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Shipping Container Bunker

6K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  Dr.prepper 
#1 ·
Found this drawing in FM 5-103. The idea is to use a shipping container as a shelter, half-buried, put placed in the hole upside down.
 

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#2 ·
I don't plan on building my family shelter out of these, but I do plan on using them extensively starting next year. Here's why.

Price is cheap, less than 3K delivered. Use your tractor to put them where you want them. My plan is to dig a long trench, drag them into it, and fill them with stores. They are watertight, air tight, and dark. I am going to attach a nozzle/vent to mine so I can fill them with Nitrogen or CO2 depending on cost.

What can you store? Fuel, tractor, ATVs, electronics, food, water, ANYTHING at all. Temperature controlled by the ground, an 8x40 unit has over 310 sq ft of usable floor, and over 2400 cubic feet of space. That's a lot of storage.

You could easily weld tanks in place that you can fill/extract from at the surface, as well as create a ladder entry to better conceal the way in and out should you need to go in for supplies. Don't forget to vent the inert gas inside or use scuba gear to go in and get what you need.

Another use: Bury them in the ground with the top at ground level, cut the top and put windows in place. You then have an inground hidden greenhouse that can grow low light crops. Alternatively you could put solar panels in place and use growlights and hydroponics. I won't be using them for growing anything illegal, that would be stupid. I'll be using them to grow beans, strawberries, potatoes, etc. Expensive? Not too bad if you can do your own excavating and you understand the way to make it structurally sound.

Ground pressure will collapse the sides or top if you're not careful. This is bad if you're storing in it, but deadly if you're living in it. Think carefully about the weight of the soil around it and use steel/wood to re-inforce it as need be. Just a few interior walls and well place beams would do wonders regarding wall strength.

I'm considering building a house with these. For the price of a double wide you can have a 2,400 sq foot house configured any way you want. That's if you can weld, work with wood, and do your own interior. Make sure you learn about water barriers, earth walls, mold issues, etc. There are HUNDREDS of things to consider when building any structure.

This site will help you get on your way:

http://www.containeralliance.com/buyers-guide.php
 
#11 ·
If I build a house from them (depends on local codes and the ease of a variance) then a 20' this way will be my stairwell, I think. The top doors will be removed and replace with glass for a skylight.
 
#6 ·
Its not that I doubt ya ,but I haul these things around for a living and they take quite a beating ...from ship to rail to truck...some got cracks all over them,some the doors wont hardly close,.....I wouldnt know how to even leak check it before you took on the task of sealing it
 
#7 ·
There are companies that refurbish them, and sell them after that. They're as good as new, basically. But I know what you mean, I wouldn't want one that hadn't been gone over if I planned on pressurizing it. Even then, fix it before you put it in the ground, the go over it with very soapy water while it's pressurized. Depending on the condition of the wood floor, you may have to seal that area too.

You can get them premade to your purpose too.

http://www.truckertotrucker.com/trucking/container-trailers.cfm

http://www.cgini.com/memphis_tn._cargo_containers_for_sale.html

http://www.npsa-us.org/index.php?s=67

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=1483898

http://www.mobilemini.com/portable-storage-locations/kansas-city-mo.php
 
#9 ·
I've fantasized about projects with these things for years! Weld a bunch of them end to end, and at different angles... Theres really no limit to what you could do with these things. Some good welding, waterproofing, plumbing, ventalation, and electrical skills are all you really need! And you can continually add section to suit your needs. There are a couple of decent websites promoting their uses, though admittedly my ideas are a bit grander than what they have to offer.
 
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