[TheForge] Streel racks

Wed Dec 21 17:35:05 EST 2005

	   I run with a vertical rack (for most of my stock) - but my ceiling
height of the shed on the barn's eave wall is 13 feet tall, so I can cut my
stock to 10/10 or 8/12 when 20's or if it's 21 foot pipe I go 11/10 or 9/12
depending on the jobs I've got.  For 24 foot square stock (tubing) - I cut
it 12/12 or 8/8/8 again depending on jobs.
	The real beauty of vertical racks is you place your shorts in front of the
full lengths and use them first.  When forging, you rarely use over a 10
foot bar.  If you need a top or lower rail that is full bar length, order it
and trip on it on the shop floor until you use it - otherwise, I like
everything sorted vertically which also allows you to see instantly what
your short on when your headed to the steel yard.
	I have a pole barn construction shop and the shed is a dirt floor where I
keep the steel.  I used a 20 foot 12" stringer channel as my bottom trough
to contain the bottom of the steel, and I nailed a couple 10 foot 2 x 8's
with 3/4 pins drilled into the planks prior to nailing them up as stock
sorting compartments.

	I also have a rack out behind the shop that will take 20/21/24 foot
horizontal steel shapes - but I'm using it less and less and going with all
vertical storage as the 20+ footers are getting harder to handle as time
goes on.  I also did like Jay and marked the ends of non-full length bars,
but with the price of steel .....every bar is now marked.
	 I bring the steel in from the steel yard, set it across the platten tables
or onto two rugged steel sawhorses and cut it to length with the cutting
torch and then rack it vertically according to size.  Works well for me.
I've only been using this vertical rack for six years now - but I would
never go back to horizontal now.

	The only time I've seen tubes used comfortably is when someone is racking
1/8 or 3/16, or 1/4 rounds and squares that have so much sag to them that
it's hard to get them into a horizontal rack - then each tube is for a
particular stock size...so you take the one on the top.

	My plate rack is outside and is 8" channels laid on the ground with 4"
channels welded vertically with about 4" spaces in between.  I use a plate
dawg to pull them up or out from the ends.  The weight of the plate keeps
everything in tact.  If you took the last piece of plate out (which has
never happened) the rack would fall over.......if it hadn't sunk far enough
into the dirt.

Ralph

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Roger Olsen
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 10:28 AM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: RE: [TheForge] Streel racks

I store all my steel in 10 foot lengths,  I drilled holes into my wall studs
to accomodate 5/8ths round stock,  starting about 16 inches from the floor
at about every 10 inches I have another 5/8ths rod coming out from my studs
about 12 inches and at a slight downward angle, I have four supports for
each horizintal run.

It was a quick and easy solution that keeps my steel separated and easy to
access without rtaking up very much room.  The rods hold the weights just
fine.  I have been using this system for 15 years with no problems.

R.O.
________________________________________________________-

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Jonathan Nedbor
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 7:11 AM
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [TheForge] Streel racks

Regarding Racks for Steel: As convenient as those pipes are for holding and
organizing your stock, remember that they are curved and all the stock will
push down towards the center. The problem becomes apparent when you want to
get a piece from near the bottom of the lot and all the other stock in the
pipe is weighing on it and you are unable to move the upper pieces to the
"side", as they all move to the center. I am speaking from experience. I
have used, for 25 years, a very nice free standing rack with curved arms for
the stock. It is my plan to build a rack with flat arms in my new shop to
get away from this problem. Gravity works straight down and if your stock is
on a flat surface you can move the stock, from above the piece you want, to
the side and keep digging. The curved arms or pipes would not be a big
problem the larger the diameter and if you are not putting too much stock
(layers) in them.

Some shops have a vertical system for organizing shorts (10' or less). It
makes it easy to see the length of each piece and they are not weighing on
each other as much as horizontally. It sounds like Mike has a good system
for the shorts already in place.

That's my two cents worth. So, happy and healthy holidays to everyone, and
looking forward  to seeing a bunch of you at Dave Hutchison's farm in 2
weeks.

Jonathan Nedbor

_______________________________________________
Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
theforge mail list group photo site is
http://www.photoaccess.com
Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
password:  anvil
___________

_______________________________________________
Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
theforge mail list group photo site is
http://www.photoaccess.com
Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
password:  anvil
___________