Shop storage and shelving project

[SlugSlinger]

I need more room in my shop. I designed my shop with 13' ceilings to house my 2 post truck lift. This being the case, I have lots of potential wall and loft space. I've built some shelves but decide to use some of the available and higher wall space. So the area I'm starting with is a nook at the front of my shop.



My plans are to build a 96" tall shelf on each sid of the window. The shelf in the left is 12" deep by 27" wide. The right shelf will be 18" deep and 27" wide. Then I will build a loft platform above the window that will be at least 24" deep and 125" wide and have about 5' of storage space above that. I may build shelves above the window or just leave it open, I haven't decided yet.

I am using 11 gauge 1.5" for the uprights and platform framing and will use 11 gauge 1" for the lower shelve supports. I may use expanded metal for the shelve material or go with 3/4" plywood, I haven't nailed that down either.

I picked up the material this morning so I hope to start welding today or tomorrow.

 

[beastep]

Good luck. All my shelves fill up instantly when I build one.

 

[Dave70968]

Check out https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/mechanics-t_52.html and https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/statics-t_63.html to calculate deflection of the shelf supports; probably not a big deal with the shorter ones, but the 125" beams may surprise you, even with 11ga. I had planned to build some bookshelves (I was given a law library from a lawyer who retired, and needed storage space for it) and was amazed at how much deflection I would have had...and how much it would have cost me to build something stiff enough.

Lots of good stuff at https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/

 

[SlugSlinger]

Good luck. All my shelves fill up instantly when I build one.

Yep, I suspect it

Check out https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/mechanics-t_52.html and https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/statics-t_63.html to calculate deflection of the shelf supports; probably not a big deal with the shorter ones, but the 125" beams may surprise you, even with 11ga. I had planned to build some bookshelves (I was given a law library from a lawyer who retired, and needed storage space for it) and was amazed at how much deflection I would have had...and how much it would have cost me to build something stiff enough.

Lots of good stuff at https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/

Thanks for the link. The longest span is about 70". I am building shelves on each side of the window. These shelf legs will support the upper platform. I will probably weld in some support gussets to help with the 70" span just above the window.

I am trying to calculate what kind of beam I would need to span 19 feet. I want to build a loft over my garage door. It's about 19' wide and 12' deep. I don't want any supports on the beams except for each end. And I would like it to support at least 1,000 lbs.

 

[SlugSlinger]

I've got the 8 shelf's feet welded in.

 

[SlugSlinger]

Got the canvass ready for the artwork. Lol

 

[beastep]

Thats sometimes the worst part. Moving everything out of the way.

 

[SlugSlinger]

Yes and all the stuff I moved is in the way while I'm trying to do the work.

 

[beastep]

Ha. Then youre doing it exactly they way I would.

 

[SlugSlinger]

Got one stuck together and started on the other shelf. I haven't found an easy way to make sure everything is plumb and square. Especially building these in place by myself. So, I've made a template for the shelf spacing and I am using multiple squares to make sure these end up right. If I could build these laying flat on a table, that would be much easier, but I wanted these to fit the openings perfectly.