Which Lumber Rack to buy?

[Mike Weaver]

Ok, my Cub Scout Den Leaders got together and gave me an $80 GC to Lee Valley as a thank you for being the Cubmaster and I need a lumber rack desparately.

I was thinking of getting these components, and I was wondering if anyone has used them & what you thought of them. They are "Galvanized Heavy Duty Shelving System parts":
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...=3,43648,43650
My rack would be a bit over $400 from those pieces.

Also at LV is a Lumber Storage System:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...45&cat=1,43326
[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/xz26dw/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG]
The issue with that though, is cost. It would be about $950.

So, so I save pennies for a long time to come & get the more expensive one, or do you guys think the lesser of the two is decent enough?

Thanks for your thoughts,
-Mike
PS If I did this correctly, the "heavy duty shelving pieces" with the extra supports below the long brackets are in the pic on the left & the "lumber storage system" is on the right.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

Get this:

st.jpg

Seriously.

You can put together a very strong rack much like your second option at a much better price from the borg. That is, if you don't want to make your own (which I'm sure someone will suggest).

Edit: Don't get me wrong, I love Lee Valley. I just think those racks are a bit overpriced.

[Mike Spanbauer]

I personally own a set of the Triton racks, and love them. They are on sale @ woodcraft for a little longer for $39 each. I would recommend them again as they are very strong (have about 200 bd ft on mine currently and it's not fully loaded and they were easy to install.

mike

[Rob Bodenschatz]

I should also say, of the two options, I really don't like the one with the diagonal support. It seems to waste too much space.

[Jeff Wright]

I personally own a set of the Triton racks, and love them. They are on sale @ woodcraft for a little longer for $39 each. I would recommend them again as they are very strong (have about 200 bd ft on mine currently and it's not fully loaded and they were easy to install.

mike

I also got the Triton racks. I have never seen a lower price than the $39 currently being offered. I bought two sets and have four (not) two standards bolted into my cinder block workshop walls. I took great care to align the bottoms of each of the six post positions so my lumber would lie flat while in the racks.

[Chris Padilla]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=70188

Scroll down to the Similar Threads listing...lottsa good posts on this subject.

[Matt Mutus]

I used some of this stuff.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=3931

I bought a few 55" straps, cut them into pieces, and lagged them into studs to give me a single level of overhead storage 18 inches deep.


It's heavy duty. I can hang from the end of an 18 inch support, which is essentially a straight line out from the wall. (overkill I guess - but I like that better than underkill)

[Howard Levine]

Jeff, what kind of bolts did you use for your cinder block walls? Are the racks also supported by the floor?

[Jeff Wright]

Jeff, what kind of bolts did you use for your cinder block walls? Are the racks also supported by the floor?

I used 3-inch tapcons. No, they do not get supported from the floor in any way.

[Ken Garlock]

Hi Mike. I put up a wall of lumber storage a couple years ago. I bought everything I needed at Lowes. I used six foot standards every other stud, and 12 in. brackets hung on the standards. The standards are heavy duty with a double row of holes for the 2 pronged brackets. I used 3 in. #14, screws in the pre punched standard screw holes. The studs will rip out of the wall, before this rack falls down. I believe the standards and brackets are made by Rubbermaid, but you have to look pretty closely to find out.... If at some time, you need more brackets, you don't have to send away, just drop by Lowes.

[glenn bradley]

I used what Ken used from Lowes. I went every stud and have arms about every 6" vertically. This allows a good amount of lumber without my having to dig too far for any one piece. Had the Triton sale been going on I would have picked up two of those and saved about $40.

[Brian Willan]

Lee Valley also carries the Triton Racks.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...89&cat=1,43326

Although it is only available at their retail stores.

Cheers

Brian

[Jim Becker]

The nice thing about "option A" in your post is that this same Stirling shelving system is available in the 'borg if you need more components. I do use some in my shop for various things including some incidental lumber storage, especially turning stock. The downside is that the heavier capacity brackets require that angle leg which takes away capacity from the layer below. In other words, this is great for utility shelving, but has disadvantages for a lumber rack.

[Michael Gibbons]

Check the last couple issue of FWW. They just had an article about a lumber rack that you can build out of 2x4's and some black pipe. Use the gift card for a new tool.

[Dan Forman]

I made this one out of 2x4's and 18" sections of 1/2" pipe from the Borg. Hasn't fallen down yet! Uprights are anchored on the floor, and to the ceiling joists, so no strain on the wall. The pipe is covered with thin wall PVC to protect the wood from possible stain.



Dan