Shipping Container Drawings

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This page presents a set of reverse engineered drawings of a 'typical' 40 foot, HiCap (9 foot high) shipping container. I prepared these drawing in February 2008 using measurements taken from my shipping container. The only represent drawings of a 'typical' shipping container because there are small variations in the implementation of shipping container from various manufacturer's or times. None-the-less, these drawings are close enough for use in design projects.

The drawings are presented as .jpg images for viewing and as .CAD  and .dwg drawings. Drawings in .CAD format can be viewed or edited using AutoDesk's QuickCAD program, which is quite economical to purchase. The .dwg format can be read by numerous programs including AutoCAD.

While I have done my best to accurately reverse engineer the shipping container design, I make no assertion as to the accuracy or completeness of the drawings.

 

 

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How to Choose a Las Vegas Hotel and Casino

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Overview

Millions of people plan vacations to Las Vegas every year and millions of people have no idea how to find the right hotel and casino for their trip. Before you book a room, don’t assume that all Las Vegas hotels are created equal. A little bit of thought and research before your trip can make the difference between a perfect vacation and a perfect disaster.

With most of the world, the hotel is where you stay after seeing the sites. In Las Vegas, the hotels are the sites. In a city with more than 135,000 hotel rooms available, the selections are bound to vary widely. By asking yourself some simple questions, you can narrow down your choices to a select few and find the best casino fit for you.

What are you going for?

Visitors flock to Las Vegas for every reason from business to gambling to weddings and beyond.

If you’re one of the millions of business travelers, your priorities will probably include the location of the conference you’re attending and whether a hotel has fax machines and high-speed wireless internet in the room.

Narrowing down the search to the reason why you’re going is the best step in determining what type of hotel you’re looking for.

If you’re planning, like many Vegas-goers, to get married during your stay you should think about what type of honeymoon you would like to have. Are you going to want a quiet, relaxing time at the spa or party all day and night? Find a hotel that fits your idea of the perfect time.

With the amount of options available, you’re sure to find a great match.

Are you going for a specific game?

If the main goal behind your trip is to play poker 24-7, you’ll want to find a casino that’s got an always-active poker room. Almost all of the major casino websites contain a listing of which types of games they have. If you’re looking for a specialty game, make sure the casinos you’re checking out have the game.

People who want to play slots and video poker will have an easier time finding a casino than those searching for a non-traditional poker game or European Roulette. If you don’t want to stay at the place where your game is, you can always find a hotel more suited to your preferences in the surrounding area.

What part of town do you want to stay in?

Do you want to be in the middle of the action or far away from it? Las Vegas, for the most part, can be separated into three different areas. Directly on Las Vegas Boulevard, commonly known as the Strip, the Downtown area, and off the strip.

The Strip is where most people stay, almost all of the major casinos are within walking distance, which makes transportation much easier. The Strip is where you’ll find the massive, mega-resorts like Bellagio, the Venetian, and the Luxor. Downtown is the older, more classic-style casinos. Most of the Las Vegas landmarks are in this area.

Don’t know where you want to stay? You can determine an area of town by also basing your choice on why you’re going to Vegas. If you’re out to have a shopping extravaganza, you’ll want to be in the hub of the strip, where the majority of the malls are.

A related question you need to ask yourself is whether you’d like to stay at hotel with or without a casino. Believe it or not, there are actually hotels to stay at in Las Vegas that don’t have casinos. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the hotels without casinos are less-expensive, though. To make up for lack of gambling revenue, many of the non-casino hotels charge higher rates per night than their comparable hotel-casino counterparts.

 

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Shipping Container Architecture

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Ship-shape design

In the years I’ve lived in San Francisco I have seen more than my fair share of cargo shipping containers—sometimes being hoisted by cranes in the busy Port of Oakland, other times filling the decks of gigantic freighters passing through the Golden Gate. They have become so ubiquitous that I almost don’t see them at all; they are just one part of the Bay area landscape. When I have noticed them, it has only been to ponder the immense scale of the global economy, and to imagine the variety of goods they may be carrying. Although I may view them only as vehicles of commerce, there are some who have re-imagined these behemoths in an exciting new way. They have looked at shipping containers and said, “I could live in one of those.”

While the mention of people living in shipping containers may bring to mind horrible images of would-be immigrants forced into appalling living conditions by leaders of smuggling rings, I am not talking about that kind of living arrangement. Instead, I am referring to savvy architects and planners who have seen the benefits of incorporating shipping containers into their designs for homes, schools, youth centers and live/work complexes.

 

Read more about shipping container design on www.shipping-container-housing.com

Office Made of Shipping Containers a Cheap Green Building Solution

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The three-story complex is divided into two sets of offices with a canopy made from the sides of containers covering an exposed central hallway.  

"Our mantra was let the container be a container whenever possible. So we don't hide the dings," [owner Peter] Case says.

Dings and all, the building cost $1.8 million -- half the cost of his original plans for a conventional building, which Case scrapped when the economy tanked. There was no precedent in the U.S., so he had to convince Providence officials, who were a little hesitant at first.

Then he bought shipping containers for $2,000 each and welded two or three of them together, cutting out the sides to create an open floor plan.

Inside, it feels like any other office space. It took Case and his team six months to design and figure out the basics like installing windows, electric and plumbing. It took just four days to truck in the containers and plunk them down on-site.

 

This is of course not the first building made with shipping containers -- I wrote about New Zealand's container-based Rimutaka Prison earlier this year (on block of cells from the prison is pictured at right), and as far back as 2008 Travelodge opened a hotel in London made of shipping containers.

 

Read more about shipping container costs on www.shipping-container-housing.com

Five Ways to Build Public Speaking into Your Marketing Plan

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Sometimes companies face publicity droughts. Without a new product launch, an earnings announcement, a change in leadership or a relatable current event, companies can go through periods without the opportunity to generate positive public exposure.

Ubiquity is the key to remaining foremost in the minds of target audiences. But what are companies to do when there's nothing newsworthy to promote? Luckily, speaking opportunities at industry conferences abound throughout the year.

Here are five tips for targeting -- and capitalizing on -- speaking opportunities:

1. Identify relevant conferences in advance: Most conferences have long lead times for speaker submission deadlines, so it's crucial to begin the process of identifying relevant conferences early. There are subscription services that search for relevant conferences based on any number of variables such as industry, geographic location, size and date.

If you don't want to pay for a subscription service, a simple web search will return numerous sites that list conferences for various industries. A few recommended sites include:

• CurrentPartnering.com lists upcoming partnering events
• ConferenceAlerts.com
• AllConferences.com has thorough listings from A to Z

Additionally, many media outlets host conferences, so it's worthwhile to browse the websites of the top trade publications in your industry to identify opportunities.

A little digging is often needed to find speaker submission guidelines and deadlines as this information is not always posted on the conference website. Also, some conferences change dates from year to year, so you can't depend on the schedule from years past.

2. Keep track with a database: Whether you use a spreadsheet or a document table, it's critical to create some kind of database to keep track of conferences each year. Include the name of the conference, when it's taking place, when the speaker submission deadline is, guidelines and protocols for speaking submissions, contact information, conference URL and a bit of background information about each conference.

Sometimes conference dates are listed before any speaking submission information is made available. That's why it's also crucial to check the conference website often and update your database accordingly.

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Metal Shipping Containers Recycled Into Office Building

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Gong green is often as much about saving money as it is about saving the earth. Building designers in Providence, R.I., have managed to do both by creating an office space from used shipping containers. The building not only reuses, it was also done for half the cost of the conventional building plans.

 The giant office building, a three-story work of art, was made from used shipping containers that were purchased for $2,000 each. The containers were welded together, creating a Lego-like look, that certainly catches the eye of anyone who happens by. The builders did not attempt to hide what the containers were, letting them retain their boxy look for an unusual shape and design.

Peter Case, the owner of the building, helped design it and piece it together from used cargo shipping containers found on trains and trucks. Case and his team spent six months designing and planning how to arrange the containers, as well as working on how to install windows and doors. Electric and plumbing also had to be figured out, as traditional methods would not work.

From the inside, Case says the offices look like any other building. It is only on the outside that you can get a feel for the unique style.

 

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Installation of satellite television dishes: householder's planning guide

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Introduction

This Planning Guide is the Government's statement of good practice on the siting of satellite television dish antennas in England and Wales. It has been prepared with, and agreed by, representatives of the satellite television industry and local planning authorities.

The purpose of this guide is:

• First to protect our environment from unnecessarily large, unsympathetic or poorly sited satellite dishes.
• Second to make you, as a householder, aware of the need for the appropriate siting of satellite dishes.
• Third to help retailers and installers provide improved advice and service to householders on the siting of satellite dishes.

Before you buy or rent a dish, check whether you need planning permission, listed building consent or owner's/ landlord's consent.

Remember, you are responsible for the appropriate siting of satellite dishes; if you have any doubt, contact the planning department of your local council or seek independent professional advice.

Checklist for Selection, Purchase, and Installation

1. Check if you need the landlord's, or owner's consent.
2. Don't allow a dish to be installed without first finding out whether or not you need planning permission or listed building consent.
3. Use reputable and authorised suppliers and installers.
4. Select a dish no larger than the minimum required for good reception.
5. Site the dish in an inconspicuous place, preferably where your neighbours and the public cannot see it.
6. Avoid breaking the skyline with the dish and, whenever possible don't site it in front of the house.
7. Select a dish that blends in with its chosen background.

Respect the environment. The cheapest option may not be the most environmentally friendly.

Don't forget that you are responsible for having it installed; poor siting may lead the council to require you to re-site the dish at your own expense.

Satellite TV technology continues to evolve: you should be aware of the different kinds of system so that you can make an informed choice.

Is a planning application required?

A general permission exists under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, as amended by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) Order 1998 for satellite dishes in certain circumstances. These are explained below according to different house types and areas.

If you are a tenant or a leaseholder (i.e. you do not own the house you live in), then the landlord's or owner's consent to install a dish is usually required, unless it has already been given, as well as any other necessary permissions.

1 Do you live in a house that is not in a conservation area, a National park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Norfolk Boards?

Then you do not need to apply for planning permission to install a dish on that house, provided that:

• there will not be more than one dish on the building or in the garden;
• the dish does not exceed 90cm in size;
• if the dish is installed on the roof, it does not protrude above the highest part of the roof;
• in the case of an installation on a chimney stack, the dish does not exceed 45cm in size and is not higher than the highest part of the stack.

2 Do you live in a larger block of flats (of or over 15m in height - approximately over five storeys)?

Then you do not need to apply for planning permission to install a dish, provided that:

• the building is not in a conservation area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Broads;
• the number of dishes (including terrestrial dish antennas) on the building as a whole does not exceed two;
• the dish does not exceed 1.3m in size.

3 Do you live in a flat in a small block of flats or commercial premises (below 15m in height) or plan to install a dish on a commercial property (e.g. shop, pub, club, etc)? Or do you live in a dwelling house in a conservation area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Broads?

Then you do not need to apply for planning permission to install a dish, provided that:

• the dish does not exceed the limits on size, number and siting that are set out in paragraph 1 above, and the installation is not on a chimney stack, nor on the wall or roofslope fronting the road or public footpath (or, in the case of the Broads, fronting the waterway).

In the case of flats, these limits refer to the building as a whole and not to each separate flat. If, therefore, one flat dweller has already installed a dish, planning permission is required for further installations. However, in such a case, the flat dweller may wish to examine the possibility of a shared dish.

Your supplier or installer may generally be able to advise whether an application for planning permission is required for installing a dish in a particular place. If there is any doubt you should contact the planning department of your local council; the department provides application forms if planning permission is required.

It is your responsibility for seeking, or not seeking, planning permission. If required, planning permission should be granted before installation.

Size means the measurement across any dimension of the antenna (excluding any projecting feed element, the reinforcing rim and supporting brackets).

Some buildings are 'listed' because of their special historic or architectural interest. If you live in a 'listed building', you will need to consult your local planning department. The department can advise if the building is 'listed'. If it is, you will generally need to apply for 'listed building consent', if you wish to install a dish on that building. This consent is different from planning permission and must not be confused with it.

Listed building consent is required for any dish that affects the character or appearance of a listed building or its setting.

 

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