Cuts
- → Open-top conversion
- → Half-cut planter
- → Side-access cut
- → Custom port hole
Services / Custom Modifications
Custom Modifications.
A separate bay just for the weird stuff. We cut, weld, swap, drill, paint and adapt IBC totes to do almost anything you can describe in an email — and a few things you can’t.
Tell us what you need
Same form on every page. Same human inbox. We answer every inquiry — promise.
The custom mods bay started in 2021 because customers kept asking us to modify totes for unusual projects. Some were industrial — cam-lock outlets for tank-truck loading, branded sleeves for co-packers, sight gauges for fertilizer feed systems. Some were definitely not — a customer in New Mexico once asked us to convert a 275-gallon tote into a saltwater shrimp tank. (We did it.)
What the bay can do
Welded fittings
- → NPT nipple weld
- → Cam-lock outlet
- → Sight tube boss
- → Vented bung adapter
Valves
- → Ball valve swap
- → 2"→3" upsize
- → Brass to SS upgrade
- → Quarter-turn lockable
Heating
- → Wrap heater + thermostat
- → Bottom band heater
- → Insulated jacket
- → Pre-warm carts
Mobility
- → Caster pallet swap
- → Forklift skid frame
- → Towable trailer mount
- → Stacking spacer rings
Branding
- → Vinyl wrap to your logo
- → Painted cage
- → Etched serial plates
- → QR-coded BOL tag
How to commission a custom job
Email us with a sketch (or a description, or a Pinterest screenshot — we’re not picky), the volume of totes you need, and the timeline. We’ll come back with a quote, a turnaround window, and (often) a question or three. Most custom jobs ship inside 10–14 business days.
What we won’t modify totes for
- Pressurized service above 5 psi
- Hazardous waste storage
- Medical-grade applications (we’re not validated for that)
- Conversions that compromise the cage’s structural integrity
The most-commissioned custom jobs we've done
Some custom mods come up so often we have templates and standard pricing for them. Here are the eight most-commissioned jobs from the past two years.
1. Open-top conversion ($45 / tote)
The most-requested mod by a wide margin. We cut a roughly 24" × 18" oval opening in the top of the tote, smooth the edge with a router, and add reinforcement bars across the cage opening so the tote does not lose structural integrity. Customers use these as raised garden beds, livestock troughs, freshwater holding tanks, and aquaponics rigs.
2. Cam-lock outlet upgrade ($52 / tote)
Replace the standard 2" butterfly valve with a 3" cam-lock quick-connect coupling. Common for tank-truck loading and unloading applications, mobile dispensing, and any operation that needs to swap totes in and out of a fill line quickly. Adds about 15 minutes to the install per tote.
3. Branding wrap ($85 / tote, batches of 10+)
Vinyl wrap printed with the customer's logo and applied to the cage exterior. We do not do silk-screening at our yard but we have a vinyl shop down the street that produces wraps to our spec. Used by co-packers who want their brand on the bulk packaging seen by their downstream distributors.
4. Sight gauge installation ($68 / tote)
Install a transparent external sight tube on the side of the tote to show liquid level at a glance. Common for fertilizer feed systems, glycol storage, and any application where you need to know the level without opening the tote. We use a polycarbonate tube with food-grade compatible end fittings.
5. Heater wrap + thermostat ($165 / tote)
Wrap heater installation with a thermostatic controller pre-wired and tested. Used for cold-climate applications where the contents need to stay liquid below freezing. We can also install a bottom band heater for high-viscosity contents that need pre-warming before dispense.
6. Caster pallet conversion ($95 / tote)
Replace the standard pallet with a steel-framed caster cart that lets the tote roll on smooth surfaces. Common for indoor process work where the tote needs to move between fill stations. Casters are heavy-duty 6" with brakes on two of the four.
7. Saltwater shrimp tank conversion ($240 / tote, custom)
Yes, this is a real category — we have done this five times. The conversion involves cutting a viewing window in one side of the tote, sealing the cut edge, installing an internal filtration manifold, and fitting external lighting brackets. Each one is slightly different but they all start from the same template.
8. Mobile wash station ($175 / tote)
Tote, 12V pump, hose reel, foot switch, deep stainless sink. We pre-build the assembly in the bay and ship it as a finished unit. Used by equine vets, food trucks, mobile detailers, and one ranch that uses it for horseshoeing.
The custom mods process, in detail
Step one: you send us a description, a sketch, or a Pinterest screenshot of what you have in mind. We are not picky about format. Step two: we reply with a quote, a turnaround window, and a few clarifying questions. Step three: you confirm and we schedule the job into the bay. Step four: we build the conversion and photograph each step so you can see what is happening. Step five: we ship it to you (or you pick it up) and we email a final photo of the completed unit.
Most jobs run 10 to 14 business days from confirmation to ship. Custom modifications go through the bay separately from the standard reconditioning queue, so they do not delay reconditioning work and vice versa.
Custom mods frequently asked
What is the smallest custom mods job you will take?
A single tote. Most custom mods customers come to us with one tote and a specific idea. We have no minimum-batch requirement for the mods bay.
Can you build something I designed myself?
Yes — bring us a sketch, a CAD drawing, or a written description and we will build to spec. The more specific you can be about dimensions and materials, the better. We will email you a diagram of what we plan to build before we start cutting, so you can confirm.
Can you weld stainless to a composite tote?
Yes, in the limited sense of attaching a stainless fitting to the HDPE bottle via a welded thermoplastic adapter. Direct stainless-to-HDPE bonding is not possible (different material families) but we use stainless threaded inserts that are heat-welded into the HDPE wall. The result is a watertight stainless connection on a plastic tote.
Can you build something to handle pressure?
Generally no. Composite IBCs are not pressure vessels. We will not modify a composite tote for any pressurized application above 5 psi because the underlying tank is not rated for it. For pressurized work, you need a stainless tank designed and tested for the pressure you want.
Do you keep templates of past jobs you can reuse?
Yes. We keep templates for the eight most-commissioned mods listed above plus another dozen less-common ones. If your project matches an existing template, we can usually quote and execute faster than a fully custom build. Tell us in the inquiry what you have in mind and we will check our template library.