Utah: Clearfield Recycling - Shipping and Storage Containers ("steel crate")

[Valence]

Not a pure salvage yard, let alone a military vehicle one, just a commercial recycling center, but Clearfield Recycling, in Clearfield, UT has stacks of these steel crates / shipping & storage containers. They are currently $65 each (+tax for the ruling class). They said in March 2023 they're raising the price to $85. No appointment necessary, just show up during business hours. I have no affiliation to this place.

It was super muddy in the back, but their little forklift pulled down a good looking pair that had been banded together towards the back for me.



Rough outside dimensions are 51" long x 40" wide x 38" high




Each of these had a good gasket inside and 2 "Remove Before Flight" tags. (They also looked like new on the inside but I forgot to take a picture). One crate was missing 1 latch, but oh well.

One of the crates had a DIY tool (or murder weapon? haha) inside for opening and closing the latches. Handy!



Also, mine are every very close in serial number 07156 & 07158!


I'm going to bolt casters to the bottom of these and roll them under my deck. I spent (a little) more on the two sets of caster wheels than I did on the crates.

 

[Superthermal]

Do you think some hindges can be welded onto one side to use this as a tool box for the bed of my BOT (M813)? 1/8" steel? or just clamps on the

 

[Valence]

Do you think some hindges can be welded onto one side to use this as a tool box for the bed of my BOT (M813)? 1/8" steel? or just clamps on the

I suppose it’d be possible. I don’t think the metal is as thick as a Knaack box (it feels about as thick as the cheap-o versions of a Knaack box at Home Depot). There'd be a lot of work cutting/grinding off the latches and lift rings on that side to install the hinge. You’d also have to have rope/change limiters so the wind wouldn’t over-extend it. But if the lid closed on your fingers it’d definitely break/cut/sever them. So it'd probably be necessary to have a gas shock (instead of the rope/chain limiters) to slow the lid's close rate.

You’d have to also weld the screw on cap on the side closed too (where additional desiccant is supposed to be added by hand through the hole).

You’d probably be time and money ahead to work extra hours at your job and buy a good Knaack box and then paint it, but I know most of the fun/satisfaction for folks is doing something themselves.


If you wanted, you could message me and you could stop by my place and take a look at my crates before you headed to Clearfield Recycling.

 

[ToddJK]

I wish I had those near me, lol. Shipping would be expensive!

 

[Superthermal]

I wish I had those near me, lol. Shipping would be expensive!

What would you repurpose them as?

 

[ToddJK]

What would you repurpose them as?

Storage for one, be good to keep all my deuce stuff in. I'd put one in the back of the truck to hold my oil pump, jack, jack stands, big tools, spare parts, stuff like that. I'd bolt it down to the floor so it won't move. I don't haul sand or dirt, sometimes some furniture, so that would work. I'd also make it so it opens like a chest freezer, maybe add a hydraulic shock on there or something.

If I had two, the other would be used to store all my camping gear, I got that stuff all over my garage and my old lady tells me I have too much stuff .

 

[Valence]

I ordered these, IMO, over-priced casters and bolted them to the bottom of the crate so I could easily roll the crate around my driveway (I spent more on the casters than I did on the crate!):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077GCVCMJ


The selling points for me compared to the ultra-cheap, and very poor quality other styles of casters I looked at:

• 1/2" threaded stem (though it was only coarse thread, which means a maximum of Grade 2 steel)
• 5" wheel, polyurethane, non-marking
• Locking
• Rated for 300lbs each (other parts of the description claim 350lbs, so they're inconsistent at best)
• Gasket to help protect the bearings from the dirt/weather.
• Bolt head was under the swivel bearings (vs on top, again, like the cheapest of Chinese caster options)

The angle bracket welded to the bottom of the crate had a steep slope so I used an angle grinder to make it flat(ish) where I drilled the hole. No, sorry, it's not pretty but, well, the crates aren't worth a lot but I did paint it.




I wish the full top of the caster actually sat fully flush against the steel. Though, I suppose I could drill out the bottom of the hole a little more. I assume this wouldn't be a problem when mounting on wood.