Possible New Playpen

[Pappy]

I cut behind a strip mall a few days ago to avoid some backed up traffic. This also takes me past the local recycle yard. Outside the yard was a metal building sitting on a trailer like the type used for portable, on site offices.

Just driving past, my guess was about 9x30. Went back Friday after work and measured it...12x40! The plan now is for it to be used as storage at the site and the owner was gone so I couldn't talk to him. I called and left a message for him to see if he will sell it. Should hear back on Monday.

There is some relatively minor damage to the sheet metal. Since the only door is an entrance on one side, my thought is to open one end up and add double 36" doors. The sheet metal removed would give me plenty of matching material to repair any damaged areas.

The drawback is a 7' wall height. Figure to solve this by removing the low pitch roof and replacing it with a trussed gambrel roof. That should give me a 10' - 11' working height about 7' wide down the center.

All this rambling is the product of one of those irritating Brit TV salesmen (Sorry Ray!) that woke me up at 4:30 on a Sunday morning. Everything is continguent on whether or not the building is even for sale at a decent price.

[Ken Weaver]

Talk to Ken Massingale - that shed is exactly the size of his shop. Little reminiscent of a tunnel but he gets a lot done in it.

[just4funsies]

You'll be able to work on some really L-O-N-G pieces (as long as they're not too wide!)...

[rickd]

my shop is only 10' x 20' so the building you're looking at sounds pretty good to me! hope everything pans out for you! good luck!

[Wood_workur]

Can I have half of it?

[bigsteel15]

It shouldn't be more than a couple Gs Pappy. Especially if it was "recycled".
We buy them once in awhile at work and only pay 3-4K for a used "Sea-Can" here in a hot market.
If yours is an old office portable though, it will probably be more $ becasue it will have power run inside.

[ironhat]

Sounds great to me, Don. I know you'll feel like you're in hog heaven. Have you passed this by your C.O.? Mine would be having a heart attack. BTW, ya can't have the mobile base back even if you do need it in the new digs (LOL).
Good luck,
Chiz

[Jim Boyd]

No more playing on the porch?

[mater]

The Playpen will become a Playhouse then Pappy.

[tropicaffair]

Pappy,

About four years ago I had an opportunity to pick up an 8' x 30' job site office trailer cheap. Cheap because it had some fire damage on the old, decrepit T-111 siding and the metal frame rails had some damage. I was able to repair the frame with my 110 volt Lincoln welder and eventually I stripped all the T-111 siding off and replaced it with insulation, 3/8" plywood sheathing and vinyl siding (and some windows I had scavenged elsewhere).
I re-inforced the floor with a layer of 3/4" underlayment plywood covered with the cheapest 12"x12" peel-n-stick floor tiles I could find at Lowes.


This is my first time actually posting photos so I hope it works. If these post OK I'll try and post up some interior shots. I've turned the trailer into a dedicated workshop - it has taken some imagination (ok, compromises) to contend with a narrow shop. I am far from done, there always seems like there's something else I want to setup for a particular tool, etc.

Oh yeah, try to ignore the mess, my buddy next door has 2 boats and assorted stuff near my shop, in addition to the assorted "stuff" I have there as well.

[gabedad]

I occasionally see these on craigslist - many of them have even been for free! If this one does not pan out for you - you may want to start looking there