Steel Rack

[Will]

Well I finally got a digital camera, so I will try to post a few pics of the rack I built to hold my steel stock.
The rack is made of 1 inch 0.1 wall square tube with mesh shelves. The long stock goes on the 1/2 inch rods and the shorter stuff goes on the shelves. The whole thing is on 5 inch casters so I can move it around and sweep under it. It is 4 feet wide, 2 feet deep at the base, and about 6 and half feet tall.
It has worked well so far. but I plan to add a couple more shelves. I have found I have more short pieces than I thought and tend to buy the longer stuff as I need it.

[Will]

Another view of the steel Rack

[Will]

Close up of rods and shelf.

[Will]

Close up of top connection.

[Will]

Another view of shelves.

[Will]

Close up of caster.

[Brent]

Looks good Will. I have been developing a plan to build a similar, but smaller unit. I appreciate all the pictures you included. I also recognized the casters, looks just like the ones I bought at HF for my welding table and mig cart.

Brent

[Will]

You are dead on about the casters...HF had them for something like $3.50 a piece. They work great.

[Bob]

Will, very nice job.

Looks like a good design and great photos.

You might want to store the wire spools inside someplace instead of on the rack. There have been several posts about moisture eventually degrading welding wire over extended periods of time.
My garage still houses two cars that track in a lot of water in the winter.

[Will]

Bob,
Yes winter is a special time here in Michigan. In the next couple of weekends, I'll pack up the "freezables" from the garage. That includes the MIG wire, welding rods, paint and ME! I keep telling the better half that I need to partition off part of the garage so it can be insulated and heated...has not happened yet. But we do get a few days in the winter when it is nice enough to get a few projects done.

[Hobart Expert Rock]

HI WILL............. YOUR CORRECT IN APPLETOWN, WISCONSIN THE WINTER'S ARE PARTICURALLY OFFENSIVE ALSO......... WELL SOME OF THEM........WE TO PACK THE FREEZABLE'S OFF TO THE WARMER PARTS OF THE HOUSE....................OR HEATED GARAGE WHICH EVER APPLIES...................ROCK
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[Main]

Will,
Nice project, good looking rack. Plenty of room for plenty of steel. I`m sure in no time at all you`ll have it filled up with material. But there is one thing that concerns me. Just how much weight does a $3.50 caster hold?

[Will]

I think they are rated at 300 pounds each. You have a valid concern though, I don't want to get too much weight on it. The rack will probably hold more than the casters can handle!

Hey Rock, how did you talk the other half into getting part of the garage closed in and heated??? I have been trying to convince my wife it would be money well spent. No luck so far.

[GWOL]

Originally posted by Will
I think they are rated at 300 pounds each. You have a valid concern though, I don't want to get too much weight on it. The rack will probably hold more than the casters can handle!

Hey Rock, how did you talk the other half into getting part of the garage closed in and heated??? I have been trying to convince my wife it would be money well spent. No luck so far.

Will, tell her that if you dont, you will have to spend more money replacing welding rods, or wire that gets to much hummidity, and that you will have to spend more money on welding supplies than you do now, worked for me!

PS - good luck

[Roger]

Tell her she's right it isn't practical to enclose 1/2 garage. Then start drawing plans and pricing materials & construction costs of detached heated shop. Closing 1/2 of garage and heating it will start looking cheap. Show her the corner for her projects that is really your paint room. She might go for detached shop then.

Get a blast heater and use it with garage door part open. Problem with that is not vented and puts out water and depleats O2.