Re: Tool Rack Question

Ding,

That's quiet a long tool rack, will save you again lots of space and clutter around the garage.

Now to answer your question, for your 2" X 2" angle bars, get the 1/4" thick wall angle irons, it will help a bit in preventing some sagging in the middle plus mas madaling mag welding sa thick walled metal, hindi ka mabubutasan. Now I do not know how heavy the tools and other stuffs you will be putting on top of it, of course with your MDF as the flooring but eventually it will surely sag in the long run. To prevent that, you will have to add additional vertical support, perhaps a 1/4" thick flat bars welded outside of the horizontal bar frames preferably between the middle/center of the entire length of 9', that is front and back. Or you can divide the entire length of the rack into 3, so you will be welding the vertical support every 3' which will make your rack skeleton more sturdier and sag free.

I am suggesting the thick flat bars so it will be in lined with the outside wall of your angle bar post plus it will not disrupt the MDF you will lay flat on top of the angle bar horizontal skeleton. But you can opt too to use as support 1" X 2" TUBULARS, welded inside your angle bar skeleton, only when laying your MDF Brds, you will have to cut some small portions of it to fit the inside diameter of the rack.

OH, forget about the minimum thickness of the angle bars, you might regret it afterwards, do not skimp on the thickness, think of its strength and sturdiness. :rolleyes:

Hope this helps and answers your question !!! 😉 :jump:

Re: Tool Rack Question

Oh, if you think adding some support or columns in the middle will somehow constrict storage, then better get the 3" X 3" X 1/4" angle bars for your horizontal skeleton, this size of angle bars will sure help a lot . :2thumbsup: But of course there will be additional cost sa materials since increased na in dimensions. 🙁 😮

Or you may also make two racks separately, dividing the whole 9' to 4.5', you will just add another extra angle bars as its post or column and there will be additional welding and cutting works ahead.

But for me it will be fine too, since it will give you a chance to hone the skill and practice your welding applications, what do you think bro Ding ???

Re: Tool Rack Question

How about dividing it into 2 racks of 4.5 ' length each?

Will look something like these racks but taller , wider and longer.

Maybe easier to build 2 smaller racks too instead of 1 big one.

These racks measure 36" x 12" x 42" ( L x W x H ) . Used only 1" x 1" x 1/8" angle bars and 1/2" plywood.

Since yours are bigger then you can use thicker angle bars and 3/4" plywood. You mentioned Tool Rack and not storage rack so I guess it would not carry very very heavy loads.

Re: Tool Rack Question

Just a suggestion: add extra uprights and arms.

Of course, with that much framing support, 2x2 angle horizontals may be overkill,
Not that overkill is always a bad thing. I'm sure you already know this, but for the
less-experienced who are tuning in, it may be a good idea to have 6" clearance
under the lowest shelf for broom cleaning. Ditto bolting points to anchor the shelf
frame to the wall (at least for while it's positioned there).

Interrupting a horizontal's span with weld points (joining the new uprights & arms
to the shelf framing) also means you will be dealing with additonal warping issues,
hehe.

Re: Tool Rack Question

Thanks, Jay & Jorge.

I think I will go with two 4' long racks then use the extra space to build as storage for long, vertical tools like my bar clamps. Maybe about time I make a rack for all my clamps, too. Nakasabit lang ngayon lahat kasi sa bakod.

Having two adds future placement flexibility .

Now, if I build two racks, each 4' long, 6' high, 15" deep, can I use for all the members 1"x1"x1/8" angle bars?

Also, I plan to first build the shelves and simply miter-weld them. Then, I will weld them onto the vertical members so that the verticals "embrace" the corners of the shelves. Would this be a good construct methodology?

Do I need to stiffen each 4" long long shelf with a bar in the middle?

Re: Tool Rack Question

Now, if I build two racks, each 4' long, 6' high, 15" deep, can I use for all the members 1"x1"x1/8" angle bars? ... Do I need to stiffen each 4" long long shelf with a bar in the middle?

Don't have a handle on what you'll be loading those shelves with, but...
Assuming heavy tools and accessories on the shelves, 1"x1"x1/8" horizontals would
probably need extra/midspan support. Thickness of the angle is less important than
length of the 'legs' of the angle-section, but 1/8" is kinda thin: I often have trouble
straightening it in prep pa lang. 1"x1"x3/16" or 1"x1"x1/4" could work, and some
1-1/2"x1-1/2" angle would be plenty.

My worktable is 5' long with a 1-1/2"x1-1/2"x4.5mm angle frame (just 4 legs), a 1/4"
thick (20" deep) steel-plate tabletop, and has between 40 and 130lbs of static load
(tools/materials) on top of it at any given time, and literally takes a hammering.

Square 1-1/2" tubular gives you even better strength to weight ratio than angles,
for horizontals, but you probably want angles, to 'cradle' your shelftops (plyboard?).

Also, I plan to first build the shelves and simply miter-weld them. Then, I will weld them onto the vertical members so that the verticals "embrace" the corners of the shelves. Would this be a good construct methodology?

Sounds safely conventional. 🙂
I'd still want mid-span flatbars (running front to back) in the shelf-frames, for rigidity.
I wish you good welds! On a (very) bad day, mine are like piled-up chicken droppings,
which means a lot of rod consumed for very little actual weld, haha.

.

Re: Tool Rack Question

@ Ding,

Read my post reply # 2 and #3, you might get something clear out of it !!

Re: Tool Rack Question

Thanks, Jorge. You should see my welds. Worse than chicken droppings. More like goats' with severe digestion illness!

Thanks, too, Rosy. I just skimmed your response first time around. The second read allowed me to digest. You're my welding mentor and I hope I do justice to your patience in teaching me and my son someday. Working on it...

I think I'll go for two racks, each 4' long. More practice for me. I'll make each 16" deep (instead of 15") so it's a more rounded number for the plyboard floors.

I will end up with a foot of extra space at the end which I can use as storage for my long pipe clamps.