Sunday 2 November 2014

2nd November 2014

Apologies for the long delay in posting new content but we've been sorting out a shipping container that was onsite, waiting for it to become available so that we can convert it into a workshop.

The container only became available at the end of September, the first stage was to paint the inside, using gloss paint and an airless sprayer, that took a couple of days as its a 40' container, it then took over a week for the paint to go off.

Friday was spent assembling kitchen cupboards that will house the various tools that we will need, for example drill press, scroll saws etc, plus one as a work bench.  The long term plan is that some of these will go onto wheels so they can be moved around to create larger work spaces as needed.

Yesterday was spent assembling the monumental shelving unit I designed, it was somewhat heavier than I expected, I did look at buying units, but they would have cost over £300 so I decided to build something myself.  They are the size I want them, constructed using 18mm MDF and 3x2 CLS timber its a substantial unit.



The units are all down one side and have 18mm MDF tops, nice and substantial, everything is glued using polyurethane glue so they are very solid and there is no play in them, which will make them ideal when I install the various tools on top of them.

You can see the first fit electrics in the following photos, the plan is to have a similar setup to that on the boat, a generator outside secured to the container, feeding a small garage distribution panel, one circuit for lights, the other for the sockets.


Next week I'll have the electrics completed and should have most of the tools setup, I can then order the glue and first batch of timber that I will need.  While waiting for the timber and glue to arrive I'll be making a door as you can't close the doors to the container when you are in it and as I'll have some form of heating I won't want it to escape.

I'll also be sourcing and fitting some 12v LED flood lights and a PIR for security outside, plus a small area of decking so we don't drag mud into the container.