Plywood Storage Rack

[nickao]

I have a lot of wood, so much it was knee high in the shop, then I filled my barn. So I decided to get organized and start with a plywood rack. The hardwood is another project.

After making a plan out of wood and determining the cost and time I changed gears and for these and many other reasons decided to use structural steel. 

I want my ply to stay stick flat in a horizontal position and to be able to store  about 50+ sheets of various thickness at any time. I wanted it to tuck under my office in the shop. I raised the office floor in my shop to about 56" off the floor. So I get a little office and lose no shop floor space, I use the under office for storage. Now I can store 50 sheets and slide them out very easily, in the same space that takes up barely more than one 4x8 sheet laying on the floor.

I drew it up in Sketchup first and then took a day to build it. This is what I came up with. It can easily hold 8000lbs and most likely double that if I didn't mind my ply not staying flat(I do). I am very pleased with it.:

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[semenza]

Is that all regular plumbing pipe and such?

Seth

 

[nickao]

It's structural steel pipe. In this case it's schedule 40 some rated for plumbing, some not.

Lowes sells a schedule 30, I use the schedule 40. The only difference between plumbing pipe, Conduit and structural pipe is the testing that is done for leaks for air, liquid, etc. But if you can get plumbing pipe cheaper it's fine. I cut it with a DeWalt steel dry cut saw with a carbide blade, cuts it like butter with no burs.

Here are some fittings for it. I used all 1 1/4" you can get it from 3/4" to 3". If you were to rely on the screws to bare weight each hex screw nees to be torqued to 27lbs and will hold about 2000 lbs,. My design bares all the weight straight to the ground. If you look at the fittings there are simpler ways to assemble it that would rely on the screws to bare the weight. This stuff is used in factories as shelving to hold pallets for fork lifts, fences are made of it, curtain rods, bookshelves, there are so many applications, sky is the limit. It's not cheap though:
https://www.lowes.com/search?searchTerm=structural+steel

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Here is another company, there are 3 majors that sell it:
https://www.easyfit.com/

and another:
http://www.simplifiedbuilding.com/store/components.html

 

[semenza]

I like the way you just need to tighten the set screw for the connections. Easy to put together or take apart.

I wonder if casters could be fitted?

Seth

 

[nickao]

Yes they even sell a foot to accept casters. If I moved I could break it down in two hours.

 

[live4ever]

Pretty sweet.  How much would you estimate the materials ran you?

 

[nickao]

Over 600.00 and I used Lowes fitting that are about 40% less than the other online stores and 10 footer from Menards  at 20.00 each. If anyone does this get as much stuff from Lowes as you can and the reminder online.

You could do it for far less if you used these fittings below and just ran one length for the legs and cross members and let the weight bare on the screws. I used 42 fittings and cut all small pieces so the weight would bare straight down to the ground. If you draw it up or  think about how other fittings could simplify the design I think you will see what I mean. These fitting let the pipe lengths pass each other, the part below would be rotated to use this way, unlike what I did by butting them up.

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[Woodwork Wizard]

This is by far the most beautiful rack for ply I've ever seen.

 

[bertv]

The fittings and system were first marketed under the Kee-Klamp brand, I think, but after the patents ran out there are lots of knock-offs being sold. How that impacts the quality, I don't know — have only used the K-K (in light metal/polished alu and the galvanised ones) myself.

 

[nickao]

Yes that's the earlier link I posted, they go by "Simplified Building" now selling Kee Klamps and Kee Lite products.

I think the lowes brand may be made by the same factories as Kee Klamp, they appear identical to me. I initially ordered the Kee Klamp. As soon as I compared them I just went to lowes, far cheaper but not near the selection at all. I had to order 7 at a time online just to get what I wanted over 2 weeks. In store you are lucky to get 2 or 3 fittings. Once you hold one of these 1 1/4" it's surprising how beefy they are. They make regular chain link fencing fittings look like toys. Anything larger than 1 1/4" have to go to Kee Klamp . The other two big companies seem to have nice products as well. A few places look to sell a no name, I haven't tried those. They sure look the same though. Everything at Loews is the galvanized and what I used.

 

[mike_aa]

Nice and shiny!! LOL  [tongue]

[member=3373]Dovetail65[/member] That is an ingenious solution!  Thank you for including all the details.  I know I will make use of this system in the future and it really helps to have the information on your build and all the fittings you used!

Mike A.

 

[Carquest]

Wow, that is a great storage idea. I may build one for metal storage also