From 3D CAD to Reality- A Mobile Cut-off and drop Storage Rack

[astroracer]

I have gone out in the shop a half dozen times to clean up my drop pile but, once I get out there and look at all of it, I stop. I have no where to put it that is easily accessible and orderly so I was getting a little frustrated...
I got to thinking about all of the buckets (8 of them!) I am using right now as containers and decided to design a mobile rack to use those buckets.
I measured up a couple of buckets (I have a few different sizes) and modeled up an average size in UG. I had an idea already in my head so I ran with it on the computer. Once the bucket was modeled the rest was easy.
This is a side view. The rack is 24 inches wide.

Here is a front view. It is 42 inches long and about 48 inches high. Six buckets fit comfortably with room for three more in the middle if I decide to go that way. Right now I am thinking I will make this middle bay a vertical rack for longer drops.

The buckets set in, and on, 3/4 x 3/4 angle at about a 30deg tip.



You can see I am also building in a lot of narrow racks for long lengths, whether sheet metal or tubing, Should work very well. I plan to put steel on the bottom and aluminum higher up.
I did the details last Monday night to build my stock list and ordered the steel Tuesday afternoon. It was in Wednesday so I picked it up and had in the shop by 5.

[astroracer]

I have a very unruly pile of scrap metal, cut-offs and drops on my floor that needs to be cleaned up and organized. That is what will get sorted into the buckets. This pic is only some of it.


By the end of the day Sunday this is how we stood The rack went together very well. I will be getting it ready for paint in the next few days (evenings I guess). I think it turned out great!






Mark

[kbalch]

Thanks astroracer! I've added your Mobile Storage Rack to our Metalworking and Storage and Organization categories, as well as to your builder page: astroracer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

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Mobile Storage Rack by astroracer

tags: rack, storage, welding, caster(s), CAD

[DIYer]

Great idea, and beautiful execution!

[astroracer]

Great idea, and beautiful execution!

Thanks! I think it turned out great!
Spent a few hours during the week getting the welds cleaned up and the rack wire brushed. Saturday I got a coat of primer on the rack. I brushed it on. Would have went through three cans of spray paint if I had gone that route and I didn't want all of that overspray in the shop.

I used Rustoleum's clean metal primer. It is white so the red paint should be pretty brite over the top of that.

While the paint was drying I was working in the house changing out the old hollow core bathroom door with a new oak 3 panel door that I stained and finished a while back. New door frame and all.

[astroracer]

Went out this morning and started putting on the red. This is Safety Red I get at Ace hardware. It's oil based and very tough when it dries.

Got a first coat on most of it and worked on the door install while it was drying.

Once the rack was mostly dry my wife helped flip it over so I could finish the paint.

Had a good weekend. Got the rack all painted and that door finally installed. Tomorrow will get the casters installed and I can start sorting thru the pile...
What did you guys do?

[astroracer]

Got the casters bolted up and the shelves cut out of 1/2" OSB tonight. The cart rolls around very nicely. I'll start sorting thru the scrap pile tomorrow. ;D

I have to get all of my buckets emptied out so I start sorting...

I still have one shelf to make. The lower one in between the 2 x 2's

I think this will be a much better solution to storing my cut-offs then piling them on the floor.