Mobile stock storage rack

[Dan Dubeau]

Finally had enough painfree time on Sunday to get back in the shop to finish what I started a few weeks ago. Still not done, but decided to post anyway to shame me into finishing it and not drag it out any longer.....

I didn't take a lot of pictures, because I didn't really plan on making a science project out of it. Just wanted it "done", but here are a few from along the way.

Here is the initial concept I had to make the whole thing out of plywood.

Here is what it kind of morphed into because I didn't want to do it that way...

And I've called a few more audibles on the design as I went.....

First cut. Seems I need to make a saw stand next....

This is how I usually do my mitered corners. Cut square to length with with horizontal, and then miter with a portaband. It goes pretty quick (I hate adjusting the fence on the bandsaw for miters) and with the 0.1-0.25" angle I normally use it leaves a nice corner gap to weld, and finishes with a nice rounded ouside corner. With this 3/8" wall it didn't quite fill as nice, but keeping the end use in mind, I didn't fret too much about it. Noted for next project I build with this angle (I have a bunch). The mitered weld is beveled and welded from the inside.

The cutoff angles make nice feet too with a little flap wheel cleanup. I also save them for instant gussets whenever you need one too.

Had to take a break last weekend because somebody wanted to build a shelf for her room. She did it all from laying out the curvy edge, to cutting it out with a jigsaw, and sanding it. I just routed the edges with a roundover.

Anyway, that was the past 3 weekends of chipping away with an hour or 2 here and there when my back felt like it.....From here down was a bit on Saturday, and the rest Sunday when my back finally felt somewhat back to normal again......

Shimmed up level on my crooked floor....

That's where I am as of last night. Was planning on plywood shelves/sheeting, but am undecided again (might buy some sheet steel to finish instead of plywood). You can see the plywood I have leaned up in the pictures. Remnants of a long lost custom cabinet build from over 15 years ago (we moved, and it would no longer fit the space so I didn't finish it), that I've been slowly cannibalizing over the years. I think I have enough to finally get rid of the big pieces on this one. But a few of the rabbets and dados will show through. Not that big of a deal for me and it's purpose....

The main goal of this design was to be mobile, but also a place where I can store my pallet jack when not in use. It's also been a design exercise in trying to use up scrap, and some small offcuts and other crap material (see the curved upper cross brace? ). It's ultimate resting place will be in the corner next to the garage door where my stacked red box is (and one of the 3 piles of material is learning....). I've lost track of how many times I've had to move those leaning piles of material over the past couple years as I've shuffled stuff around. No more.....

I don't have any cool projects to share lately, as this one has been a roadblock for a while, but I'm starting to make some ground. Hopefully will get to finish it 100% this weekend, and take some finished pics that will fill in the blanks, as it's kinda hard to visualize the intent without the sheeting on it.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Finally got some time this afternoon to get back out there and finish up the rack. It's been a bit of a ship in a bottle project so far, but all the big stuff is done now and it won't be long till I start filling it up.

Ripping the plywood down was a bit interesting. Not a lot of room to move around, but I manage to clear a path.

Then it was time to figure out how I wanted to incorporate these drawers. I settled on the 2nd arrangement. Both cabinets are flush with the front, but vary in depth. They poke into the back sheet metal storage area, but it shouldn't be a bother.

The area beside the drawers on the front will be for short (~3' and down) rod stock stood vertically. I havn't decided yet how I am going to do that, but have a few ideas, either a bunch of varying length pipes stood vertically, or a wire rack of sorts. The area on the far end will take tubing, angle, flat stock and other from 4'-10. The area on the back is for sheet stock, and the shelves will be for barstock and other blocks of alum/steel etc. The drawers will be for all the little material that's always too good to throw out.......

With all the plywood cut it was time to make some corner brackets to weld to the frame so I could screw it all together. This is where the free "gussets" from my miter cuts come in handy. A quick cleanup with a flap wheel, a clearance hole/countersink for a #8 woodscrew, and they're ready to weld in.

I got them all welded in before I had to duck in and make dinner. Heading back out in a bit to screw it all together, and give it a bit of a once over before I start loading it up with material. I can't wait to finally organize stuff like this, and the few other buckets, and piles just like it. I just hope I don't have to make another one......

Next update, it should be sitting in the corner all loaded up. Hopefully it won't be another week until that happens. I may even paint it at some point too.....

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Well, I finally got it finished today. Welded in a few more pieces, and tabs for screwing the wood to, then started assembly.

With it done (minus the bottom sheet of plywood) It was time to move this

Onto this

To move it in the corner was a bit of a sliding block puzzle with a lot of moving pieces, but It got done.

Then it was time to empty a few pails and boxes of material and start filling shelves

Still need to build the short bar storage rack on the front but it's pretty done, and full. The drawers will get filled tomorrow. I hope I have enough room, or I'll have to either build another one or start making stuff to use it up.....

 

[6.5 Fan]

That is almost scary, you can see what material you have. Congrats on a very useful build.

 

[Susquatch]

That is so Fg ugly that it's beautiful! I love it!

My stock is everywhere. Leaning against the wall, in drawers, and even outside. This would be an amazing addition.

But I can't weld so it would have to be a wooden frame.

I want another one for wood stock too.

Fantastic job @Dan Dubeau !

 

[Dan Dubeau]

That is almost scary, you can see what material you have. Congrats on a very useful build.

Thanks. The bottom shelves are a bit deep, so I have a feeling some material in there will never see the light of day again.....

 

[Dan Dubeau]

That is so Fg ugly that it's beautiful! I love it!

My stock is everywhere. Leaning against the wall, in drawers, and even outside. This would be an amazing addition.

But I can't weld so it would have to be a wooden frame.

I want another one for wood stock too.

Fantastic job @Dan Dubeau !

Thanks, It IS pretty ugly eh? A face only a father could love. This design was purely driven by function over form lol.

I also really need to build one for wood out in the barn. The situation out there is much worse.....

 

[Six O Two]

Man, I think that turned out great. Function over form for sure.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Thanks, it was an interesting project that took a bit too long.....

 

[Six O Two]

Thanks, it was an interesting project that took a bit too long.....

I've got quite a few of those myself...

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Well, Seems I build everything in stages. I never did complete the top front of this rack. Stuff just got piled up on it in a disorganized mess and it just taunted me every time I was out there "complete me" "Go the distance" "ease his back pain", oh wait, that was field of dreams......

I'd actually bought material for this and a few other shop projects a month or so ago, and have been chipping away at them. I had a rough idea of what I wanted in my head, but made a quick cad model of the bones before I got started.


Armed with a cutlist, there was nothing to it but to do it.


Took them outside for a deburr and cleanup, I hate grinding in the shop. Then started laying it out and tacking it together. It was an oddball design, with not a lot of similar pieces, but it came together in the end.







Next was time to swap the brake/shear stand with the stock rack. The rack is is much easier to move, and getting it out from the corner frees up the pallet jack should I need it. Plus I gain wall space for shelving, and can actually see, and reach all the material in the rack. It was a win all around, and a move I wanted to make for a while, but needed to make this thing first.....barrier projects.....


Stripped everything off of it, and got rid of that lower drawer. It didn't open properly with all the weight on it from the one on top of it anyway.


Now you can get a glimpse of how it all came together. There is vertical storage for 3ft along the back, the back right is for 2', and the front right for <1'. The patchwork shelves are just a leftover particle board I had kicking around. No need to bust out the good stuff for a working project....


Happy with the fit, it was time to put all that junk back lol. Plus a nice haul of various material offcuts, I picked up off kijiji a while back, that i've been kicking around in a rubbermaid for a couple months. Another motivator to finish this......


All of the vertical storage is "open", so if anything gets stuck or shorter pieces get dropped down there I can reach in and get them.




Oh, I also got this pile tucked away too. I've moved this around too many times.....


After dinner I'm going to hang some shelves in that corner above the brake, and shuffle some more stuff around to find homes for things. I still want to do something on top of the cabinet on the lh side, but I'll mull that over for another year.....

When everything has a place I can stay neat and organized. But when it doesn't, that's when I start stacking.....and that never ends well. It's a constant struggle to "live" with shortcomings, vs stopping all projects to deal with stuff like this. But in the end, it's always worth it.

 

[Jswain]

Looks awesome and I'm jealous of your scrap pile!

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Looks awesome and I'm jealous of your scrap pile!

Thanks. It has kind of just grown over the years and was getting out of hand trying to find stuff. I have no excuses now. I would like to make some racks above my garage door for longer 10-12 sticks still, but not a huge priority at the moment. Maybe next year....

 

[DPittman]

Looks good! I like seeing solutions to material storage. I'm always looking to make improvements with my storage. The smallest bits and pieces seems to be the biggest challenge to keep organized and accessible .

I love see to other pictures of others' storage solutions.

 

[140mower]

Looks good! I like seeing solutions to material storage. I'm always looking to make improvements with my storage. The smallest bits and pieces seems to be the biggest challenge to keep organized and accessible .

I love see to other pictures of others' storage solutions.

....... scattered around the shop floor and yard isn't ideal then? I need to hang around here more often as I am always learning something new.

 

[DPittman]

....... scattered around the shop floor and yard isn't ideal then? I need to hang around here more often as I am always learning something new.

Well some certainly make that work well but I've tried that approach many many times and it just don't work for me.

 

[StevSmar]

I really like how you’ve integrated pallet jack storage into your rack!

 

[jorogi]

....... scattered around the shop floor and yard isn't ideal then? I need to hang around here more often as I am always learning something new.

Yeh, I don't know what he's thinking, how will you ever know where something is if you don't trip over it three times a day ?

 

[140mower]

Yeh, I don't know what he's thinking, how will you ever know where something is if you don't trip over it three times a day ?

...... And if it's not all spread out, how do you see the middle and bottom of the pile?
Next thing we know, he'll be explaining the merits of putting tools away instead of keeping them close and handy here and there...

 

[Susquatch]

...... And if it's not all spread out, how do you see the middle and bottom of the pile?
Next thing we know, he'll be explaining the merits of putting tools away instead of keeping them close and handy here and there...

^^^^^ THIS X 1000!

And don't forget he will also claim that this silly wasteful practice actually saves time!