Workshop storage fixtures
There are things in the workshop that do not qualify as a “project” but are rather useful pieces of the workspace that one creates around. I find it interesting how other makers do those things and here I’m sharing some of mine. This is absolutely not something unique, but maybe you could find a couple of useful ideas for your space too.
Take a rectangular piece of plywood or chipboard and screw onto it a grid of PP drain pipe plugs.
Cut, glue and screw a grating from wood square stock
Assemble the thing with rows of pipes of different lengths
And you get a storage array for metal stock. As you cut pieces from the stock, you migrate it downstream
Weld a “comb” from 20x20 square tubing. Drill 12mm through holes in the ends of the comb’s teeth before the welding.
Ah, actually weld two of them. A hint: placing welds along the comb’s back, not perpendicular to it, reduces its tendency to warp. On the photo below, the left one is done right, while the right is wrong (and I had a hard time straightening it back again)
And make a third with an additional cross-plank so its not a comb, but rather a grate. Mount them on the wall so that the grate is below and two combs are above that. Note also small legs with which the grate rests on the floor and similar pegs that support combs on the wall from turning around horizontal axis. Note also the coaxial rows of holes in the comb’s teeth.
Now place your long stock vertically and secure it by inserting 10mm rods through the holes.
Tired of rolling gas bottles? It’s not hard to improvise a cart from some 20x20 tubing and 4x50 strips.
Here the bottle’s top is secured with a wire. But if I would have a chance to make the thing again, I would add a pair of “horns” at the top to support the cylinder from dangling sideways.
There are lots of good modular racks on the market, but if you wish to have a sturdy one, it will come with a price. It is possible to weld the whole rack in place, but then you’d need to paint it in place because it is going to be non-transportable. But if you weld only the shelve frames and provision them with holes for bolting, then it is easy to get them powder-painted along with the rack stands.
OSB shelves can be ordered to size and shape in a hardware store.
And then bolting the thing together is an easy task.
That’s it for today, make chips, not war.
