Hey Cory!
I currently run a bicycle workshop out of a 30ft x 10ft container (3 workstations), previously ran a pilot from a 20ft x 8ft6" container (2 workstations, minimal storage)......answering your questions...
I've been offered a shipping container in a BMX park to use for a fledgling co-op. /each shipping container has a unique ID - much like a car registration plate - use this to find the year and history - if the container is very old and/or damaged/too rusty, you may be better off with another./ I want to hear from others who operate out of containers. What has your experience been like? What challenges does operating out of a container present that a traditional retail/warehouse space does not? How do you address those challenges? /space is the main concern, then temperature, then functionality..../ /8ft 6" is difficult - you can setup workstands here but with internal insulation and fitouts it will be a squeeze...unless...you have wall mounted stands and access one side only / /w.r.t temperature you have two options - totally sealed with spray insulation (about £2500 for a small container in London UK, though highly toxic and bad for the environment) or glass-fibre insulation and allowing the unit to 'breathe' through vents - I chose the latter/ /whatever you do, avoid cutting holes in the roof or walls - the strength of the container is due to the corrugation - also you'd avoid leaks and potential security weaknesses / /another thing? NEVER place the container on soil where the bottom of the container touches the ground - containers can rust and rot easily. Also, for this reason, I coated ours with 4 coats of Hammerite and the roof with an additional 2 coats of bitumen paint / / / My plan is to provide tools and two or three stands (spaced very generously apart) for DIY service as well as a small selection of new consumables (cables, housing, ferrules, etc) on a PWYC basis. /I built all the racking and timber fitout on both containers - advice....use std size containers and build the racking around this (or just buy custom heavy duty racking if you have budget). If using a std 20ft x 8'6" container you can get 2 stands in, if a std 40ft, 4 stands/ /conventional container fitouts in the UK use 6mm ply and 44mm timber. I used what I could access (18mm ply and 2" x 4" timber) and was so glad I had these! the walls are strong enough (especially with battens) for hanging shelving and bikes etc...though the overall weight is high/ Partially finance the above by selling refurbished donated bikes. /depends where you are but where I am this is not a money-earner - servicing is where the income is/ Provide a small selection of used parts (taken from donated bikes that aren't safe/worth refurbishing) on a PWYC basis. /good idea - ensure everything is tested first where possible or offer on the basis of 'sold as seen'/ All of this will be on a seasonal basis. May-Oct. If it lasts longer than this season, I'll grow it as I'm able in the future. /the current container has walls and ceiling insulated with 50mm recycled glass-bottle fibre insulation behind 18mm ply. (With a 2kw oil radiator, this is okay to work inside, down to around 0 degrees C) / Right now my primary goal is to take advantage of the surge of interest in cycling to get more people on bikes. /brilliant!!/ I'm also interested in diverting as much waste from landfills as possible, and would love to hear any ideas about converting frames/parts to useable objects (repair stands, tables, clocks, whatever). /we're also moving to zero waste...some of the things we've created (and sold) have been..../ /Coffee Table/ /Light Stand/ /Belts (most common)/ /Bottle openers/ /Clocks/ /Keyrings/ / / /we've also supplied 'waste streams' (such as old inner tubes) to local artists for upcycling/ / /
Let me know if I can be of more assistance Cory and all the best with this!
In service,
*Lawrence Mohammed* CEO and Founder Pro Bike Service C.I.C. *+44 (0)77 222 58587* *probikeservice.co.uk https://probikeservice.co.uk*
/::Olympic Park Site:: Pro Bike Service C.I.C. Multi-Storey Car Park, Lesney Avenue Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park London E20 3BS *map location https://what3words.com/upset.habit.funds*
/ On 10/02/2021 21:04, thethinktank-request@lists.bikecollectives.org wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. How Many Of Y'all Run/Volunteer At A Shipping Container Based Co-op? (Cory W. W) 2. Re: How Many Of Y'all Run/Volunteer At A Shipping Container Based Co-op? (BikeConcord) 3. Re: How Many Of Y'all Run/Volunteer At A Shipping Container Based Co-op? (Cory W. W)
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