[DavidR8]

Thank you!

Confused though. Am I concerned about an issue with the legs when? As it sits currently, I will not store anything on it in that configuration. I am using this storage rack in a double-duty fashion at present. Its first task will be to hold my tail in suspension above the wife-eee's car while I cut out a hole for her new moon roof. Once that is done, I will finish off the work to convert the rack into a proper storage system. So until then, it'll hold nothing other than my large carcass and some relatively light equipment. Let's say 300 lbs in total. With the gusseting I'm not worried about that, no. And if I can lay hands on some angle tomorrow such that I can weld that in prior to hauling my too-fat self up on top of it, then I would be even less concerned.

As for the work that remains to convert this rack into a good storage mechanism, there are still two more legs and casters that I will weld into the center of the 12' span. I haven't done that yet simply because the rack couldn't then be used to straddle the car, as seen in the pictures in the previous post. Anyway, I will weld-in these legs and the 6 gussets that go along with them prior to placing the rack into the outbuilding and stacking stuff on top of it. Here are those components:

storage rack 34.jpg

These are mostly ready to go. I just need to weld on the feet and then assemble them. Finally, I then need to weld them onto the bottom of the 12' longitudinal beams and put everything into rusty metal primer.

Hope that makes sense.

Ahhh yes, that makes complete sense to me now. For some reason I imagined it loaded up with various and sundry sheet metal, etc perched over the car. Then trying to move it and a wheel catches a pebble and the weight of everything torques the leg and suddenly a bad time is had by all

[av8or1]

All's well that ends well. The gusset welds came together despite some less-than-ideal fitup in one or two cases and I handled the rod even better tonight than last night. Heck, I even used some 7018 to complete a few additional tacks in order to consume the entire rod! I ground all welds down, 'cept the tacks, and applied primer to everything that needed it:

storage rack 35.jpg (226.04 KiB) Viewed 3443 times

And I felt much better now that all 4 feet were completely welded. That was the most fun WRT welding on this project to-date actually. That's because with those feet being 1/4" plate, I could increase the amperage on the welder and run a proper bead. Granted, the verticals are still 1/8" tubing, but I kept the focus of the bead on the plate and just allowed the bead to weld up to the tubing, careful to penetrate into the joint. Those were cheese!

And this CJ is how I power the toys out front:

electrical power 1.jpg (64.45 KiB) Viewed 3443 times

I simply string two 25' long, 6 gauge cables (from Eastwood) from the Nema outlet that I cobbled together. That does the job, though it dwarfs the largest-available cable from the box store that I used when I fashioned that pigtail to work with the 240V outlet that the electricians installed.

[av8or1]

Ahhh yes, that makes complete sense to me now. For some reason I imagined it loaded up with various and sundry sheet metal, etc perched over the car. Then trying to move it and a wheel catches a pebble and the weight of everything torques the leg and suddenly a bad time is had by all

Ah yes, that would be a bad time indeed. No, I still have that one marble rolling around in the gray cabbage upstairs. And that marble wouldn't consider such folly.

I had a plan for this thing from the outset and I'm adhering to that plan. Heck, one could argue that the largest reason I built this rack was to use it to help cut the moon roof hole. I'm a tad apprehensive about that, though not concerned enough to opt-out of doing it. I'm being quite (and probably too) careful with how I go about completing that task. So much so that I decided it would be better if I didn't have to stretch to lean over the car a bit while standing on a mini-me type of ladder on the vehicle's side near the front doors, respectively. Nope, I decided it would be better to follow the "ABCs of welding" as Jody refers to them... always be comfortable. In that light, if I can lie down while making the cuts, well ... that would be about as good as it could get. And the idea at work here being that it would yield the best opportunity for me to *not* screw it up, where "it" = cutting the moon roof hole.

Thanks

[cj737]

And this CJ is how I power the toys out front:

electrical power 1.jpg

I simply string two 25' long, 6 gauge cables (from Eastwood) from the Nema outlet that I cobbled together. That does the job, though it dwarfs the largest-available cable from the box store that I used when I fashioned that pigtail to work with the 240V outlet that the electricians installed.

I have and sometimes need to use a 50' extension cord as well. It's one of those beefy RV power cables. Damn thing weighs about 60# but works a treat.

[av8or1]

I have and sometimes need to use a 50' extension cord as well. It's one of those beefy RV power cables. Damn thing weighs about 60# but works a treat.

Ah yes, I'm familiar. I'll bet it does indeed work for ya. The 6 gauge cable isn't heavy-heavy, but it lets you know it's there. I like running the toys off of it, though each time I do I remind myself that I need to rebuild that pigtail to use the same gauge wire instead of the stuff I got from the box store.

Well I just got off of the phone with the metal supplier CJ. They have some of the angle in stock. Rather than waiting on them to cut it, I'm just a-gonna purchase 3 10' sticks and be done with it. They're about $10 each. I'm sure I'll use them on future projects, no doubt. Anyway, I plan on welding in some of those tonight after work. The parts are supposed to arrive for the moon roof today. Assuming that proves out, then I need to finish this off tonight and re-focus on the pending moon roof hole cutting business (different thread). So the timing appears to be syncing well regarding this stiffening that you recommended. I might just opt to pick up another stick of 2" x 2" x 1/8" tubing to make quick braces for the end/middle legs...

And an update CJ ... I thought that the cords I have were longer than 25' ... so I logged into my account to verify ... yup, I splurged and bought the 40' variant of the "welder extension cord". That is the reason the combination can extend so far out of the front doors of the outbuilding. The 240V outlet is on the rear-most wall and the building is 50'. However between the pigtail and these two forty-footers, I do ok. As I recall I opted for this implementation not because it's the best approach, but because the electrician's quote to run the wiring in conduit was more than I cared to spend on the workshop if this isn't a forever property...

[av8or1]

Alright CJ, I made it to the metal supplier this afternoon to retrieve the new material:

storage rack 38.jpg (81.18 KiB) Viewed 3130 times

That is one 12' stick of 2" x 2" x 1/8" tubing and 3 10' sticks of 1.5" x 1.5" x 3/16" angle. Unfortunately the wife-eee needed to make a grocery run tonight after work, so I had to watch the lil' un. Thus I didn't manage to make my way to the workshop until later, leaving relatively little time to get anything done.

I did cut and fit-up both of the braces to each respective pair of end legs:

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Decided to just go-simple with this, mostly because I need a ladder type of step to assist in getting my bloated carcass up on top of this critter.

[av8or1]

In the event that I elect to only weld-in one of these, I opted to set it 23" down from the bottom of the upper tubing:

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And bothered to get each brace square-ish:

storage rack 41.jpg (62.04 KiB) Viewed 3406 times

But only had time to weld out 3 of the 4 sides on each of them. 'Had to leave it there for the night. I am planning on creating the moon roof in the vehicle this weekend, so time is running short to finish this off, whatever I decide to do with it prior to then. I suspect that I'll limit such work to welding in some of the angle along the longitudinal members as CJ suggested. Then leave the remainder of the cleanup for the point in time when I install the middle legs. 'Sounds like a reasonable plan...

Thank you for reading.

[cj737]

Those braces don't need all sides welded. A closed top and 1 vertical is ALL YOU'LL EVER NEED. Even then, 1" stitches would be more than ample.

[av8or1]

Those braces don't need all sides welded. A closed top and 1 vertical is ALL YOU'LL EVER NEED. Even then, 1" stitches would be more than ample.

You know, it's funny. I kinda had an instinctual notion that this was the case. However no practical experience to support the contention. Therefore when I read this it was validation of that sixth sense that has been with me during this build and even prior. So thank you for that CJ, I appreciate the feedback and learning point.

That said, I had these left over from the gantry project:

storage rack 42.jpg (49.44 KiB) Viewed 3373 times

They are 1/4" plate and had some nasty long edges. So I took the angle grinder to them, careful to create a bevel while I was at it. Then tack welded them into position:

storage rack 43.jpg (228.63 KiB) Viewed 3373 times

This is way-overkill I realize. However these little critters would have merely found their way into the metal recycling bin at some point, so I decided to put them to use instead. The entire point of saving them way back when was to repurpose them somehow on a future project. And that project turned out to be the storage rack. I mean what the heck, right?

Fellas, I had another rough go of it tonight. I was running the usual 3/32" 7018 in the amperage range that I've discovered works for this metal thickness. I didn't seem nor try to do anything differently than normal, but gheez... I stuck the rod more times than I care to remember. My electrode holder (aka "stinger") is old and won't hold the rod in a secure position any longer, but I was hoping to make it last through this project prior to swapping in the new one. 'Not sure that this was a factor, but it was a fact. I persisted, didn't give up, didn't give in and eventually I got there but boy ... just serves to remind me how much of the physical muscle memory you can lose when you step away from stick welding for a while. During the gantry stuff I rarely stuck a rod, though it did happen. Oh well, as Jody said in one of his videos "...that's why they call it stick welding."

Anyway thanks. This is as far as I would make it tonight CJ; I didn't get around to welding in any of the angle iron. Too much real-life work this afternoon and then family duties precluded that endeavor. Seeing as how I am planning the cut of the moon roof hole this weekend, I'll defer the installation of these supports until after that point and when I install the middle legs. I'm open to feedback, but it seems to me that the structure as it stands is easily strong enough to support my too-large-in-the-middle self and the equipment, certainly for the limited time that all that kruft will be up there. The quick test I did the other day didn't seem to indicate any sag and it felt quite sturdy while I (and the son) were on top of it moving around...

Thanks again.

[av8or1]

Well the storage rack performed its first duty quite well. It held my large self in suspension just above the roof of Ol' Blue while I cut a hole in it for the wife-eee's moon roof:

sunroof 154.jpg (233.32 KiB) Viewed 3251 times

And so the next task will be to install the remaining two legs. Then I'll put it in position in the workshop and begin stacking stuff on top of it. Prior to that of course, I will need to clean out an entire section in the outbuilding. That will be no small feat, lemme tell ya.

Anyway one job down, more to go. As always.

I hope to get around to the leg installation sometime this week or this weekend. TBD.

[av8or1]

Now that the cutting of the moon roof hole task was behind me, it was time to add the center legs to the storage rack and then put it to work in the outbuilding. So I pushed it onto the adjacent field in order to "soften the blow" of turning it on its side. Did that, then dollied and strong armed it back onto the asphalt:

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[av8or1]

Ground down the weld on each crossmember as well as the primer, then put the clamps and angle back to work:

storage rack 46.jpg (229.16 KiB) Viewed 3236 times

Did that x2. Then installed the feet:

storage rack 47.jpg (243.6 KiB) Viewed 3236 times

And fellas I had a much better go of it with the rod tonight. Still 7018, 3/32" LE Excalibur MR. Kept the amps up this time however since I wouldn't be welding much on the ends of the 1/8" tubing. As for the outside welds, because the long members (also 1/8" tubing) have the rounded edges, that posed a bit of a problem at a higher (around 85A) setting like that. Therefore I simply welded three beads, with the first being on the long tubing exclusively. Stacked the others on top of that and it merged in the new verticals (legs) rather easily. I did slip once and created a small hole, however I was able to fill that back without a decrease in the amperage setting. Stuck the rod only once as I recall. Kinda reminded me of the gantry work; it was nice to be able to run a stick and enjoy doing it rather than being frustrated.

In the continued interest to not conveniently omit errors that occur during most any build, I must describe one slip-up that I experienced tonight. Due to the aforementioned stacking of welds on the outside seams, these two legs had a slightly bowed out-ness to them once I stood up and gave them an eyeball-once-over. So I pulled out a strap and cinched them back into alignment. Will leave it that way overnight while it finishes cooling. Hopefully they'll come inwards enough to be decent, we'll see. I will likely just leave them strapped while I weld in the crossmember, which will hold them in alignment. I digress.

Anyway that is all that I would have time for tonight. Thank you for reading.

[av8or1]

Little bit by little bit I might finish this off one day.

Tonight I welded in the support for the two middle legs and installed one of the feet. Admittedly, I incurred a self-induced performance penalty WRT time by electing to fabricate the link (support) for the two legs from scrap pieces of the 2" x 2" x 1/8" tubing. These remained after the gussets were cut:

storage rack 48.jpg (73.37 KiB) Viewed 3195 times

I don't know about y'all but I have a tendency to re-use the scraps if possible prior to cutting "good, clean" raw material. Sure, I had about 5' or so remaining of the 12' that I brought home the other day. However I decided to fabricate this linkage piece from these scraps rather than just cut a piece to length from that new stock. Even if it meant slowing the progress due to the additional welding and fitment required to do so.

[av8or1]

In a way, I tend to view these scenarios as welding practice opportunities rather than the unnecessary time sinks that they actually are. Anyway to get the alignment, I called on the clamps:

storage rack 49.jpg (75.13 KiB) Viewed 3193 times

And angle iron again, as per normal:

storage rack 50.jpg (77.28 KiB) Viewed 3193 times

[av8or1]

Because these were from different cutting events there were gaps that I would need to fill. And so that gave me additional practice at so doing. Not a bad thing really, but definitely a time sink. Anyway I soon enough had formed those three pieces into one and installed it in its place on the rack:

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storage rack 52.jpg (31.29 KiB) Viewed 3196 times

And that was as far as I could get tonight, as I had lil' un watching duties while the wife-eee attended her online class. We'll see what tomorrow holds. 'Sure was windy and overcast while I was out there. Hope it doesn't rain, since I haven't done a thing to plug the hole in the roof of Ol' Blue yet.

Thank you for reading.

[BillE.Dee]

Thank you for sharing the build process of your multi purpose storage rack. Don't consider yourself as the "only" person to reuse pieces to make a needed piece. I do it all the time as metal suppliers are a distance away from any direction. Must have been quite a job laying it down to install the legs.
GOOD JOB -- WELL DONE.
gramps

[av8or1]

Wow Bill, thank you much for the kind words. Although I've been doing fabrication projects for a couple+ years now, I still consider myself a newbie; therefore such feedback from the more experienced at this game who know what they're talking about is akin to finding a golden nugget at the end of a rainbow.

So thanks again.

[av8or1]

I should follow with "I only wish I was done, 'cause I ain't" ... because I ain't.

My objectives tonight were to tack-in the remaining 6 gussets (= 24 tack welds), see if I had any more material that could be used as gusseting for the new center mid-support cross member, install the last foot and both wheels and touch up the welds on the existing triangular gussets.

As fortune would have it I managed to complete most of that. However darkness, as it always seems to do this time of year, won the day yet again. I did find these little, tinsy critters in the scrap bucket:

storage rack 53.jpg (72.45 KiB) Viewed 3150 times

Which are too small to serve any real purpose, but they might look ok if I used them in a similar fashion as the others. So I mocked them up:

storage rack 54.jpg (67.56 KiB) Viewed 3150 times

Naturally, with the full weld bead that these joints have after last night, if I was to do this properly, I would need to grind out the middle 1/4" of that weld to insert these, then weld them in. Yeah, not gonna do that in this context. It was at that point that I decided to have a little fun with them. I opted to use them anyway, even though the gap was horrible; just close the gap with some weld.

It was kinda fun to do that, though as always that generated an unnecessary time sink. Oh well. Have a little fun with your projects I say, especially when you're using material that would have otherwise been scrapped and that material serves an aesthetic purpose only. I mean why not?

[av8or1]

And I did get all 6 gussets tacked into position:

storage rack 55.jpg (69.07 KiB) Viewed 3151 times

I'll weld them out first thing tomorrow:

storage rack 56.jpg (65.57 KiB) Viewed 3151 times

[av8or1]

Then I did get one of the caster wheels mounted to the foot that I installed yesterday. Unfortunately that would be it; the top (beginning) of the all-thread on the other foot has a defect that will need to be cutoff. That defect wouldn't allow it to thread into the captive. I don't like running the cutoff wheel in the dark, so I opted to just wait until tomorrow. No rush thereof. Anyway this is where I left it for the night:

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storage rack 58.jpg (35.54 KiB) Viewed 3150 times

Thank you for reading.

[JayWal]

I should follow with "I only wish I was done, 'cause I ain't" ... because I ain't. [emoji38]

My objectives tonight were to tack-in the remaining 6 gussets (= 24 tack welds), see if I had any more material that could be used as gusseting for the new center mid-support cross member, install the last foot and both wheels and touch up the welds on the existing triangular gussets.

As fortune would have it I managed to complete most of that. However darkness, as it always seems to do this time of year, won the day yet again. I did find these little, tinsy critters in the scrap bucket:

storage rack 53.jpg

Which are too small to serve any real purpose, but they might look ok if I used them in a similar fashion as the others. So I mocked them up:

storage rack 54.jpg

Naturally, with the full weld bead that these joints have after last night, if I was to do this properly, I would need to grind out the middle 1/4" of that weld to insert these, then weld them in. Yeah, not gonna do that in this context. It was at that point that I decided to have a little fun with them. I opted to use them anyway, even though the gap was horrible; just close the gap with some weld. [emoji38]

It was kinda fun to do that, though as always that generated an unnecessary time sink. Oh well. Have a little fun with your projects I say, especially when you're using material that would have otherwise been scrapped and that material serves an aesthetic purpose only. I mean why not?

To insert the triangles you wouldn't have to touch the previous weld, just nip the one corner of the triangle off with a zip wheel or just grind it off. Say a 1/4" or so. That'll give you the clearance over the weld. That's usually how I do with corner gussets like that. Leave the weld, just make the gusset fit over it.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

[av8or1]

To insert the triangles you wouldn't have to touch the previous weld, just nip the one corner of the triangle off with a zip wheel or just grind it off. Say a 1/4" or so. That'll give you the clearance over the weld. That's usually how I do with corner gussets like that. Leave the weld, just make the gusset fit over it.

Ah yes, of course! Thank you for the feedback Jay! 'Obvious now that I think about it, but that idea, although I am certainly familiar with it, didn't come to mind at the time. Not sure why, but it didn't. This, amongst other reasons, is why I still consider myself a newbie to the fabrication thing. That idea should have been readily, overtly present in the gray cabbage upstairs. Oh well. In time perhaps.

Thanks again!

[DavidR8]

Looking good!

[av8or1]

Thanks!

Well it's finished fellas:

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More details tonight.

[av8or1]

Well Jay, since I had only tacked those center gussets into position and since their fitment was so poor, I decided to cut them out:

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And redo them. However I opted for a slightly different aesthetic with these than the others by choosing to lop more of the end off than I really needed to. That left an open area beyond what was necessary, but I kinda liked the change-up:

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