Shorts Storage build

Rennie Heuer

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Constantine, MI
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No, not THAT kind!

This kind.
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My storage area is bleeding over into my work area and I need to get things a bit more organized. I put up shelf brackets some time ago which work great for longer boards, but using them for shorts (under 3') just clutters them up and things tend to make loud crashing sounds when I try to remove the 'one' little board I need.
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So, I was thinking about something like this, mounted on casters it would store beneath the long board storage and in front of the sheet goods.
Shorts storage.jpg
It would hold anything 3' and under in bins sized 36", 18" and 12" deep. Which gets us to another question - how short is too short? Since it is said you can't safely machine boards less than 12" long, I'm thinking anything less hits the burn pile (except highly figured or expensive - like ebony).

What say ye? I don't have room under any tools or cabinets, so the roll-a-round box seems like the way to go, but I could be wrong. It has happened once or twice.:D
 
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Rennie, your collection of "shorts" is better than my total anemic collection of wood period. Wish I had your "problem".

That aside, it looks like you intend to treat your shorts with the care they deserve and the storage crate looks like a good solution. One thing that did cross my mind though (thought about this before, but haven'y gotten to it yet) would be a 20/30 gallon galvanived trash (sorry - meant to say shorts) can with a lid, handles & casters. A slightly conical inner matrix of vertical 1/4" hardboard compartments (slotted to fit), could store the shorts adequately perhaps & save some construction. Just a thought.
 
Sigh :eek:

I have multiple plastic tubs stacked by the garage door. Its far far FAR from optimal. I think less than 12" is probably a good start for trash, although I do keep some "larger" pieces of interesting wood that are less than 12" long (i.e. I have some walnut gunstock off cuts - and no I don't remember where I got them - that are maybe only 6" long but 4x4" square). I also have a largish collection of boards that are probably to thin and should go away... maybe less than 1x1" square.
 
This horizontal unit holds items slightly over 40", 36", 24" and 18". Large panels store on end to the right and small panel pieces get stashed above. Medium panel pieces go in a vertical unit across the room.

Cutoff Bin v2 Add-on (1).jpg . re-vamped wood stash (3).jpg

Pieces around 12" or so go under the TS outfeed table and little chunks go on a cleat hung unit that gets moved around. The really small stuff may end up going in the stove as I very, very rarely dig into it and the fixture is taking up wall space.

re-vamped wood stash (4).jpg . re-vamped wood stash (5).jpg
 
Rennie, what you have designed is what I have always envisioned to build. Far as keeping the wood types separated, I write on the end, what type and if it comes from a custom piece. I also want to build in a place to store dowel rods in this cabinet as well.
 
I used to have bins, but bins take up room, and room is something my small garage doesn't have.

as soon as I tripped over a bin and almost broke my neck, the bins were gone, and anything I found that was just too short or too thin, went into the outdoor firepit next door.

I just close my eyes and toss it. only hurts a few minutes.
 
I went overhead.

But I also first sorted and tossed.
I also had one like Jim DeLaney, with the same end result, which is why I redid my storage. If it isn't sorted and useful storage, it might as well not be there is what I'm thinking...
 
From the mouths of babes...

I was in the shop explaining to Jan what I needed to do for beter storage of lumber and I showed her my drawing. She simply pointed out that I am always looking for more bench top for sorting parts, etc., so why not build a bench with storage beneath it?

:doh::doh::doh:

Color me dumb.

So, back to the drawing board for this. Opinions? Thoughts?
Stoarage 2.jpg
 
Rennie this issue invaded my space recently after I purchased what was a whole cherry tree that had been cut and air dried. BTW never do that.

The result was that after processing I had cherry shorts coming out of my ears.

The benefit was that it forced me to make a plan for storage. I decided that looking at the pics I had accumulated over the years of various lumber storage options I would make a unit that would serve to store boards, ply and shorts and was mobile.

So I adapted this guys plan to cater for it being 8ft long and 4 ft high to hold full sheets of ply and boards 8ft in length. Don't have pics of my own as yet but here is a link to the plan and concept. http://www.woodworkingformeremortals.com/2013/01/make-rolling-lumber-cart.html

I think its a really neat solution and you can make the shorts bins suite your needs.

Just one thing if anyone does this, don't skimp on the castors. I used 6 off 3 inch cheapo Chinese rubber and I got to change them out. When full as the rack is now, it would not move on concrete floor.

After visiting Brents place I think I am gonna pick up a set of these from HF this weekend.
 
like jans idea rennie but make sure you can see the pieces and get access to them on the side needed or you will just be filling space and not using the shorts on the next project.
 
So I made one of the rolling lumber carts as well (sits under the racks of crap I need to clean out) - mine ended up with a little more of an A frame shape, other than that its pretty much the same. I'd second GOOD casters, that sucker is HEAVY. Luckily I also have a pallet jack (don't ask) that handily stores under one end of it and can be used to "assist" it in getting moving. It rolls fine(ish) once its going but is heavy enough to put a little bit of a flat on the (hard rubber, ball bearing 700lb rated) wheels. I suspect the bench theory would have similar "getting stuck" issues. The other gotcha with the A frame rack setup is getting to the pieces in the ends, the one end faces into the room the other end I have (almost) against a wall so you have to pull it out to get at those pieces.

For the bench cart my main concern would be how to lock it in place. My experience with swivel casters hasn't been all that great for locking. Even if they lock good so they don't roll the center of contact is often off of the center of pivot so they'll swivel when you're doing stuff with the bench. Either something like the great lakes (or equivalent) or some other drop down locking system would, I think make that less of a problem.
 
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