[Fetthunter]

We store our food, medicine, and other supplies in the basement, but more specifically, we store them in surplus Navy shipping containers:

(small child not included, shown only for size reference)

They're usually readily available on eBay, usually for around $25 - $35 each + shipping (look for local sellers to save money on shipping). They're watertight and airtight, which is just the sort of thing you need in an emergency situation.

This is also a good place. This guy is selling his business, and is motivated to get rid of his inventory. A little elbow grease to clean them up (if you chose to) and not much money could get you a nice storage case (or cases):

http://www.surplus-cases.com/Index.html

So, how do YOU store your supplies?

 

[pantser]

I purchase suitcases for 5 bucks at goodwill and also have gotten large 20 gallon chests made of plastic there for around 5 bucks, just depends if they have overhauled the store to the new model or not... now it's hard to find anything since they re-did it.

 

[TechAdmin]

Excellent advice Fetthunter. Never seen those before and that's cheap!

 

[Fetthunter]

Excellent advice Fetthunter. Never seen those before and that's cheap!

Hope it helps!

I figure if they're good enough for the military to ship computers and medical devices in, they'll work for me! These cases are $250+ NEW.

 

[Fetthunter]

I just picked up another case (which appears to be a Hardigg OEM military transit case) off eBay for $9.99 + s/h!

It's 33" W X 21" D X 14" H, and I think that I can cram a good deal of stuff into it.

With my 3 or 4 other cases, I think we'll be ok... One for medical upplies/first aid, one (or two) for food and food bars, etc... Should work out well, I think.

I often wonder what the UPS and FedEx guys think after delivering to my house... emergency food bars, military cases, gun parts and medieval weapons...

 

[TechAdmin]

I don't see these cases on Ebay. What search term are you searching for?

 

[Fetthunter]

I don't see these cases on Ebay. What search term are you searching for?

"military shipping case" is what I usually use. "transit" is a good keyword, too.

Look under the eBay stores section using this search link:

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38&_nkw=military+shipping+case&_sacat=See-All-Categories

I may have bought the last super cheap one. There's still at least one for $19.99, then that place that I posted a few days ago that's going out of business. Many of his are cheaper than those on eBay. You just have to shop and compare.

 

[Washkeeton]

What a cool idea and even better link... Thanks...

 

[Fetthunter]

I've used Hardigg cases for a few years for my own personal use. I attend a number of conventions every year for the non-profit service organization that I'm a member of, and I use a specialized Hardigg iM3075 Storm Case (with wheels, telescoping handle, purge valve, etc.), and it has NEVER once let me down. It's HUGE, at around 35" x 22" x 18", and 40 pounds empty.

The fact that they're made in the U.S., and they stand behind their products convinced me to buy it. It was $549 new, and I got it on eBay (new) for $264 + shipping (about $40). I would've had no concerns buying a used one, but this model (which I needed because of its dimensions) aren't sold used just yet - it's a "new" model.

Hardigg makes one tough case!

So, if you're looking on eBay or that other guy's site and see "Hardigg" cases, they're good stuff! There are other good brands too.

Happy shopping!

 

[Washkeeton]

What are the ones about with the frames in them... are the frames removable? what do you use them for?

Ok so we have those kind of bears up here... if they are really that good you could use them for food storage when on a wilderness treck instead of a bear safe canister... hehehe

 

[NaeKid]

I have a nice collection of military surplus ammo-cans that I use as tool boxes, dry-food containers, fluid-catchers, recovery gear holders, and vehicle consoles (center console).

Using a welder and some scrap metals (I work in the metal-fab industry) I can design and build mounts for my vehicles ..

 

[TechAdmin]

Are the ammo cans you find in Canada sealable? All the ones I have do not have a seal on them.

 

[Fetthunter]

What are the ones about with the frames in them... are the frames removable? what do you use them for?

One of my Navy shipping cases came with a shock-mounted frame inside of it. The frame was 40 pounds, and the case was 35 (75 pounds total!). I unbolted the frame and removed it, as it was useless to me. The Navy had originally installed it to protect a computer system during transit. The shock-mounted frame allowed the computer to bounce around slightly inside the case without damaging it. Pretty nifty, but totally unecessary for storing food.

Ok so we have those kind of bears up here... if they are really that good you could use them for food storage when on a wilderness treck instead of a bear safe canister... hehehe

You sure could. The bear might like his new "chew toy", though, and you might have a hard time getting it back!

 

[Fetthunter]

I have a nice collection of military surplus ammo-cans that I use as tool boxes, dry-food containers, fluid-catchers, recovery gear holders, and vehicle consoles (center console).

I have some surplus M-60 ammo cans that I use to store my (much smaller) 9mm ammo (still in the boxes) in. Keeps it together, and it's better than having a box here, a box there, etc.

 

[Washkeeton]

another question Fetthunter, have you ever bought stuff from that place you posted? Not the ebay but the other guy and how was he as far as getting it to you, getting what you ordered price for shipping etc. I would be glad to invest in a few of these to consolidate a bunch of not only my outdoors gear, camping gear, fishing gear, trapping gear, winter gear, etc to keep it all together. If for any reason I needed to make a quick exit how much easier to grab one or more of these and go than to try to find everything all over the place... Thanks for the links

 

[coinguy]

I often wonder what the UPS and FedEx guys think after delivering to my house... emergency food bars, military cases, gun parts and medieval weapons...

Hehehe....I sell guns to a couple of UPS drivers and one FEDEX driver, and we have a couple of mailmen that have bought guns from us, one who regularly buys case lot ammo as well. One of the UPS drivers has also taken a concealed weapons class from me. You just never know.....but I'm sure it is like any other cross section of society - some who think and some who don't.

G

 

[coinguy]

I have a nice collection of military surplus ammo-cans that I use as tool boxes, dry-food containers, fluid-catchers, recovery gear holders, and vehicle consoles (center console). .

Ammo cans are always in big demand in our shop. I personally store ammo, ammo components and gun parts in them. I use them for tool boxes as well. 30 cal and 50 cal are the most popular, but I have quite a few 20mm cans that are used for things as well. My parents, before they passed away, used 20mm cans to store wheat in, using a plastic bag for a liner. NOTHING was going to get into that wheat!

Buy them while you can. I remember during the klinton years, they became very hard to get. All the surplus sales around here had them, but they had to be flattened before they could sell them. Seems klinton found out that people were, gasp choke, storing AMMO in them! They are available now, but who knows what the future will bring.

G

 

[Fetthunter]

another question Fetthunter, have you ever bought stuff from that place you posted? Not the ebay but the other guy and how was he as far as getting it to you, getting what you ordered price for shipping etc. I would be glad to invest in a few of these to consolidate a bunch of not only my outdoors gear, camping gear, fishing gear, trapping gear, winter gear, etc to keep it all together. If for any reason I needed to make a quick exit how much easier to grab one or more of these and go than to try to find everything all over the place... Thanks for the links

I haven't personally, but I've heard others say good things. Make sure that you use the shipping calculator beforehand. Most of the cases are large, and aren't just calculated by weight, but by SIZE. "Dimensional weight" will get you every time! Often times, a 30 pound case will have the shipping costs of a 60-70 pound item due to its "over-sized" dimensions. A $10 case can easily have $60 shipping charges. Still, for a $250 case, it's well worth it, IMO.

We just received a case from eBay yesterday. The case was $19.99, but the shipping was $40. It's a LARGE case, and ex-military (watertight, airtight, purge valve, etc.), and made by ThermoDyne. Once I came to terms with the shipping cost, I was fine.

 

[Fetthunter]

Hehehe....I sell guns to a couple of UPS drivers and one FEDEX driver, and we have a couple of mailmen that have bought guns from us, one who regularly buys case lot ammo as well. One of the UPS drivers has also taken a concealed weapons class from me. You just never know.....but I'm sure it is like any other cross section of society - some who think and some who don't.

G

I can just see my UPS driver, FedEx driver, and mailman meeting up someplace at lunch or something, and then somebody mentions what they delivered to my house, and the others chime in. Pretty soon, I'm on the government's "watch list" (which I probably am ANYway!).

 

[Washkeeton]

I haven't personally, but I've heard others say good things. Make sure that you use the shipping calculator beforehand. Most of the cases are large, and aren't just calculated by weight, but by SIZE. "Dimensional weight" will get you every time! Often times, a 30 pound case will have the shipping costs of a 60-70 pound item due to its "over-sized" dimensions. A $10 case can easily have $60 shipping charges. Still, for a $250 case, it's well worth it, IMO.

We just received a case from eBay yesterday. The case was $19.99, but the shipping was $40. It's a LARGE case, and ex-military (watertight, airtight, purge valve, etc.), and made by ThermoDyne. Once I came to terms with the shipping cost, I was fine.

Thanks for the info