Skip to navigation Skip to content

Small Scale Engineering

Search for:

Home
Welding
Renovations
The Container House Project
Contact Us
Shop
- My account

Home
About Us
Basket
Become Involved In The Container House Project!
Business Directory
Checkout
Contact Us
My account
Newsletter
Privacy Policy
Project Timeline
Renovations
Search Results
Shop
Social
The Container House Project
Welding

R0.00 0 items

Home

Small Scale Engineering offers you the following services:

Engineering, fitting & turning on once-off and short run pieces
All types of welding including bespoke, metal furniture manufacture
Prototype manufacture
Home maintenance, restoration, repairs and renovations
General handyman

CONTACT US NOW!

The Latest From the Container House Project

- Nissan Champ Rebuild – Exterior
  20th Mar 2019LifestyleBig projects usually come with glitches and the Nissan Champ rebuild project has been no exception. Kevin and Louis suffered a glitch that resulted in four days of extra work. What happened? And more importantly, what colour did Kevin choose to paint the bakkie? Nissan Champ Rebuild Exterior Colour (If you missed the previous article regarding the body repairs, you can find it here. ) One of our readers suggested that Kevin paint the Nissan Champ in “duck egg”. Personally, I think that this colour would be a fantastic choice and I really think the colour would suit the vehicle too. (Side thought: will Duck Egg coloured towels still be in fashion and available once my new bathroom has been built?) However, we’ve all agreed that the colour isn’t a Kevin colour, especially as he wanted a colour inspired by the Ford ST Orange. Although Ford ST Orange is available to purchase, it’s an expensive colour and one that’s tricky to get right. Therefore, Kevin chose something else; something still pretty amazing. He purchased the paint from Paint Chemistry – a great company very willing to give advice on their products (we are sure we’re going to be seeing more of them as the container house project advances). I would describe the colour as a deep orange that’s bordering on red. Within the paint are gold pearlescent flakes that shimmer in light and give another dimension to the finished product. The gold makes the bakkie look lighter in colour when in the sun, and darker and closer to red in the shade. Quite an unusual effect! Close up of the new colour. Hopefully it doesn’t show up on your device as neon pink as it does on Kevin’s phone! Kevin was very pleased with the paint, but impatiently had to wait for all the body repairs to be completed before they could finally start working with the colour. The Paint Process Prepping for paint is a nightmare of a job. Once all the welding was completed, Louis spent hours and hours sanding down the panels, filling with body putty and sanding some more. Finally we got to the stage where he could start spraying the primer. More sanding and filling, until eventually the white base coat could be painted. Finally, after days of work, the bakkie was ready for the colour paint. It was a momentous day and we planned to stay at work late that evening in order to complete the work. Kevin and Louis worked extremely hard until after 11pm that night. At the end they were exhausted but the colour was on and so was the clear coat. An Enormous Glitch The next morning, Kevin was looking forward to seeing the results of his hard work in the morning sun. We still arrived in Epping early despite everyone feeling tired and over-worked from the previous night’s task. A gut-wrenching realization was awaiting them. Components waiting for the paint to finish curing Unfortunately, the clear coat had cured with a satin finish and not a gloss finish. As much as I hate to write this, Kevin reckons that the mistake was made due to his own impatience and inexperience with the product (the last time Kevin spray-painted a car was some time ago and products have changed). I would add a good dose of fatigue to the failing recipe, but, in short, the clear coat had been mixed incorrectly. Kevin and Louis were both extremely disappointed. Despondency reigned supreme that morning, because the only way to fix the problem was to sand down the entire vehicle yet again, and spray the clear coat once more. Fixing the Glitch Thankfully, Kevin has some excellent mates, and one in particular jumped right in to help him save the day. By midday, a plan was in place and although the sanding still had to be completed, Kevin had a friend who promised to help him with the final clear coat. The mistake cost Louis and Kevin four days of work, but true friends are priceless; so there are some silver linings to the story. Te (now correct) glossy clear coat has really made the paint pop, now that the paintwork has been completed! With the addition of the painted grill, colour-coded wing mirrors, bumpers, new light fittings and other accessories, the end result is going to be amazing. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the colour. Do you think it was a good choice? Next step: The interior!...
- A Unique Water Storage Solution
  13th Mar 2019DIY / ReviewsRecently, a mind-blowing and unique water storage solution came to our attention. We’re always on the lookout for interesting and innovative ideas to incorporate into our shipping container house project and for the interest of our readers. This definitely ticks all the boxes. There is a company by the name of Global Fuelling Systems, situated right under our noses, that is involved in the refurbishment and replacement of petrol and diesel storage tanks located at fuel stations. For almost as many years as Louis Martin has been running this enterprise, there has been one question on his mind; what to do with the older tanks that are taken out of service. A Unique Water Storage Solution Idea Louis recently came up with an amazing idea that also gave him the opportunity to expand his business. He is now up-cycling the discarded tanks into water storage solutions for homes, farms and businesses. Kevin and I took the first opportunity we had to go check out this new endeavour. If you’re anything like me, you probably don’t spare much thought for fuel tanks when you’re filling up your car. Louis told us that it is quite a complicated business with lots of paperwork. He also shared with us some fascinating facts about fuel tanks. They are constructed from a high-quality steel, sharing properties with the corten steel that shipping containers are constructed from. As a result, they are extremely slow to rust.The steel tank is then covered in a fibreglass layer to further protect itThey come in a variety of sizes. The one we saw on site can contain just on 22 000 litres of fuel (or water). It’s huge!Each fuel tank has a unique serial number, almost like your car’s number plate. Fuel tanks are equipped with a specialized pump that cannot ignite the fuel. Turning a Fuel Tank into a Water Storage Tank In order to convert a used fuel tank as a water storage tank, Louis has to complete the paperwork in order to remove the tank from the register. That’s the first step. Once that’s completed, you can use an old tank for anything you want. In times past, the tanks would usually be scrapped, which seems a waste when you are admiring the high quality steel and craftsmanship that went into making the tank in the first place. We had a look at an old tank that is the same age as myself. I do believe that I’m showing more signs of age than the tank is! Louis and his team get to work repairing any damaged sections of the tank, patching up the fibreglass outer skin where needed and cleaning it out ready for water. A few other steps are taken to convert it so that it is more suitable for water storage. It might sound quite simple to convert a tank, but it is actually quite a process. As the tank has been storing fuel, gas levels have to be continually monitored for safety reasons until the conversion is complete. The remaining fuel and sludge cleaned out of the tank has to be disposed of safely. The pump is also refurbished in preparation for its new life moving water. Advantages of This Unique Water Storage Solution We could immediately see the advantages of installing one of these tanks in almost any situation: The tanks can be installed underground. We all know what an eye-sore those plastic water tanks can be!The construction of the tank means that it will last decades as opposed to the shorter life span expected from a plastic tankThese tanks can be set up to collect water run-off from your roof as well as your grey water from basins and showers (with the additional installation of a grease trap)No algae or bacteria can grow in the dark environment of the interior of this type of tankThe tank is strong and therefore safe With a simple setup, as described above, Louis recommends using the water for toilet flushing and irrigation. The water can be further cleaned for use as cooking and drinking water with the addition of an osmosis system. This system can be totally customized to suit your needs. If you want to be self-reliant and off-grid in regards to water, this is a system worth considering. Installation of the Unique Water Storage Solution Louis also shared some insight as to the installation of the tanks in one’s yard. As these tanks are designed to be placed underground, that is usually how they are installed. However, it’s not necessary. If you wish to install your tank above ground, this is an option too. When digging the hole for the tank, Louis and his team consider the water table and other factors. Usually the tank is buried about three metres underground, in order to prevent it popping up out of the ground like a cork when the water table rises. The weight of the soil above the tank needs to compensate for the buoyancy of the tank if it is empty. You can access the pump and water pipe connections for occasional maintenance by the manhole cover placed above the tank. Conclusion Kevin and I both agree that one of these water storage tanks is on our wish list for the container house project and we hope we can make this unique water storage solution happen for our home. In the meantime, if you wish to contact Louis for your own water storage requirements, please find his company details in our container house project directory....

Get more content like this straight to your inbox, & get a FREE e-book & printable colour wheel!

First Name

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you're human:

Search Site

Latest Posts

Nissan Champ Rebuild – Exterior

7:30 am 20 Mar 2019

A Unique Water Storage Solution

7:30 am 13 Mar 2019

The Stress of Transporting Shipping Containers

7:30 am 06 Mar 2019

© Small Scale Engineering 2019
Privacy Policy Built with Storefront & WooCommerce.

My Account
Search

Search for:
0

Small Scale Engineering

Home
Welding
Renovations
The Container House Project
Contact Us
Shop
- My account