lumber storage - how to build?

[Niels J. Larsen]

I've searched and searched for examples of lumber storage and quite a few here on SMC have constructed their own using 2x4 construction lumber and iron tubing.

All of them have mounted the iron tubing in the 2x4's using holes drilled at a slight angle (3-10 degrees).

Now to my question:
I'm contemplating building my own version, but I'm still wondering just how I should drill the holes accurately.
My problem is that I don't (yet) own a drill press, so I'll probably be using my DeWalt cordless for this job as I feel it's too tough for my beloved Festool C12.

Will a simple guide made up of a scrap block cut with the desired angle on one side do the trick?

Suggestions on how to do this are most welcome! :-)

Thanks,
Niels J. Larsen

[Bill Arnold]

Niels,

I reviewed several options for building lumber racks for my shop, but all of them were more bulky than I wanted. After looking at a few ready-built versions, I settled on the Triton system (photo attached). They are sold in pairs and, after buying two pairs, I ended up using three of the four standards and brackets. Each set is spaced four feet from the other so they will support 8' to 12' pieces. For projects such as this, I determine the cost of materials to build my own versus the cost to buy read-made.

To answer your question about a guide for drilling your own, that can be accomplished by drilling a hole of the size and angle desired in a piece of 1.5" to 2" stock. Then, carefully placing the guide block in each location in your standards all subsequent holes will be the same angle.

Good luck!

[dan moran]

i just layed out my centermarks and eyeballed the angle with a forstener bit in a 3/8 drill..

start straight and then pitch it slightly and youll be fine.

[glenn bradley]

I used a method similar to what you describe for my dog holes. You could line up all your verticals and clamp them together. Then use a stop block across all of them to align the "jig" block. This would assure the holes being accurate board to board. Just be sure to compensate for any drop in your shop floor; the bottom of each rail would need to be level for the now aligned holes to remain level, eh?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=65523&d=1180501803

P.s. theTriton set is on sale at Rockler right now for $48.99. Two sets would give you a good wall-o-storage without too much space between verticals.

[Matt Meiser]

I'd recommend a guide block just to make sure the angle stays the same. You want them to be absolutely level to minimize warpage over time. If you are good at eyeballing things I'm sure it would work fine, but I'm not :D

When I made mine, I used the drill press.

[Jeff Kerr]

Niels.

I did what you are talking about 2 different times. The first I used a drill and a angle guide. For the second I used a drill press.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=67648&d=1183948385

They both work but I found it dificult to support the opposite end of the 8ft board while using the DP. It was easier to do it buy hand with the angle guide. They don't have to be exact just close enough to hold the wood. You cannot tell by the naked eye that they are not spot on.

[David Stoner]

Glenn,

I tried to order the Triton lumber storage system for the sale price you quoted, but Rockler was showing the full price. Is there a code I need to use to get the discounted price? Thanks.

[David Stoner]

While it's hardly a model of accuracy, for your purposes you could use a portable drill guide. Here's a link to one for sale at Rockler.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2405&filter=drill%20guide


Good luck.

[glenn bradley]

Glenn,

I tried to order the Triton lumber storage system for the sale price you quoted, but Rockler was showing the full price. Is there a code I need to use to get the discounted price? Thanks.

Checking. It may have been a mailer.

I'm back (did you miss me). It was a mailer. Its at work on my desk. I will post in the morning with the particulars. Sorry about that guys; I usually try to be careful about that stuff.

[dan moran]

I'd recommend a guide block just to make sure the angle stays the same. You want them to be absolutely level to minimize warpage over time. If you are good at eyeballing things I'm sure it would work fine, but I'm not :D

When I made mine, I used the drill press.


a guy i used to work with would always eyeball the angles for baluster holes in the bottom of oak handrails going up stairs.. in that instance id be worried about it and prolly use at least a rudimentary guide..

reasonably repeatable(small batch) tilt is pretty easy to achieve with a forstener bit. the shoulder tells you where youre at for the most part.

[Niels J. Larsen]

Niels.

I did what you are talking about 2 different times. The first I used a drill and a angle guide. For the second I used a drill press.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=67648&d=1183948385

They both work but I found it dificult to support the opposite end of the 8ft board while using the DP. It was easier to do it buy hand with the angle guide. They don't have to be exact just close enough to hold the wood. You cannot tell by the naked eye that they are not spot on.

Jeff, your solution looks very nice!

What diameter is the galvanized (?) tubing you used? 1" or thicker?
Also - did you drill all the way through the 2x4's, so the tubing is supported all the way to the wall or....?

Thanks,
Niels

P.S. Thanks to everyone else that replied - I'm sure that the triton rack you mention is very nice, but I'm in Europe so I doubt I can find it here.
I've seen some other VERY nice solutions to the problem that can hold a LOT of weight, but they are also very pricey. I figure I'd be able to build my own for about 25% of the cost of the cheapest (and weakest) of what I've found available here.

[Matt Meiser]

One other thing I did was to buy foam pipe insulation and slip a piece over each pipe. Keeps the pipe from staining or marking up the wood. The stuff I used is sold in several foot lengths and is black.

[Tim Lynch]

You can also use 1" EMT. That's what I used, following a tip in one of the woodworking magazines. Cut to 12" lengths it seems plenty strong and hasn't left marks on any of my lumber.

[glenn bradley]

Checking. It may have been a mailer.

I'm back (did you miss me). It was a mailer. Its at work on my desk. I will post in the morning with the particulars. Sorry about that guys; I usually try to be careful about that stuff.

The mailer is the "Rockler Rewards SALE!" mailer. Sale prices good Aug 6 thru Sept 3, 2007. There's no sales code indicated but I probably received it for joining Rockler's Rewards program. The program is free. Sign up at their site. They don't sell your info.

Sorry about the poor graphic. The deal is you can buy the rack on sale for $48.99 or get one free if you buy $250 worth of wood. No codes and I can't find this price anywhere online. Along the bottom of the add it says prices are good at stores, by phone or online.

[Greg Narozniak]

Glenn,

I tried to order the Triton lumber storage system for the sale price you quoted, but Rockler was showing the full price. Is there a code I need to use to get the discounted price? Thanks.

I bought 2 sets of the Tritons when they were on sale a while back and used 3 of them to span roughtly 9 feet and they have worked very well. I thought about getting one more pair but I am running out of wall space so the one extra sits in the corner for now.

[Matt Meiser]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy the wood somewhere else and pay for the rack? (Asking seriously--my impression is that Rockler and Woodcraft both are really high for wood.)

[glenn bradley]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy the wood somewhere else and pay for the rack? (Asking seriously--my impression is that Rockler and Woodcraft both are really high for wood.)

Absolutely! I should have been more clear about how odd it would be to buy that much lumber from Rockler. My local store makes it very clear that they carry wood as a convenience for their customers. Just in case you need that one small BB ply panel or chunk of ebony. And they are very clear that you will pay a premium for that convenience. At least they are honest about it, I can respect that. ;-)

[Dave MacArthur]

I actually built the "2x4 with iron pipe" woodrack also, but was dissatisfied with it and replaced it with brackets lag bolted into the studs (similar to the triton system). My main problem with the 2x4 system was that it ate up an additional unusable 3.5" of space from the wall to hold the 2x4 vertical; 3.5" over a 6' x 10' area is really a huge chunk of real-estate in a small shop!

Ok, and also... I freehanded the slightly angled holes into the 2x4s using my DeWalt cordless... bad idea! My 2nd attempt I used a 2x4 guide block as described above, and it worked just fine. However, after seeing the Triton racks in the Rockler store, I would now recommend that method.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

When I put shelving for lumber in my shop I was just using a little pine here and there so I went to the hardware store and bought big shelf brackets. Screwed one to a stud through the sheetrock with long screws, put a ten foot 1x12 on it with a level laying on it, pulled the other end up till the bubble said it was good, marked the spot and screwed the other one in eight feet away. Went in the middle with another bracket.

I left the 1x12 for support and figured that was good enough for what I was going to do. That was twenty years ago or so, and of course you know what happened. The shelves have had up to a foot of oak stacked on them and no warping I could attribute to lack of support.

I used to go into the shop expecting a disaster, but if the "house of cards" hasn't come down by now don't guess it will. For peace of mind storage like has been outlined would be best.

And of course lumber storage is like clamps - you never have enough.

[Jeff Kerr]

Niels,

I missed your note earlier. Sorry. I am not at home now but I think the pipe is 1". My local Home Depot cut it for free. (Lot cheaper than buying pre-cut pipe.).

I did not drill all the way thru. Maybe 1/2 way or a little less. Used a spade bit. Pretty cheap solution. I cannot take credit for it. I think I saw it in one of the Wood mags a couple years ago.

The 2x4 is lag bolted to the wall. Also, just for safety sake, I bought a can of the liquid dip stuff to cover the tips so that I wouldn't walk into them (I hope) by accident. Don't recall the brand name and I am not sure if it is available in your area but it is a liquid plastic type paint. Really thick. You dip the item into it and it leaves a nice protective coating on it.


Jeff, your solution looks very nice!

What diameter is the galvanized (?) tubing you used? 1" or thicker?
Also - did you drill all the way through the 2x4's, so the tubing is supported all the way to the wall or....?

Thanks,
Niels

P.S. Thanks to everyone else that replied - I'm sure that the triton rack you mention is very nice, but I'm in Europe so I doubt I can find it here.
I've seen some other VERY nice solutions to the problem that can hold a LOT of weight, but they are also very pricey. I figure I'd be able to build my own for about 25% of the cost of the cheapest (and weakest) of what I've found available here.