updated architectural feature chart

[rob_spellberg]

when i bought my palacial country estate here in mchenry county back in '97,
   i decided i didn't want to continue using the techniques
   that i had learned during years of dorm, apt and condo existence.

so i bought steel uprights and beams from these people:

http://www.globalindustrial.com/gcs/product/categoryInfo.web?options.parentCategoryKey=158&index=39&catSearchParams.categoryKey=1879&REQ_SUB_CAT=Steel+Shelving+

take a look at the fifth item down, 7' boltless steel shelving, 1500# capacity.
click on the link to page 18 of the catalog to get the pdf.
far left column, w/o decking, 5 shelves, 48" x 24", item # cq254432
   [ hmm --- the price has gone up since '97; but, i digress ].
more is definitely relatively cheaper.

it arrived a few days later on an 18-wheeler that pulled up to my driveway.
thanks to my hand truck, the several trips from the road to the house was quick work.

then i got into my pickup
   [ always get the eight-foot box even though it costs a little more;
       it's well worth it [ don't forget the box liner ]
   ] and drove to the big-box home-improvement place.
of course, any reputable wood merchant will do.
cdx plywood sheet, 48" x 96", 23/32"; the cheap stuff with knots.

back home, i fired up the circular saw.
each sheet became four panels, 23-3/4" x 47-3/4" [ that 1/4" --really-- helps! ].
remember, each rack has five shelves, so four racks to five sheets.

now, the uprights were ok right off the truck [ voice of experience talking ];
   but, the beams aren't always exactly straight even though they are pretty close.
you may need a pliers to straighten the end where the rivet is located.
just secure the beam in your armpit, use one hand to hold the end and torque, gently.
you'll know it's right when the rivets slide into the slots easily.
a steel mallet is very handy to lock the puppy into place; mine's a three-pounder.
a second person to hold the uprights in place while you install the beams is nice,
   but not essential.

i put a dozen of these things in the basement,
   another four in the garage and some others in a spare room.
these babies are solid, although the 48" length does sag a tad under load.
in my case, it's mostly books.

could i have done it cheaper?
heck, yeah!
but i value reliability, which these supply.
additionally, buying the steel saved me quite a bit of time.
lumber for a wood frame would also cost money, so it's a trade-off.

would i do it again?
certainly, except for using the spare room; but that's for another day.

i have ordered stuff from these folks since.
they get the order right and it shows up reasonably soon
   [ i like slow, cheap shipping ].
of course, ymmv.

hope this helps.
look through the catalog for other solutions if what i did isn't right for you.
comparison shop for price and performance.
make appropriate changes to the specification for your locale.
you get the idea.

i recognize that you may be a city-dweller and that
   a truck and power tools may not be presently at the ready.
no problem; just go out and buy what you need.
you will experience the satisfaction of knowing that
   you are doing your part to support the global economy and, also,
   the truck will come in really handy the next time you move.

for my next project, i think i'll come up with a way to relocate, in bulk,
   all of this excess water we have here in illinois/wisconsin
   [ will it --ever-- stop raining?
     the mosquitoes are the size of pterodactyls and it's only june.
   ]
   to a place that can really use it, like se wyoming.
let's see.
i'll need some reservoirs, some pipe and some really big pumps.
mustn't forget the mosquito netting.

ciao,

rob



On Fri, 11 Jun 2004, Paul Robinson wrote:

 > On Fri, Jun 11, 2004 at 12:42:00AM -0400, Daniel Eischen wrote:
 >
 > > > I got a 24U rack from a salvage shop for $10.  Bought three
 > > > shelves for the non-RM machines for $80 or so.  Works great.  :)
 > >
 > > Now that's what I'd love.  We got dozen's of 19" racks at work,
 > > but they're not a pen or pencil.  You try and take one home,
 > > someone will notice :(
 >
 > Oh, come now, that's not the enterprising spirit we want here. That sounds
 > like defeatism! Have you *tried* stealing one of the racks? I bet if you
 > went up to your manager and said "I'm going to steal one of the racks after
 > work tonight" he wouldn't believe you. If he does, convince him he should
 > have one too, and get him to help you take two racks out of the building
 > that night.
 >
 > If somebody should notice, make up a story about some shifty-looking bikers
 > hanging around near the back door the previous day. If you get caught, tell
 > them it was all your boss' idea, and you were told if you didn't help him
 > steal a rack, he was going to have you fired. And that he's been sexually
 > harrassing you.

It's like a prison where I work (defense contractor).  There are
guards, guns, & security gates, oh my.  The sexual harrassment
claim has the best chance of working, though ;-)

 > End result - shiny rack in your home.

Or a guard's night stick shoved up my bum.