Tractor storage - use a Shipping Container?

[amigauser]

I have been monitoring this forum for at least a couple of years and have learned lots of good information

I finally ordered my first "real" tractor, a new B3030HSDCC which will be delivered in mid October, after I close on my new property.

Before the tractor arrives, I want to have a safe and dry home for it. The garage currently on the property only has a 6' 6" garage door and I know the B3030 cab model needs 7' minimum. There is no option to increase the current garage door size as there is a finished room over the garage so there is no way to raise the ceiling height Etc.

I have been investigating different options and I do not want to spend loads of money. I am located in Connecticut. So far I have found two possibilites.

1) I can get a prebuilt 12' x 20' garage with a 7' door for around $5,600 delivered.
2) I can get a 8' x 20' steel rebuilt shipping container with a 8'6" door for around $2,100 delivered.
http://www.onsitestorage.com/
Shipping / Storage Containers (Dry Vans) for sale

Obviously option #2 is much less money than option #1. Now, if I can only sell the wife on the look of a shipping container

Has anyone on this forum ever used a shipping container for storage? They do seem like a much better deal than a shed and are basically water and wind proof as they use them to ship cargo over the ocean.

Thanks for any input.
Norm

 

[texbaylea]

I have 2 shipping containers I use for storage - work well. One of my containers is extra tall, about 9.5'. That gives plenty of ROPS clearance.

Vernon

 

[john_bud]

The steel container will be "wet" on the inside when the weather changes and on mornings when the dew is on the ground. Unless they have doors that seal very well. They are also extreemly ugly.

Other down side to the container, you will quickly run out of room as you buy attachments. Think about it, let's say you have a 3pt mower, rototiller and a box blade and the tractor has a loader. Those are the most common. But, they won't all fit in the container. Unless you stack them. But how do you attach them to the tractor? You will wind up pulling all of them out, as the one you want will always be the furthest back!

I would do a simple post and frame metal shed in the 28 x 30 w 10' sidewalls range. Materials cost will be around 3500-4000. If you can't (or don't want to) build it your self, labor is about equal to materials. It costs more, but is the better solution. (You can also buy one of those silver fabric quanset hut deals for 4-500 as an interim solution. Or even buy it as a "solution" until the CFO gets sick of looking at the ugly thing....

jb

 

[Timber]

To be honest I would just build a building and if you’re in a pinch go to BJs or Costco and get 1 of those Quonset huts for under $300. You can build a nice building with a wooden floor for about $2500 in material. Those shipping containers will be an eye sore on your property

 

[amigauser]

Thanks for all of the feedback.

I guess I will bite the bullet and spend the $$ to either purchase or build a wood building for the property.

I would prefer not to use one of the $300 elcheapo fabric car ports as they offer little real protection and I am not sure how well they would do with a snow load on them. The metal buildings would probably be just as ugly as a storage container so that would probably not be an option.

Thanks Again.

Norm

 

[Timber]

I actually plan to use those for hay storage and I have 1 off season tools; they work fine but you have to do a little more with them than what comes in the kit. I mount the foot plates on 2X6 and you have to put a bolt in every connector hole where the pipes come together. Then what I do is run 2 straps between every sets of pipe rafters and anchor them to the 2X6 were the foot plates are mounted. You can use anything. It is pretty sturdy like that. I do go out and push the snow off a couple of times during a bad storm from the inside. I find them very handy. I am a big fan of wooden barns and sheds though.

 

[amigauser]

Thanks Timber.

I may consider one for storage of items other than the tractor itself. It will depend on what I build for the tractor and how much storage room it has in it.

All I will have in the begining is the B3030, the Kubota front blade with Q/hitch, Kubota FEL, 60" MMM and a rear landscape rake.

I will probably be purchasing other items for it though. I need to look into a PTO driven wood chipper (lots and lots of trees on the new property), probably a box blade and maybe a Woods backhoe sometime in the future.

Norm

 

[LDancy]

I have used the 20 foot shipping container for the last two years on our new property in VA. I have placed it at the woods edge for convenience and it has kept the contains dry and safe. I rent it by the month----it will be returned when our new home is completed. It has worked great for us.

 

[Little_Grizzly]

This brings up a question I've had for awhile. (sorry for the thread hijack)

I've had lots of damage done to my truck by mice. I'm very stressed about parking a tractor at my place for extended periods of time. Is this a problem for anyone else? If so, what have you done about it? I worry that making a pole barn "mouse proof" might prove to be tricky.

Shannon

 

[MrJimi]

A shipping container can be made pretty, get some paint, some Ladies and let them have at it, they will paint you some shrubs, flowers an all kinds of pretty things and put a double gate in the front and enjoy and it will be mouse free
Jim