Shipping container personnel door

[Jim Davey]

Hi all,

I have to modify a shipping container to turn it into a workshop. I'm going to need a good quality strong personnel door. I've seen some online but they quote 1.5mm thick steel which sounds very weedy for a security door, unless there is a tough core material of some sort?

Anyway, if any of you have some suggestions of a good source for a decent tough door that would be much appreciated. Preferably with a steel frame designed to weld directly into a portal cut into a container wall.

 

[arther dailey]

from the few I found when looking Jim you would be better and more secure making your own, but I was only looking second hand market.

 

[Migmac]

Just a thought, is it worth while making it from anything thicker than what the container is made out of. Battery operated tools have made containers very easy to get into. Scum bags don’t always use the doors.

 

[Jim Davey]

Good point, but the location of the containers makes attacking the sides a bit difficult. The sides of a container are thicker than 1.5mm though.

 

[fizzy]

I would just HAVE to make my own. I would probably lose a few digits every time I closed it but even so................

 

[cumbriasteve]

No members on the forum close enough to take the job on if you are too busy yourself?

Sounds an interesting project and you could have it with your own security ideas

 

[Jim Davey]

I'm very pushed for time, I have to turn four containers into stores, and workshops, insulated, lined, lit, ventilated, heated, electrical distribution, benches, racking, tool boxes and move out of my current shop by Jan 24th. I'm going to be very busy. Not only that, the containers are full of welding kit and accessories that needs to be sold/scrapped/ moved into storage before I can even start work on joining the containers and cutting out the dividing walls.
I'm going to have my hands very full.

 

[gaz1]

build your frame out of box section and then a piece of steel run down the front of the box section to overlap onto the container sides these can just be welded up in situation

steel door box section however i picked up a steel fire door for mine to be used on

sorry its the quickest way to do one also have steel inside and outside of the door frame mines made out of 2mm steel i believe

 

[fizzy]

http://www.ajsteeldoors.co.uk/en/pr.../vision_panel-none/height_reduction-no_thanks

These are very reasonable - yes thin steel but double layered with a central core. They do heavier duty as well - far cheaper than I would have thought!

 

[clift_d]

How about using the off-the-peg door above and then putting an additional steel gate over the top?

 

[addjunkie]

will that on line door not be two 1.5mm skins. insulation in the middle!

 

[Kent]

Most modern unit and buildings have fire doors skinned up less than 1mm. Fit a standard one and if required build a barred but simple second one over it.
Some of the break in jobs I have seen on the farms are extreme (if they want to get in they will, just make it good enough to deter and meet insurance requirements Imo)
You could mess with it for ages just buy a std one I say

 

[gaz1]

the fire door internals looked like this on my steel doors

 

[Jim Davey]

Thanks for the input guys, the ones from ajsteel doors look just the ticket.

 

[PhillipM]

We've got ex-post office armoured doors in ours (luckily, my family had a post office that they were clearing out, I've got armoured windows and allsorts ), come with a nice 3mm thick frame to weld in, and they only open from one side, so if they cut into the side of the container they're not going far anyway.
Might be worth a quick look see if there's either one shutting down or a supplier nearby.

 

[rtbcomp]

Could you use the bit of steel you cut out to make the door? Then all you need is a frame.

 

[Jim Davey]

I could, I'm just looking to save time. Making a door will take me a day. I can plasma a hole and weld an off the peg door in in a morning. As luck would have it a 2020mm door just clears the box section lip that supports the lean-to in our yard.
Picture of where the door needs to go and the box section roof support that's (just) out of the way.

 

[atomant48]

Jim I've been using one of those ajsteel doors for the past couple years on my garage. It's been good - it seems quite heavy and solid. I think the hinges and hardware are lacquered rather than stainless as there's a little bit of rust on them but nothing dramatic. Also the bottom of the frame is quite flimsy (flat sheet steel) but once you bolt it into something and the locking pins go in it is solid. From memory it came with about a dozen keys which I never figured out.

Actually edit that. Mine came with locks and I've just noticed they are blank so I'm not sure it is the same one.

 

[arther dailey]

how about a box frame ,then just use thick checker plate for door,can always be tidy d up later as long as its secure.couple of those heavy duty locks fitted like you would secure van doors or similar?

 

[Tommyf]

We just fitted 6 to some industrial units , got them from a firm called doors for security on the web . Been very impressed so far and very easy to fit , there adjustable you just wind the Allen bolts out drill through the same holes and they are multi point locking. Very good value as well.