buying used shipping containers (again)

[Erlinda]

How in the world did you get the container onto the concrete blocks? I'm trying to envision this--did you have a crane? I've never worked with containers before, obviously!

Mahalo!

[tada]

I find it hard to envision too but they use really heavy duty forklifts,
They don't look more than 1000lb and they gotta lift 40 ft box which weigh 8000lb so it's a wonder they don't tip over. Or the hydraulics don't leak. I agree those truck drivers are awesome. The first thing they do when they arrive to the site is clear the box off the trailer which much be sitting about 4ft off the ground.


Which beg my question about the next level?? If you wanted to place the container 7 feet off the ground so to use the space underneath as a carport- gotta have crane for that? How much would it cost? Any cheaper alternative??

[MarkP]

When they delivered mine they used a very large forklift. I have no doubt that the forklift could have lifted it 10 feet or more in the air.

I shipped something out of Young Brothers on Oahu. The forklifts they have there must be seen to be believed. Each tire is about 8' in diameter and probably weighs 1,000 lb by itself.

[oink]

quote:

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If you wanted to place the container 7 feet off the ground so to use the space underneath as a carport- gotta have crane for that?

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You could step it up using a larger bottle jack. I have one I raised a few feet with one and it wasn't empty. It would require raising it in numerous steps but doable.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[tada]

Those Big Boxes think of everything- those Big Boxes in Honolulu are just across the street from YB- just coincidence?

Of course using jacks is more carbon-free and helps the planet so that's important to somebody. But if it save money I'm there!

No precaution is too small- chek the jacks for leaks. With jacks you risk the box falling on it's side then you have to right side it. But if falls on me too that's the end of that problem. If anything you want it to fall on the rock retaining wall I plan to rest it on. Would maybe 20 layers of cardboard mitigate dents. I could carve windows and doors out that that damaged section- the pipedreams in my head lives.[]

[MarkP]

I recently moved a 40' high cube steel container about 100' sideways over some ripped ground. I started off with a pair of 12 ton bottle jacks and a come-a-long. I wold jack one end up several inches then use the come-a-long to make it fall off the jacks in the direction I wanted. It was pretty much as bad as it sounds. I tried rolling floor jacks on metal channels but the twisting action of moving one end at a time broke 2 jacks. I eventually graduated to skidding the container on the flat webs of the steel channels which were supported on 2 4 x 10s which were themselves supported on strips of gravel fill to make up for the uneven ground. Essential to the success of the operation were the presence of a conveniently located ohia stump and a 1 1/2 ton chain hand winch. I now think I know how the pyramids were built and believe me it took a long time and involved a lot of slave labor.

When I got it where I wanted it I used the two jacks, one on each side, and lifted each end far enough to slide those 18" x 18" x 6" foundation blocks under each corner. I got another layer of blocks in by retracting the jacks and putting them on top of more concrete or wood blocks. You could go up indefinitely this way but the piles of blocks, being built up of many pieces, would get unstable. To properly support the container so that you could walk under it you should pour solid columns then use a forklift or crane to place the container.

[MarkP]

I also had the use of 130' of 1 1/4" nylon hawser, 50' of 3/4" rope, and three 20' chains. Most of this was courtesy of Weldin' Sheldon Lehman, who should be the go to guy for anyone trying anything remotely like this.

[Rob Tucker]

Weldin' Sheldon has a lot of people who speak well of him.

[DanielP]

For moving a container sideways; try 4-4x12s with short sections of pipe as rollers sandwiched between. To Raise them up; 2 hydraulic jacks and a bunch of rented dunnage. Not sure who might rent dunnage, but worth a look around. Try a house moving service. On BI?
dunno.
Dan

[freds]

I have a 20ft cargo container in great shape. first call takes it cheap, has extras. Please call 425 269 0471. I dont get this computer stuff so calling is best. This took 2 days & help from 11yr old to get this far. Located in N oregon on columbia river(major shipping channel)I have no place to keep it. I also have two semi truck trailers in excellent condition, lotsa cool extras 48ft & 42ft too big for my yard & code enforcement said only if i lived out of city limits. I really got a good laugh out of the story of moving the 40' container 100'. Thankyou for the smile!