[TheForge] Streel racks

Wed Dec 21 18:15:29 EST 2005

Greetings,

I  also store alot of my cut stock vertically leaning up against a wall 
close to my saw (no rack), short cutoffs on the floor (at the saw).  I know 
it sounds like a waste of floor space but I lay stock on the floor in an 
area about 3X12'.  It works out cause that part of the floor's wood and I 
don't like burning, welding etc there.  I can see my stock well so I don't 
have to rummage around too much.  In my new shop I will devote a part of one 
wall to horizontal storage of full lengths.  I like the inverted V design 
that someone suggested if you have the space to have a walk around rack.  I 
also have cut lengths scattered around the shop set vertically against the 
wall or in 5 gallon buckets. I separate my stainless and AL from the rest. I 
wouldn't ever use tubing as a method to store.  Maybe for a little bit of 
small diameter rod or squares.  I want to be able to easily see what I have 
as well as access it.

Regards,
Bill Woolley

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ralph Sproul" <brhlbsmt at mcttelecom.com>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 5:35 PM
Subject: RE: [TheForge] Streel racks

>    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
>
>
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