Episode-1508- Building with Shipping Containers
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (20.4MB)
Learn More about Chuck’s Cabin at the TSP Forum
Chuck (Uzi4U2 on the TSP forum) has built a cabin from shipping containers in the northern Ozarks of Missouri. He spent 15 years in the Marine Corps as an NBC specialist and then Chief Warrant Officer.
Chuck served in Dessert Storm, the beginning stages of OIF and has spent considerable time on and near sea ports.
He has an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor’s in Information System Management. He shoots as often as he can get away, and reloads and casts his own bullets to feed his hobby. Lastly, he is an Eagle Scout, which really began his interest in “Being Prepared”.
One day he decided to make a go of building a cabin from shipping containers. He also started a thread at the TSP forum chronicling his adventure that has become very popular. So he is joining us today to discuss how his project has gone, what worked well, what didn’t and how you can use shipping containers for your own projects.
He Joins Us Today to Discuss Building with Shipping Containers and Answer Questions Like…
- What exactly is a shipping container
- What is their history / how did they originate
- What are the dimensions of a basic shipping container
- What types are there, and what features do they share
- What are the strengths and weaknesses a container
- What are the pro’s and con’s of using a shipping container for construction
- What things go into the design criteria for a good shipping container structure
- How did you build yours
- What are some basic designs that would be simple to put together
- Can I bury a shipping container more importantly should you
Resources for today’s show…
- Join the Members Brigade
- Pre Register for the Plant Propagation Course
- The Year 1508
- Join Our Forum
- Walking To Freedom
- GenForward.com
- TSP Gear
- PermaEthos.com
- AgriTrue.com
- JM Bullion – (sponsor of the day)
- The Berkey Guy – (sponsor of the day)
- Chucks Forum Thread for his Build on the TSP Forum
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.
Also remember we have an expert council you can address your calls to. If you do this you should email me right after your call at jack at thesurvivalpodcast.com with expert council call in the subject line. In the body of your email tell me that you just called in a question for the council and what number you called in from. I will then give the call priority when I screen calls.
Join the MSB Today
Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?
Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.
I’ve seen a lot of these with man-sized doors cut into the ends, which solves the risk of being locked in using the standard seals. It’s not a choice without trade-offs though.
I wish I could have served in Dessert Storm. Sounds tasty.
This topic is how I found tsp about 1000 episodes ago. Episode 560. Been listening ever since and has changed my life. Living the dream on 86 acres outside of Tulsa. My only problem now is having to many projects because of the lessons I’ve learned. Thanks Jack for all you do!!
Last week there was a call in about storm shelters and types of doors. You would also want to consider getting locked into a storm shelter. If the door opened out and a tree or debris landed against the door you could be trapped. Some tools stashed inside of the shelter would be on option.
also note that doors that open out are harder to kick in….you have to break the jamb in lieu of just the latch.
For a shipping container home, I’d try two containers side by side build a detached roof over it and trellis the roof supports and grow plant walls.
I agree and in fact on any tiny/small cabin I think a detached roof has HUGE merit. In my property search across rural Texas I found TONS of old guest/ranch had/in law houses that were old single wides. Almost all had VERY simple metal roof structures over them, just basically like a car port. First one I figured was a bubba way to fix a bad roof. But after walking into many in the July/August heat and having nothing but open windows for cooling I figured it out real fast.
Mobiles are tin cans in many ways, they gain heat in the sun stupid fast. These places were very cool given the outside temps over 100! I am a believer in the double roof system in hot climates.
I’m so happy that you covered the subject of burying containers to make an underground shelter. This topic comes up so often and it is SO scary. On one of the Doomsday Prepper episodes they had a guy who did it and you could see at one point how the wall was collapsing and he had tried to brace it with a beam.
For people that don’t have time to sit down with a book, listen to the audiobook:
The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger
It is a great book on the history of the container business. If anything it is scary to read between the lines and put the pieces together of just how much ‘stuff’ comes from overseas. I have heard something to the effect that 80+% of our goods and food comes from somewhere else. That is just mind boggling, and makes you really wonder if the concept of ‘self-sufficiency’ is really worth spending time on. Looking at everything in our house, it makes you wonder is it possible to replace this stuff with something local, even if local means just on this continent? I am not sure that is possible, do I need it, maybe not? But am I living a ‘modern’ survival lifestyle to make myself self-sufficient on only the local resources, or am I requiring a regression if I don’t have those things coming in on containers.
Needless to say, I believe the book is very intriguing, and makes you think about all that stuff going on in the background that makes this entire world tick these days.
Question about stoves. Could a person have a stove on the outside of the building or a fan system that would feed it fresh air or would that be more hassle and costly than its worth.
Sounds like it’s very involved to turn shipping crates into living areas. I’d use mine for a huge storage shed.
Great podcast! I’m planning on building a tiny House on 5 acres. Now I’m planning on using a shipping container for my tool shed.
I never realized how thin the corrugated steel walls were, or that all the strength was in a tube frame. This was a great interview highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of shipping containers.
I’m still convinced the ultimate structure for a self-sufficient lifestyle is a thin-shell concrete dome with polyurethane insulation. I don’t want to drop a link, but google should show you exactly what I’m talking about.
Dude you can include links for info purposes, generally it is clear what is just for info and what is just for spam.
Out here in Australia there are quite a few companies converting shipping containers to prefab housing. Used in resorts, mining camps, military, etc.
This mob are not too far from me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST-0tEAPzHU
Almost a blend of container cabin/tiny house………
Been toying with the idea of building a bush cabin out of a 40 footer, but with fold down sides- the roof on one side counterbalancing the deck on the other, and vice versa. When folded up, near as secure as a bare container.
Just catching up on this and from my own research when I looked into shipping container stuff I decided that I will go with something more like this: http://www.concretecanvas.com/concrete-canvas-shelters/formats/
Still haven’t actually purchased it but plan to once we get the land that we want. Just seems like a better idea to me and the wife.
Let me know if you ever actually find a reasonable way to get one put on a piece of property in the US.
This could potentially be an easier alternative metal tiny house for a reasonable price. Came across this the other day.
archedcabins.com
Ignore my first comment didn’t see your link. That is pretty cool.
With a tube bender, a welder, and some other basic tools a person with some basic construction and metal working skills could do this really cheap. If nothing else it would make an affordable little workshop or shed. I don’t know if it is easier than doing a connex but the possibilities are quite impressive.
Just caught up to this episode. Quite impressive. James, did you ever pursue this arched cabin idea?
It’s one of ideas that is in storage for me until it is the right time. I am still very intrigued by the idea though.