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Hi Guys,

Here is my new Hi-desert Shop in a box.
My shop is contained within a 40' hi-cube shipping container. The container cost $2400.00 and it's a nice space larger than my old garage. I still need to insulate and sheetrock it but I need to try to save up the money first. Let me know what you think.

Take care,
ED.

Here's what I thin- Pretty Freakin cool!!

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Thank You and Best To All

I'll bet it gets pretty hot in there?

Ed, I highly recommend throwing so sort of roof over that, even if its one of those portable garages. As you already know, shade is your friend. Going to throw a swamp cooler on your new shop?

I've told Sweetie that we need to look into one of them when we move. You may have helped me make my case. Thank you.

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Aoibeann

This past summer when I got the containers it did get hot but I cooled it with a roll around water cooler, it worked well in this dry climate. I will be insulating it before summer arives and it will have an insulated attic area. I found some 2" thick rigid foil backed foam insulation with and R-19 value for $20 a 4X8 sheet. I will also be installing an airconditioner and 2 cieling fans so it should be comfortable all summer long. I think I'll ad Directv to watch well the glue dries.

Looks great Ed. I worked in a similar setup when doing research work back in Texas. I'd suggest you look for one of the combinaton heating/cooling units such as used in motel rooms. We had to maintain a constant temperature for holding soil and crop samples and this type of unit worked very well in our trailer. And just think, if you ever move again all you have to do is load the shop on a trailer.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Great idea. Where do you by a container? You could really build a custom guitar if you pull up in front of the customer's house andget to work. Would keep your shipping costs down.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Ed - thats awesome!

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Instagram: @jfrenchluthier
Web: https://www.jfrenchguitars.com/

I think it is awesome...and you have made good use of the space...I like that the wood comes off the Performax right onto the table for your CNC router...too cool.

The combination heater/air conditioner that Don mentioned is a great idea. They come in different sizes and are easy to install.

Don I think thats a great idea! I'm sure that will work a lot better than my oil filled heaters. I bought the containers from Golden State containers off the web. If anyone else is interested in doing this, I suggest you get the Hi-Cube containers rather than the standard height. With a Hi-cube you have extra headroom to make a ventilated and insulated attic. I have 2 of these containers side by side, I'm going to open up the last 15' between them and make a 15'X 16' finish area.

What kinds of local zoning ordinances do they typically have for these units. I would imagine that residential areas might not approve...what about industrial parks and the like?

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Very cool! Two things: What about humidity control and daylight?

I think I have shown this before, but here’s another example of creative reuse of shipping containers, a 1995 project by Norwegian architect Magne Magler Wiggen (MMW).

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

One of the best things about containers is that they are stackable - so
your workshop can grow!



This is an example by the Thames in London.

good luck with it,

John.

Plenty of room, any windows?

Is that CNC machine a "home built"?

Mike

i've seen containers used for a variety of workshops.

regarding your cooling requirements; you may wish to stick with evaporative cooling in your climate. not only will it cool well but it will also serve to humidify the shop, whereas a refrigerated air conditioner will, if anything, tend to dry out the shop and contents.

It doesn't look 40' high to me....


Looks fantastic... great organization.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Ed, i'm jealous and will look into that if i ever move my shop elsewhere! Thanks, your shop is so cool!

Out here in BC they use those shipping containers for other reasons, youll see a couple get barged out to some island, or the middle of nowhere in the bush, and then they wil just disappear - its like the earth just swallowed them up,
its the strangest thing,
Cheers
Charliewood

Marc, I have 2 windows that I will be putting in on the front plus a door in the center front. Right now I use a hunter fan brand humidifier with a built in humidistat, it works very well. I'll probably use airconditioning in my future closed in office/finishing room and a water cooler in the shop.

Mike, that is a homebuilt CNC Machine, I built it about a year and a half ago and it meets my needs fine.

As far as zoning goes, much depends upon your locality and whether or not it will be permanantly attached to a foundation and utilities. My unit is considered temporary because it's not on a foundation and I have it plugged into an RV hookup that I had to get permits for. I run water for the sink via a waterhose connection just like those used on an RV.

Ed, that’s pretty cool! I really like your use of shoe holders as wall storage. You can see what you have at any time. I would also recommend some sort of covering over the roof. Like the carport style mentioned before. In the summer this would take quite a lot of the heat off the roof of the container. In the winter you could remove it and give yourself a little more direct sunlight. There is someone near me who is building a two story house out of containers. I’m waiting to see how it will turn out.

Philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.

Philip I'm planning on covering the roof with that elastomeric roof coating. I'm also thinking about putting these containers on a permanent foundation and building a 40'X 16' deck on top so we can sleep under the stars in the summer. The local planning department said they would not have a problem with it as long as I get an engineer to sign off on my plans. They said there have been other shipping container projects in the area that have worked out very well.

Ed,

That is too cool! Where did you get your plans? (cnc router). I have been looking at plans over at cnczone.com (Joe's Model 2006). Did you design it yourself or use other plans?

Maybe we can talk futher about this in the CNC forum? Don't want to hijack your thread!! Please pm me or join me in the cncforum (if you have an interest).

Mike

Where do you buy one?

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Man, I think that is too COOL!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com