[Robotgroup] Need ideas

[Leslie Filip]

You might consider a few things before buying or making any shelving.  
These are things I have run up against in trying to compress my shop  
storage into a couple of huge commercial shelving units. I have also  
considered overhead storage and can give you some plans if you go  
that route.

1. Do you really need to store it or should you throw it away? Always  
a tough question.
2. If you store it will you really be able to find it any better than  
before? You must label things and make an inventory list for later use.
3. Will you be able to access the things you are storing? I  
discovered than a huge percentage of the stuff I wanted to store  
actually needed to be accessible. If you store things overhead, how  
will you safely reach them?
4. What will you use to put your stuff in for storage? The totes in  
the web site's pictures will cost about as much as the support  
structure they are selling. Banker's boxes are cheaper but still add  
up. Random boxes stack pretty poorly but are free.
5. Connections of hanging shelves to wood should not be with screws  
or clips unless the weight supported is going to be minimal, and I  
mean minimal as in a hanging plant or at most a bicycle. The  
connections should be made using hardware designed to safely get the  
job done, such as that in the link. If you must do this yourself,  
have someone else check your plan before getting started.
6. Is the roof and ceiling structure going to be able to handle the  
load? Do you know the total weight of what you are storing?
7. The wire shelving for closets are good for only light weight  
items. How much weight do you intend to support?

Cost wise, the cheapest long term storage solution I have ever found  
continues to be the dumpster. After that I recommend a floor to  
ceiling cheapo unit from Home Depot. For $60 you get everything you  
need. This way you can store things you need where you can reach them  
and the other stuff on top. Good luck with the project.

Les


On 29 Jan 2007, at 11:37 PM, Don Colbath wrote:

> Came upon a great idea for maximizing storage space in my garage.  I
> have seen a system where you hang wire racks from the rafters like  
> this
> at http://overallstorage.com/
> I'm looking at using off the shelf wire shelves that are used for
> closets.  They make them in really long lengths like 12 to 16 ft  and
> only cost like $12 or $16.  what I'm looking for ideas on is attaching
> them to the ceiling.  I'm thinking plumbers tape might work but am
> looking for any better ideas.  A friend has used those big screw-in
> hooks like you use to hang a bike from the ceiling and cables.
>
> Don
>
> -- 
>
> Those who don't believe in spankings deserve one.
>
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