Rolling Plywood Storage

[Brent Smith]

Hi Everyone,

I'm about to start making a rolling plywood storage cart. I'd like to see what you all have made. Pics and some dimensions would be appreciated. Also anything you would do differently the second time around. Thanks

[Danny Thompson]

This is a drawing of a rolling lumber rack I built. 2x4's & 1/2" MDF. It is more than a plywood rack, so may be overkill for you.

The biggest problem has been its overall size and, in particular, weight when loaded. I had to increase the caster size to these, which work really well:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-Heavy-Duty-Swivel-Caster-w-Brake/G8177

Still, it is a behemoth.

[Steve Flavin001]

my cart. The 5" rubber castors on slight outriggers seem to handle topple effect quite well. It handles 8' sheets but overhead clearance can be a nuisance in my area; my main situation is lots of partial sheets on hand, not storing too many full length sheets.

End pops off with latches to allow horizontal sliding to remove selected pieces.

Note that sides are simply 1 x 3 rail and stile with 1/4" masonite panels on 3/4" plywood base sheet to reduce weight. Castor bases/outriggers are simply 3/4" fir plywood. I am quite satisfied with way it works. Back end is identical to front end except not removable.

[Brent Smith]

Hi Danny,

I have my lumber on the wall so I don't need and more storage for that. I find that I'll be doing a few projects over the next year or so that will require a good number of sheets of 3/4 ply. I looked at the casters you linked to, but unfortunately Grizzly won't ship to Canada, so I ordered these 5" double locking yesterday http://woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=1989

Thanks for the drawing.

[Brent Smith]

Hi Steve,

I have that problem with overhead clearance, not enough room to store sheets on end. I like your idea for the pop off ends.

[Steve Flavin001]

end maintains the necessary rigidity. One end is adequate and necessary to view what is there but more so to avoid lifting sheets - particularly wide ones.

As is probably apparent, my vertical clearance in a garage taken-over shop is about 7' in certain spots; 8' 4" maximum.

[Steve Flavin001]

locks tend to be pretty standard in any decent hardware store - my photo shows lumber rack on wall in back corner like yours. 5" castors seem to be minimum acceptable for stability.

[Danny Thompson]

Last year I visited another woodworker's shop in Huntsville, AL. He had a great system that combined a wall rack for long boards, and a plywood cart that nested below it, connected at one end with a hinge and had a caster at the other. It would swing open for loading and unloading, but nested tightly to the wall when not in use.

Here is a similar rack:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=30411

[Wayne Cannon]

Learn from my mistakes:
-- Don't use rubber casters -- they develop flat spots when sitting under load for even a short time. Use polyurethane casters.
-- Be careful about stability. A cart that is plenty stable when stationary may easily tip over when hitting even the smallest obstacle while rolling it (or just getting it started rolling, in the case of rubber casters).

Ultimately, finding that I almost never rolled it, I replaced it with a stationary vertical storage bin.