Adventures in connex modding!

Oneofsix

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Where's that confounded Bridge?
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Hoping to pick a few brains of the engineering type to see if my layman self can do what I'm thinking...my goal is to NOT damage our septic system.

So, here's the situation-
I'm going to have a shipping container delivered, but the only access to the spot I need it placed is down our dirt driveway. I have the approximate location where the drain crosses. I don't know how deep the drain is, septic system was already in place when we bought the property.
Our septic tank output line to the drain field crosses the driveway.
Container/truck/trailer are estimated to be about 17,000 lbs.

Can I place a "pad" of 1/2" or 3/4" plywood, in an overlapping pattern, to distribute the weight of the container/truck/trailer crossing over the drain at least twice and avoiding damage to it? Total pad size would 8' x 16', 2-3 layers depending on availability of plywood sizes.

homestead layout pic-
light blue= shipping container
red= septic system
dark blue= driveway
yellow=house, barn
 

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Is your driveway dirt or rock?
 
Is the driveway dry? I would use some 2x6 or 2x8 between the layers of plywood also. I would be careful if the area is wet.


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Plywood probably isn't stiff enough. I would go 2x8's as mentioned by others. Does the container truck company have a steel plate or two they could lay down for this situation?
 
View attachment 224451 Myself, I don't think plywood would carry that weight. you could do 2x6 or 8 in a grid that is enough for the tires to cross. Sort of like pads loggers use on soft roads
that looks like a plywood/2x6 sandwich...

no steel plate, at least when I spoke with the salesguy, he didn't mention it. He admitted ignorance regarding the driveway/septic, something I respect.
 
that looks like a plywood/2x6 sandwich...

no steel plate, at least when I spoke with the salesguy, he didn't mention it. He admitted ignorance regarding the driveway/septic, something I respect.
It should be a 2x8 with a 2x8 cut to lay across

Iirc they 2x8 cross part is spaced 4 to 6 inches apart
 
Is your driveway dirt or rock?
Dirt- but I have been considering a crusher run layer in addition since this isn't the only time the situation is going to come up- going to have to get a crane in to lift the tree off the barn.
 
If it were me I wouldn’t do a thing and put cones where it crossed my lines. If it collapsed it would be cheaper to dig and replace the pipe than build a plywood and 2x4 bridge. I drove 14,000 lbs over the main pipe and never did a thing. Water pipe was crossed as well. My friend drove combines, 24’ trailers with three high round bails, and tractors over a drive probably for 5 years before the water line cracked.
 
If you have a foot of dry compacted cover over the pipe you are good. If the pipe is very shallow or the soil is wet then you might have a problem.

ETA since it crosses the drive im assuming this is a pipe between the house and tank. If its below the tank and out in the drain field... thats another thing.
 
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Mine crosses under my driveway and I've had a couple heavy delivery trucks back in to unload. Haven't had an issue yet. Though our driveway is asphalt so that probably gives it more protection than bare dirt/gravel.
 
If you have a foot of dry compacted cover over the pipe you are good. If the pipe is very shallow or the soil is wet then you might have a problem.

ETA since it crosses the drive im assuming this is a pipe between the house and tank. If its below the tank and out in the drain field... thats another thing.
Between the tank and the drain field-

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I am not an engineer but if it were me I would make sure it was bone dry and call it good. As others have mentioned here it would be easier and cheaper to replace.
 
*Update*
Container delivered, lots of mental gymnastics on my part but I guess it keeps the mind chugging along.
I didn't end up trying to make a bridge or anything, just went for it.

Driver was able to put it exactly where I wanted.
Now the downsizing begins, as soon as I get some shelving.



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*Update*
Container delivered, lots of mental gymnastics on my part but I guess it keeps the mind chugging along.
I didn't end up trying to make a bridge or anything, just went for it.

Driver was able to put it exactly where I wanted.
Now the downsizing begins, as soon as I get some shelving.
Where did you end up getting the shipping container from?
 
Where did you end up getting the shipping container from?
Someone on the forum had suggested Upstate Containers- so after checking out a few, they are who I called.
All in all, not a bad deal. They were fairly good with communication. A few hiccups with the actual delivery date, but every day things that sometimes happen. Container is as how it was described.
I'm pleased so far.

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Late to the party, but perpendicular is better than length wise. Wet soil is a problem. Wood plates are better than none, steel is better.
 
Would you please keep us in the loop on progress. I have always been interested in these containers. Never have gotten one but I like the idea.
I will sir-
My main purposes for the container are:
Short term, someplace to store everything in our barn while we explore whether or not the barn can be salvaged.
Long term, I am entertaining ideas about making it a multi-use space for workshop duties/storage or with extensive modification, possibly office space.
I have worked inside these things before, they can get hot! So I have a few ideas there too.

First order of business will be to polish up the doors a bit to make them easier to open/close.
Then lighting, minimal power and shelves.
It might be slow progress, but I hope to make progress at a reasonable rate.



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*Update*
Container delivered, lots of mental gymnastics on my part but I guess it keeps the mind chugging along.
I didn't end up trying to make a bridge or anything, just went for it.

Driver was able to put it exactly where I wanted.
Now the downsizing begins, as soon as I get some shelving.



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We built shelves in ours with 2x4’s and osb for next to nothing. They’re not fastened to the container but have boards wedged in the top and they are loaded and have never moved. Pretty easy and you don’t have to drill holes if you’re looking to do wood. I’ll send you some pics tomorrow when we get home
 
Sounds good- this one (as I'm sure many do) has loops welded in at the top and bottom all along the inside. I was thinking to use those loops to either secure to or under to keep the shelves from falling over.
 
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Some initial pictures-
It has Gators on it! Lol


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We built shelves in ours with 2x4’s and osb for next to nothing. They’re not fastened to the container but have boards wedged in the top and they are loaded and have never moved. Pretty easy and you don’t have to drill holes if you’re looking to do wood. I’ll send you some pics tomorrow when we get home
I did the same thing.

Stud length 2x4s wedge into the top of the container pretty well, then everything else can be attached to them without attaching to the metal of the container.



I can't remember if I have said this before, but it's imperative that you never try to hammer dents out from the inside. It wastes energy and just makes a lot of noise with very little to show for it. You need to wear hearing protection whenever you do anything inside it. It's loud and echoing in there.

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I did the same thing.

Stud length 2x4s wedge into the top of the container pretty well, then everything else can be attached to them without attaching to the metal of the container.



I can't remember if I have said this before, but it's imperative that you never try to hammer dents out from the inside. It wastes energy and just makes a lot of noise with very little to show for it. You need to wear hearing protection whenever you do anything inside it. It's loud and echoing in there.

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Yeah we didn’t fix our dents, we just sanded them with a wire wheel on a grinder and primed them to band aid any rust.
 
Side note: If anyone know where I can get a knock down frame and metal door, let me know. They are not cheap but I am sure some are left over from a job site. Can pick up between Raleigh and Morganton
 
Would you please keep us in the loop on progress. I have always been interested in these containers. Never have gotten one but I like the idea.
So it's been a while, some days have just been too hot to accomplish much, others had other projects take priority.

I started to build a ramp today. Been mulling it over several days on how to get it done with the materials I have on hand. Taking the 3 pressure treated 4x6s not used for the conex, I started cutting them into 6ft lengths (got the 12ft ones).
Version 1 I put 2x8x16 cap blocks at the edge of the door. Then topped those with a chunk of 4x6 left over from the conex support.


Then, got rid of the cap blocks because it put the 6ft pieces above the locking lugs of the door.


This height was almost perfect. Swung the door closed and lugs cleared the 4x6s. Added more 4x6s, rearranged a little bit and now needed a clearance cut for one lug.
Also needed a small bit of clearance to CLOSE the door lugs, lol. Forgot about checking that part.
Added some 2x6 pieces to take up some of the gap between the timbers and the bottom of the conex.
Storm started to blow in, so I had to stop for a while.


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BTW, I made all of the cuts etc with a chain saw, lol. Next go-round I'll clean up the low ends and figure how/what to put on the ends so I can drive the lawn mower in there. That's essential, since I plan to load stuff from the barn into garden carts and move it to the conex.
I have some metal plates in the barn, think I can use those to make the ground-to-ramp transition work.

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Started working on putting some "studs" on the wall to be able to add/build some shelving.

First, I had bought a somewhat dubious sawhorse/bed extender solution- needed to put that on the truck so I could graduate from using the portable shooting bench as a cutting table.

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Then started taking some measurements and ripping 2x6s. For the sections with the metal loop, I decided to cut each end at a 45*- my original thought was to then pound a wedge in to tighten the stud in place. That didn't work so great on the first one.

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So I cut the studs about 1/2 inch longer, set them at an angle to start them behind the loop, then pound them into place. @Burt Gummer and @GoWolfpack - yes, you are correct it's loud in there!
This worked better than the first try.

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Last, I ripped some 2x4s and cut one end at a 45*. These would go in between the sections with the loops, giving me 22" centers to work with.

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More soon.
 
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Almost forgot- had to straighten up a little before getting started. Made use of the little giant ladder as a tool and lumber rack too.

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*Update- Thread title change too
So, the "secondary" studs I added at the end of the last post didn't work. Guessing the temp change overnight caused them to fall out, they were wedged in pretty tight. Will need to rethink that part.

Ventilation inside the connex has been bumping around in my head, so I pulled out some crap out from under the old barn overhang. About 14 years ago I decommissioned a pay-per-view rack from the Wilmington Hilton and installed a new one in the basement when they renovated their restaurant (that was part of the renovation, doing away with the old equipment room.) I cut the double rack into pieces with a sawzall and stuffed them into my van and brought it all home, at least what I didn't throw in the dumpster there at the hotel. Some of those remains I put to use recently, adding a ventilation fan to our chicken coup. I used an old power brick to supply the needed 12v.
That brings me to the connex- so today I had the bright idea that I could cut one of the old doors with fan holes already cut in it and make a fan panel to install in the connex. I cut one door, then decided I needed to get the exterior part of my idea fully fleshed out before cutting a hole in the box. So I'm still working on that...
But I spent the rest of the afternoon getting the other doors with fan cutouts pulled out from under the barn, along with some other pieces to possibly use with the outside cover for the fan panel. My idea is that it needs to be water resistant when not in use, and to keep bugs out.
And I got some more tools out of the barn, along with some other junk.

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One of the other doors- yes, those are what they look like. I had several stacked on top of each other to serve as a back stop.
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I ordered me a high cube 40-footer last week. Exterior painted and a man door cut and welded in on the side are the options I chose. Our paving friends went out with their equipment and worked on the ground for me today. Leveling it out and putting down some gravel.

I’m following your thread to get idea.:cool: @Oneofsix
CHRIS
 
I ordered me a high cube 40-footer last week. Exterior painted and a man door cut and welded in on the side are the options I chose. Our paving friends went out with their equipment and worked on the ground for me today. Leveling it out and putting down some gravel.

I’m following your thread to get idea.:cool: @Oneofsix
CHRIS
I wish I had asked about a man door-
Did you order from Upstate?
I'm also contemplating a "deck" for the other big door, one that I can roll the generator out onto in order to run it.

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