U Do It Builds – DIY Lumber Rack using Steel
In this video I’m showing you how fabricating a DIY lumber rack using steel is possible, even with limited welding knowledge. I built a shed to store my extra materials and yard tools. I have some lumber and trim that I would like to store properly.
Why I Didn’t Buy a Retail Product
Although there are solutions available to purchase, I want to fabricate my own out of heavy gauge steel tubing. There’s so much I want to learn about fabrication. And I know that forcing myself to do it is the right approach. It’s how I learned everything, including woodworking, software engineering, design, and more.
What you don’t see in this video is that I started this project last year. I bought the steel from Joseph Fazzio’s Steel in Glassboro. I also bought a used chop saw with carborundum discs from them a year ago to make this lumber rack. It works but it is not great, which is why I never finished the lumber rack. The cuts take several minutes each and they are not square.
Equipment Purchases
So I decided to purchase the Evolution S355MCS miter saw, which would give me the accuracy I needed. Besides, this was the required tool for me to build my DIY Plasma CNC over Christmas break. The saw is built well and cuts steel tubing perfectly within seconds.
I also purchased a used 15-inch Craftsman drill press last year. The drill press was the perfect tool for drilling the bolt holes for mounting the brackets on the studs in the shed.
- 14" Mitering Chop Saw
- Powerful 15A / 1450 rpm
- Mitering Base & Blade
Amazon.com Price last update on 2024-12-20 - Details
- The Original Restorer invented in Ohio. Instantly prep and restore wood, metal and more. Strip, sand, sweep, texture and burnish dust-free when connected to a shop vac using the built-in dust port
- APPLICATIONS: Ideal for furniture refinishing, deck restoration, reclaimed wood cleanup, live edge and epoxy prep, shou sugi ban technique, cleaning bourbon barrels, auto restoration, paint and rust removal, perfect compact burnishing polishing machine
- COMFORT: Lightweight design, Reduce hand fatigue with ergo soft grip for large and small hands. Comfortable even for arthritic hands. Light weight design for easy use at any angle with simple tool-less roller change.
Amazon.com Price last update on 2024-12-20 - Details
- typical applications to include lap and butt welds on galvanized sheet metal
- joining of galvanized roofing sheet metal
- Package Dimensions: 4.7 L x 10.5 H x 10.1 W (centimeters)
Amazon.com Price last update on 2024-12-20 - Details
The steel pieces were either rusted or had mill scale on them. I used the Restorer with a rust removing drum to clean the areas where I would be welding the pieces. I love this tool as it makes removing paint, rust, and mill scale super easy.
Then I used my Lincoln Electric 210MP to weld the pieces together using Blue Demon E71TGS flux cored welding wire. Not shown on camera was some frustration with welding, like running out of welding wire, welding the wire to the welding tip, bird nesting inside the welder, and using the incorrect settings on the welder for the thickness of steel being welded. Once I got my settings dialed in, I was able to apply a better bead of weld.
Was It Worth It?
I felt like this project was totally worth the trade off for the price of materials and the tools for the experience gained. I’m a hands on learner and I need to make my mistakes and adjust.
Now onto the next project, which is building my Plasma CNC.
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Video Credits:
Video Production: U Do It™ Studios a Division of No Cheese Records LLC All Rights Reserved. No Cheese Records® is a Registered Trademark of No Cheese Records LLC All Rights Reserved.
Music Credits:
Bigginz Group Therapy
Associated Performer, Featured: Northside Nate
Associated Performer, Featured: Savvy Turtle
Composer Lyricist: U Do It
Producer: No Cheese Records
Publisher: Bigginz Publishing
Studio Personnel, Mixer, Recording Engineer: Northside Nate
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