Who has inexpensive used shipping container?

[BarryinMN]

Check with local auction houses, brokers & rental outfits. The Mpls Port Authority's contract with the Unions require replacement after so many years as an example. That makes for continuous turnover of older units. Rental units can really take a beating - hit by forklifts etc.

Your local Wal-mart is the worlds biggest renter of them behind the stores. Store manager may tell you where he gets them.

Most would sell sight unseen from a listing only. The thing they had in common was there was x days to remove it from the shipyard. That makes an inspection difficult to impossible as shipyards don't want people walking around & climbing on containers.

I kept calling around until I found what I was looking for, broker buys them from RR yard & had several to inspect at his place.

Important to check the roof condition & the doors/hinges for smooth operation in person before buying.

I bought a single trip (new condition) high cube (9 1/2' tall) 40' 2 years ago. ~ $3300 delivered. Hardwood flooring & bottom was undercoated.

 

[Highbeam]

"By the way, I have a question for the gentleman who is keeping his tractor inside a container. How well does it work. When you start up the engine, does exhaust fill up the container? Is this a problem? I am not talking about odor. I mean carbon monoxide filling the space where you breathe. "

Here's the thing. A bulldozer's engine fan blows forward and I have ventilation openings in the rear of the container. That helps a little. You'll also notice I am parked right near the front edge of the container, that helps a little too. When I put the dozer away after working the exhaust is hot and clean so it rises up and away just smells a little but I am quick to set down the implements and shut it off. When I start it up in the morning there is a good bit of whitish-blue heavy smoke and rough running until everything smoothes out, it is a 1972 diesel with no glow plugs and a 3 inch stack so a modern tractor will be better. I grew up in the water, I can hold my breath for a long time. I take a breath, start it up and while the engine smoothes out I raise the implements, then reach down and put the powershift transmission into gear, then select forward and idle the machine out of the container. Takes about 30 seconds. Once outside I let it warm up before working while I get some coffee.

It only takes about half a minute but I don't want to breathe the fumes if I don't have to. Exhaust smoke floats out of the container for the next 5 minutes or so but the level of the smoke is above head height so I can go inside to retrieve chains or whatever while breathing normally.

It works really well. I have the container loaded with my fuel, grease guns, logging chains, shovel, and anything else of value that I don't want to haul back and forth to the site. The doors lock securely and I haven't been able to rack the container despite it not being on perfectly level ground. The dozer weighs 10,000 lbs. The wood floor is made very well with recessed deck bolts and thick decking, no damage despite the necessary turning with steel tracks. I can walk on the roof without denting it though it does deflect a little between the supports.

The only problem that I had before adding ventilation was the accumulation of condensation when the muddy dozer was parked inside the pretty air tight metal box. It would rain inside but I never had any mold start up. The doors are gasketed, it is rodent and waterproof from the factory supposedly.

I would absolutely do it again. I needed quick, vandalproof, mobile storage for a big heavy piece of metal. I did not want to get a building permit and then pound nails only to have some kid start the thing on fire. The box is very intimidating to a troublemaking teenager. They can spray paint their name on it but I can deal with that.

The 20 footer is plenty long and makes it easier to site. The problem with an 8 foot wide 40 foot long box is that it becomes a tunnel and you have to leave access to the rear.

My only fear when I climb inside it at night to put the fuel away behind the bulldozer is that some punk will jump out of the woods and lock me inside. Wouldn't that suck. You don't need a lock to latch the doors shut.

 

[HuckBB62]

My father-in-law has a 20'er on his lot. Tweekers torched his locks off and stole his stuff! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif Anyway, he modified it and had a steel plate lock box built to slow them down. I guess nothing's theft proof to those low lifes! I keep a couple of dozen jugs of gun powder in my gun safe. If they torch into that and blow themselves and the house up.... I do have "explosive" stickers on the outside of it though to try to tell 'em.

 

[Highbeam]

I will fully admit that if someone wants into the container bad enough that they can get in. It's a fact of life. But if someone wants inside bad enough to source a torch and cut the locks off, or a hole in the side for that matter, then they must really want what you have and there is liitle you can do to stop them.

I did a little container relocation on Saturday. The next best thing to a locked up steel box is a locked up steel box that is hidden. I'll set up a post in the photos section of the move.

 

[AndyM]

<font color="blue"> I will fully admit that if someone wants into the container bad enough that they can get in. </font>

That got me thinking...
If someone wants in your house bad enough, there's no stopping them, so long as they have a 18 volt Sawzall to cut through the vinyl siding, OSB, 2x4, and drywall. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[tcb]

hello to all.
i am new here, after stumbling arround the internet to find some info found this site and think it is great. anyway, if you can arrange to get it shipped i have a 40 footer here in west central Alabama i do not need and can let go for about 1200.00. but and i do mean but, getting it home would probably not be cheap.

tim

 

[rlee6]

After the tips and my own search, $2900 delivered and dropped on gravel bed seems to be the price I have to accept. Thank you.

 

[tawilson]

The current bid is $40 dollars on this one. web page

 

[1bush2hog]

There is a company called Container-It is an extension of one of the SS Lines and they sell surplus containers. You may have to do some work on it, but cheaper than the container resellers who also refurbish.

Also, check availability at closest sea port to you.

There should be some container yards around Orlando too that may have surplus containers sitiing around.

Also look up BTT - Bridge Terminal Transport a trucking company also part of the SS Line. They would have the surplus containers on their yard if at inland location.

$2900 sounds like twice as much as you should have to pay delivered, but I'm not sure about supply and demand in FL either.

Send me a PM if you need a phone no. for Container-It

 

[Inspector507]

Container-It's website