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Services · Custom Fabrication

The fun side
of reuse.

Some totes have a second life as bulk liquid storage. Others have a second life as garden beds, rain catchers, fish tanks, biofilters, and shelter infrastructure. We'll cut, weld, and configure them for you.

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Builds we've done a lot of

Cut-top rainwater catchers

Top removed, gutter inlet adapter installed, bottom valve fitted with garden-hose connector. Off the truck and into your downspout.

Builds we've done a lot of

Half-cut raised beds

Tote cut in half horizontally, two beds per unit, cage retained as trellis support. A common community-garden order.

Builds we've done a lot of

Aquaponics cascades

Multi-tote stacked cascades for backyard aquaponics. We've done two-tote, three-tote, and even a six-tote demonstration build.

Builds on request

Biofilter housings

Cut and fitted for slow-sand or BSF biofilter media. We've done these for small-farm wastewater applications.

Builds on request

Locking fuel storage

Tote with valve cage and locking access for jobsite off-road diesel storage.

Builds on request

Greenhouse heat-sinks

Black-painted totes filled with water as passive solar thermal mass in hoop houses.

If you can describe it, we'll quote it

Tell us the use case, not the cut.

Don't worry about specifying the exact cut. Tell us what you're building — "raised bed for community garden," "rain catcher off a barn roof," "aquaponic build with two grow beds" — and we'll quote the fabrication that makes sense.

Describe your build →
Build catalog with specs

Common builds, dimensions, and starting prices.

These are the configurations we've fabricated dozens of times. Prices are per finished unit, picked up at the Columbia, MO yard. Freight quoted separately via transportation.

BuildFinished dimensionsStarting priceLead time
Cut-top rainwater catcher (275 gal)40" × 48" × 46" H$1855–7 days
Cut-top rainwater catcher (330 gal)40" × 48" × 53" H$2155–7 days
Half-cut raised bed (single)40" × 48" × 22" H$953–5 days
Half-cut raised bed pair (from one tote)2 × bed above$1653–5 days
Aquaponics 2-tote cascade~7 ft tall, 2-bed grow + sump$64010–14 days
Aquaponics 3-tote cascade~9 ft tall, 2 grow + fish + sump$98514–18 days
Slow-sand biofilter housing40" × 48" × 46" H, baffled$3107–10 days
BSF (black soldier fly) bioreactorCut-top, ramped collection, lid$38510–14 days
Locking off-road diesel cage40" × 48" × 46" H, padlock hasp$2455–7 days
Black greenhouse heat sink40" × 48" × 46" H, valve fitted$1653–5 days
Livestock water troughHalf-cut, 40" × 48" × 22" H, drain$1353–5 days
Compost tea brewerCut-top, aeration ports, drain$2255–7 days
Wood-stove flood-proof basement buildCut to fit doorway, customQuote2–3 weeks
Hydroponic NFT-style channel rackTote-on-stand, 4 channel cuts$49510–14 days
Materials, tools, finishes

What we use, in operator detail.

Cutting

How we make the cuts.

  • HDPE bottle: jigsaw with reverse-tooth blade for clean, melt-free edges.
  • Cage: chop saw with abrasive blade, deburred and ground smooth at every cut.
  • Detail work: rotary tool with HDPE-specific bits for ports, fittings, drains.
  • Welding (cage): MIG for structural mods, TIG when a clean visible weld matters.
Plumbing / fittings

What goes through the wall.

  • Bulkhead fittings: 1/2", 3/4", 1", 2" — EPDM gasket standard.
  • Valves: brass ball (potable-rated), PVC for ag, food-grade stainless on request.
  • Garden-hose adapter: standard on rain catchers, included in price.
  • Camlock fittings: for ag rigs and biofilter housings, $24–$48 add.
  • Overflow standpipe: 1" PVC standard, custom on request.
Finishes

Food-safe vs. industrial.

For food-contact builds (compost tea, aquaponics with edible crops, livestock water): we use only food-grade-rated valves, gaskets, and silicone sealants where sealants are needed. NSF 61 where applicable.

For industrial builds (greenhouse heat sinks, ag biofilters, off-road diesel storage): standard PVC, EPDM, brass. We'll note on the invoice which finish your build received.

Surface treatment

Paint, wrap, mods.

Standard HDPE doesn't hold paint without prep. For greenhouse heat sinks we use a flame-treatment + UV-stable enamel system that holds 5+ years outdoors. For shade/cosmetic, we offer adhesive vinyl wrap in black, green, or earth-tone — installed at the yard for $45–$95 depending on coverage.

The custom-quote process

From your description to a finished build.

Step 01

You describe the use case.

One paragraph. "Rainwater off a 12' × 30' barn roof for chicken-coop water." That's enough to start.

Step 02

We sketch and reply.

Within 2 business days you get a rough sketch (often a phone photo of a whiteboard), a parts list, a price, and any questions we still have.

Step 03

You confirm or modify.

Want it 6 inches taller? Want a hose threading on the side instead of the bottom? Reply with the change. We re-quote if needed.

Step 04

We build it.

Lead times above. We photograph the finished build before it ships or is picked up.

Step 05

Pickup, delivery, or freight.

Yard pickup in Columbia, MO is free. Local delivery (under 90 min) quoted at flat rate. Wider freight via transportation.

Step 06

Install support.

You get a build sheet with fitting sizes, recommended install steps, and our email for questions. Most installs are DIY-friendly.

Real customer builds (anonymized)

What people actually order.

Community garden

24 raised beds, Kansas City

12 totes cut in half, 24 finished beds delivered on a flatbed. Trellising via retained cage. Spring 2025.

Hobby farmer

3-tote aquaponics, central MO

2-grow + fish + sump. Tilapia + leafy greens. Customer drove a trailer to the yard for pickup.

Homestead

4 rainwater catchers, Arkansas

Off two roof valleys, daisy-chained. We did the catchers; customer ran their own gutter hookup.

Brewery

Wort cooler heat-sink array, MO

8 black totes as solar pre-heat for a glycol loop. Yes, it actually saves them money.

School

Greenhouse heat-sink wall, Iowa

14 black totes lining a hoop house north wall. Built and installed for a high-school ag program.

Cattle operation

22 livestock water troughs, Oklahoma

Half-cut, drain-fitted, freeze-resistant lid mod. Delivered in two flatbed loads.

Municipal

Biofilter test bed, IL

3-tote slow-sand cascade for a small wastewater pilot. Includes baffles and inspection ports.

Contractor

6 locking diesel cages, KS

For an excavation company. Padlock hasp, drip tray, kept on jobsites.

Off-grid build

1,650-gal potable cluster, MO

6 totes manifolded for an off-grid cabin. NSF 61 fittings throughout. Quoted in detail.

Install & DIY support

After the build leaves the yard.

We're not an installer — we build the unit and hand it off. But most of these builds are very installable by anyone reasonably handy, and we don't leave you guessing.

Every fabricated unit ships with a single-page build sheet: dimensions, fitting sizes and torque specs, recommended siting (especially for rainwater catchers — siting matters more than the catcher), and a simple plumbing diagram if there's plumbing involved.

Email support for the install is free and untimed. If you're stuck connecting your downspout to a 2" bulkhead, send a photo and we'll answer same-day during business hours. If you genuinely need someone on-site and you're inside our service area, we can sometimes refer a local contractor we've worked with.

For larger institutional installs (community gardens, schools, municipal pilots) we'll send one of our crew out for a half-day install consultation at $480, scheduled in advance.

Lead-time honesty

Why fabrication takes longer than buying.

A standard reconditioned tote ships in 3–7 days. A custom build is 1–3 weeks. Three reasons:

  • Fab is batched — we run cuts when we have a queue, not one-at-a-time.
  • Parts are sourced per build — bulkhead fittings and valves aren't carried in every spec.
  • Quality check is per-unit — every cut and fitting gets tested before it leaves.

Need it faster? Sometimes we can prioritize for a $95–$240 rush fee. Ask in the quote thread.

Source totes for your builds

Where the project-grade units come from.

Custom fabrication uses our project-grade inventory — totes that are structurally sound but cosmetically rough enough that they don't make sense in the reconditioned-resale ladder. Sun-faded, label-residue-covered, slight cage dings. Functionally fine for water storage, garden beds, biofilters, livestock troughs, fabrication of any kind. See the full grade ladder.

Most project-grade totes are themselves the product of our selling intake — units that came off a farm or facility that we couldn't resell as reconditioned but were too good for recycling. Buying a fabricated build is the most direct way to extract more service life from a tote that would otherwise have gone to granulation.

If you have a specific prior-contents concern (potable end-use, food-contact, livestock), tell us in the quote thread. We'll source from totes with a documented compatible history.

Fabrication FAQ

Questions DIYers and institutions ask.

Are these safe for potable water / drinking water?
For potable end-use we use only NSF 61–rated fittings and source totes with documented prior-contents (food, water, or food-adjacent only). We'll mark the build sheet "potable-suitable." That said: any field-fabricated container should be field-tested for your specific use; we make no medical/regulatory claim.
How long do these last outdoors?
HDPE bottle: 7–12 years outdoors, depending on UV exposure. Steel cage: 10–15 years, longer if painted. A cut-top rainwater catcher kept under partial shade should serve you a decade-plus with no maintenance beyond an annual rinse.
Can you ship a finished build?
Yes — fabricated builds ship the same way as regular totes through our freight. Multi-tote aquaponics cascades ship disassembled with reassembly instructions; we don't want them rattling apart at 70 mph.
Will the cage hold weight on top?
The cage is rated to stack another loaded tote on top (roughly 2,500+ lb). For aquaponics top-bed weight, soil-and-water loaded, that's usually fine — but we'll spec-check your stack on the quote.
Do you do custom engraving or signage?
Vinyl labeling, yes ($35–$85 depending on coverage). Cage stencil for institutional ID, yes. Etched HDPE branding, no — HDPE doesn't etch well.
Can I drop off my own tote for fab work?
Yes — if it's ours originally or a unit we'd normally accept (see selling restrictions). Drop-off fab is quoted on the labor only; you supply the unit. Lead time same as new-build.
What about winter-freeze protection?
For outdoor builds in freeze zones, we add a freeze-drain valve at the lowest point as a no-cost option. Insulated jackets are available on request. Filled totes will burst if frozen solid — drain before deep cold or use the jacket.
Can you build something I don't see on the list?
Usually yes. We've done duck nesting platforms, mushroom-fruiting chambers, mobile chicken-tractor watering rigs, off-grid cabin gray-water tanks, and one (one) homemade hot tub we don't recommend repeating. Describe it; we'll quote it.
Got a project in mind?

One paragraph. We'll send a sketch.

Describe the use case and roughly where you are. We'll come back with a sketch, a price, a lead time, and any clarifying questions. Photos of the install site help when relevant.

Describe your build →
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