How to attach a scaffold tube perpendicular to the side of a shipping container

In this blog we’ll show you how to attach a scaffold tube or pipe perpendicular out of the side of the corner casting so that it comes out at a 90 degree angle away from the container.

Why attach a tube perpendicular to a shipping container?  

Attaching a bar or horizontal support to a container is a really practical way of then attaching other things off your container, particularly things which can hang, like signage, lighting, drapes or banners. It can also serve as the attachment point for a larger scaffold tube structure to be built off the side of your container such as a carport, shaded outdoor workshop space or weatherproof storage area. 

Available in our webshop, we offer both a horizontal (perpendicular) tube clamp with or without a kick plate attachment for 48mm tube (1 ½“ NSP pipe) . Both versions have approximately 100mm bolt spacing, so will bolt directly to our Domino clamps using 35mm M12 screws. The kickplate adapter offers some additional bolt holes which can be used to attach other things directly to it. For instance if hanging a stage light from the tube, then a board or rain cover could be bolted to the kickplate adapter to protect the fixture from the rain.

What you'll need

• One Domino Clamp
• One Perpendicular tube clamp for 48mm scaffolding tube, with M12 x 30mm screws and washers
• A section of 48mm diameter steel or aluminum tube, that’s the size of a scaffolding tube here in the UK, or a 1 1/2 “ NSP pipe in the States
• A 10mm hex key for the Domino Clamps
• A 8mm hex key for the grub screws on the tube clamp

How to put it together 

1. Attach the Domino Clamp into the face of one of the corner castings following our detailed installation instructions if you're unfamiliar with the technique here.  
2. Now, using a horizontal (perpendicular) tube clamp, and the two 35mm M12 screws provided, fix the tube clamp onto the Domino on the side or end* of your shipping container.
3. Next, insert your 48mm diameter steel or aluminium tube into the tube clamp and tighten up the grub screws on the base flange clamp using an 8mm hex key. 

Now you can hang what you need from this horizontal hanging point on your shipping container, paying special attention to the load limits laid out in our technical sheet.

Using the horizontal (perpendicular) tube clamp in this way is probably best for relatively light use, since adding excessive downward force to a beam coming horizontally off a container will significantly lower the Domino Clamp’s NWL. The easiest way to increase the strength of your horizontal; hanging point is to attach another piece of vertical tube down to the ground to support the end. 

* Please be aware that when attaching these on the door end of your container. The tube coming out of the clamp will obstruct the doors from opening fully

For more ingenious container solutions, useful information and offers delivered direct to your inbox, sign up to our information email 📨 or subscribe to our YouTube channel 📺