/emergency power items yours has since it is simply a temporary shop.  Once moved to the range some of those features may be added, but they are unneeded based on my current setup (I have all of that for the primary residence from which it will be tied.).  Mine won't have the cool anti-Zombie factor, initially, but I will not foreclose adding them later.  

In summary, keeping in mind that we eschew using contractors to do things to keep people from eyeballing our setup out here in our wonderful boondocks abode so we do things ourselves:

1 - Do you have any specific thoughts on my planned methods for attaching the furring strips?
2 - Do you have any specific thoughts on the insulation and condensation issues?
3 - Have you come up with any nice design for internal locking of the double-doors such that while inside the external locks can be secured, the doors are still held shut but you could get out of them if you needed to?
4 - I can plumb propane to run a Mr. Maxx 45,000 BTU, externally vented, forced air blower heater.  Will a portable air conditioning/heating/dehumidying unit (10,000 BTU) be adequate to handle all of those issues?

Thanks in advance for any technical suggestions.  Fire at will.  

Phillip

Originally Posted By SkyKing69:
Pigaloo - Was your reply to my post to simply paste in the link to the fiberglass insulation place, or were you reposting the question "What ever happened to the thread one building gun/strong rooms?"  If the word "one" was supposed to be "on" then he was asking about gun/strong rooms.  If he was asking about gun/strong rooms, I provided two links and asked that we please keep this thread on topic.  If he was asking about towers and eco-blocks those questions were previously answered, thoroughly.  So, your posts actually kind of confuse me.  My apology over this confusion.  Maybe I could get you to clarify specifically what it is that you were asking and/or adding?  

I put a lot of time into evaluation and writing to the OP and I asked some very serious, directly on topic questions, specifically related to the issue of shipping/cargo container conversion.  Maybe you could help me out and further clarify what you were adding to the discussion, or show me where I misunderstood you, so I can better understand?    Otherwise, I am looking for feedback from the OP which has very specific experience with having done a conversion such as I am starting.

Thanks,

Phillip

Originally Posted By Maroman:
As far as the windy genny and panels they are just toys to have fun with and experiment. They also serve as insurance like any of our preps. I will not be without at least alittle electricity from one souce or another.

Here is the fan I installed. Sorry I never mentioned it. I put it in about 9 months ago. I got it from lowes for $34. Its thermostat controlled and moves 1300+ cfm. You do not want to put a hole in the top of the container for a fan. They have good roofs that are solid. Put the vents in the side. There are flat noncorrigated areas on most containers near the ends.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/Maroman/containershelterpics/Picture2107.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/Maroman/containershelterpics/Picture2108.jpg

Originally Posted By SkyKing69:
Pigaloo - Was your reply to my post to simply paste in the link to the fiberglass insulation place, or were you reposting the question "What ever happened to the thread one building gun/strong rooms?"  If the word "one" was supposed to be "on" then he was asking about gun/strong rooms.  If he was asking about gun/strong rooms, I provided two links and asked that we please keep this thread on topic.  If he was asking about towers and eco-blocks those questions were previously answered, thoroughly.  So, your posts actually kind of confuse me.  My apology over this confusion.  Maybe I could get you to clarify specifically what it is that you were asking and/or adding?  

I put a lot of time into evaluation and writing to the OP and I asked some very serious, directly on topic questions, specifically related to the issue of shipping/cargo container conversion.  Maybe you could help me out and further clarify what you were adding to the discussion, or show me where I misunderstood you, so I can better understand?    Otherwise, I am looking for feedback from the OP which has very specific experience with having done a conversion such as I am starting.

alphajaguars - A mini-split heat pump is interesting technology, but in my application it is massive overkill and price prohibitive.  This is a temporary shop and my biggest environmental concerns, in order, are heating, humidity and then cooling.  As I said in my original post, I have a 10,000 BTU combination heater/ac/dehumidifier that I believe will be up to the task, particularly the two larger concerns I have (heating/humidity).  If you are an HVAC expert maybe you could tell me if a 10,000 BTU unit would handle the square footage if insulated as I specified I planned to do it?  

New - One thing that occurred to me overnight is I also do not know what, if anything, is under the decking?  Is it open under the wood?  If it is I will have to add some sort of insulation to the floor structure.  If anybody has any experience based input to that I would welcome it.  

Thanks,

Phillip

Originally Posted By SkyKing69:
alphajaguars,

Thanks.  The numbers are rough, but approximately 45'L x 9'6"H x 8'W.  I am not looking to keep it perfect 24/7/365, just acceptable for use as a temporary shop.  I don't know how people are insulating them for living in, but I have to make the trade off on ease/difficulty of DIY, economics, etc., mindful of what it is intended as.  If you or one of your guys has any "back of the envelope" thinking on the topic, I would welcome it.

Thanks again,

Phillip

Originally Posted By NYC-M4:
Im a tool Moron butthis project is fantastic! Im looking to do a similar yet not as cool project. Can these be buried?

Originally Posted By walt_l:
somewhere I had a link to someone from ARFCOM in Texas who manufactured dwellings from containers for a VERY reasonable price –– 10K if I remember right. I can't find where I subscribed or bookmarked. Can ANYONE point me to the right place?