Storing and displaying my barnwood

Brad_bb · November 30, 2023, 02:00:02 AM

So I use barnwood for a number of projects, built a couple vanitys, done a lot of trim work, window and door trim and base board. So I have a number of horizontal piles on 4 wheel dollies that include remnants/cutoffs, and whole boards. The problem is....They take up way too much floor space horizontally, and it's difficult to look through to find what I'm looking for.

So my thought is to store this material vertically like the way many are now storing and displaying slabs. It's also similar to how Lowe's has hardwood boards and trim displayed. The twist though Is that I want to build a framework on a 46x96 pallet. It has the platform effect like the slabs have, and theoretically, if I need to move it, I should be able to move it with the forklift provided it's not too top heavy.
Does anyone do this?
Thoughts?

DMcCoy · November 30, 2023, 06:58:16 AM

I store nursery containers and flats this way in home built racks, they are about 7' tall so they can go through greenhouse doorways. It's all plastic so it's much lighter. I tilt them backwards(2x4 under front edge) when loading because I stack everything 100% vertically in relation to the pallet sitting flat on the floor. If I end up with a partial then they get tied in the upper 1/4 to keep everything from shifting. Make sure you have good cross boards on the the very bottom in case your forks need to catch a tip over, either front to back or sideways and carry it really low and prepare to drop it.
Edit: Stack it tight, keep it balanced side to side. Shifting is where I have had problems in the past. I would keep it short under 8'

barbender · November 30, 2023, 10:37:34 AM

I was out at the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming. They have a huge firearms museum (it's really a seperate museum, there are 4 museums on the campus) Anyways, one thing I thought was cool, were some of the vertical gun displays. Kind of hard to describe, but they slid out almost like a pocket door, and were about 4'x8', and 4" or so thick with guns displayed inside glass panels. There were 5 or 6 of them arranged side by side in the "skinny" 4" axis. I thought it an innovative way to display something in about 4' of wall space, what would've taken 20 or 30' of wall space otherwise.

Also, if you're ever around Cody, do yourself a favor and set aside a day to explore this museum.

Brad_bb · November 30, 2023, 09:37:11 PM

I just did a rough sketch of what I'm thinking. I'm also thinking of using a plywood floor and lifting it up in front so that it will tilt the lumber back at about 2°, maybe 2 1/2°. Hopefully you can get an idea of what I'm thinking from this sketch?

WV Sawmiller · November 30, 2023, 09:54:56 PM

Brad,

My storage is permanent but you might pick up some ideas from the suggestions included in this thread. Good luck.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=121129.0

Brad_bb · November 30, 2023, 10:49:51 PM

@WV Sawmiller I had seen that and that's where I got this idea. The difference is mine is built on a pallet and not secured to a wall like yours. I'm thinking I'll cantilever it back by 2.5 degrees, but I'll make sure it's supported over the pallet. The majority will not be 8' material so the center of gravity should not be too high. It'll be an experiment. Planning to start it tomorrow. That's why I was looking for any feedback before I start. 2x4 framing, and 3/4" plywood.

WV Sawmiller · November 30, 2023, 11:05:31 PM

In the thread Robert/Yellowhammer shows what he uses and it may be mobile.

I love my vertical storage.

Brad_bb · November 30, 2023, 11:30:03 PM

@YellowHammer Robert's appears to be double sided with a much wider base. So now it's got me thinking... Do I try to go single or double sided on the pallet? His design is a little simpler than what I was thinking too... I've got to decide tomorrow single or double, and I'm pretty sure I can simplify the design based more on Robert's.

YellowHammer · December 01, 2023, 07:54:37 AM

An A frame doubles the amount of storage available vs single sided but has to be accessible from both sides. When it's full, it's heavy, balanced, and has no tendency to slip or tip. It can take 3" and down thick pieces of wood from 4' up to 12' tall. The center section of the A is a shelf for very small pieces. It has spacers that are spaced such that they can be used to separate the pieces so that people can flip through them, but also will handle multiple boards crammed in at once. It's not really designed to be moved around with a forklift, but I move it around with one or be better designed for that.

Our spacers are just narrow pieces of wood, but are fairly close together so never get any side load to cause breaks. Each design has its good and bad points,

I've had mine for years and it works great and has solved our display problems.

WV Sawmiller · December 01, 2023, 08:43:35 AM

Another thing to consider if your space permits is you might could put your storage rack on wheels and tow or push it around. You'd have to be using it on a solid floor.

When other members of the infamous "design committee" get their teeth in this I am sure you will get more ideas ;) (Note: All of their ideas will spend your money. :D)

WV Sawmiller · December 01, 2023, 06:03:58 PM

Brad,

How wide and how heavy is your barnwood too? Remember Robert built his rack to hold and display wide, heavy slabs. So are mine. I have one slab stored that is 122 bf, is over 3' wide, 10' long, 4.5" thick and weighs nearly 600 lbs. I made my racks about 2' deep.

If you are planning on storing wood that is typically 12" or less wide you could build a couple of back to back racks that would be about 12" wide on each side - 2' wide total. You could easily and safely store the odd 16-18 inch wide board in a 12" wide rack. As Robert mentioned the back to back storage provides counterbalance and extra stability. This assumes you have access on both sides.

If you can put it on wheels ( ;D) you just need access room for one side then can push the whole rack forward to get access to the opposite side. You might even build 2 racks with one aisle and you just push the racks around to determine where that access aisle is. However, since unlike the rest of us, you no doubt have excess strorage space available :

, that is probably not an issue for you. ;)

Brad_bb · December 01, 2023, 06:30:36 PM

I'm not putting it on wheels. I move everything with my forklift.

Here's a picture of what I'm now thinking, but made from wood. It's very much like Yellowhammer's rack. This is one sided. So I have the choice of putting two back to back in the middle of the 4x8 pallet. My pallets are like lumber pallets, forked through the 4' side, and I'm planning to put it up against the wall for now. So It would be harder to get to the back side, but not impossible. I'm going to build a timber framed loft over my lumber rack(some may remember the thread a few months back in the TF section) and I may put it up there at that time.

Going double sided would probably be easier to balance the weight. Most boards are 8" and under. Might be a couple 10"ers in there. Most of it is 1" thick stuff.

thecfarm · December 02, 2023, 08:36:04 AM

Put some rocks in the bottom to keep them from tipping over. ;D

Big_eddy · December 02, 2023, 09:10:07 AM

I made one very similar to that (on wheels) for storing steel. I put tubing, pipe, angle and flat into the different sections. Shorts go on the shelves behind.I think it is about 2 1/2' x4'

Pros
Vertical storage uses less space.
I have it at 90 degrees to the wall so it only takes up 2 1/2' of wall, (but sticks 4' out into the floor)
You can put a lot of steel on one rack.
Even fully loaded, the steel casters let me roll it. But I can't recall ever moving it other than to straighten it up.

Cons
Empty or full it takes up the same space
The shelves should have a back on them. Shorts fall off all the time.
The bottom ends of the pieces like to migrate further and further to the front, reducing capacity. Every time you add a piece, you need make a conscious effort to shuffle all the pieces back to vertical.
I still never have ( or can find) the perfect piece when I need it.

I made a second one ~4x4 for wood storage. It has verticals sections on both sides for lumber with a section in the middle for panel goods.

I'll take some pictures as long as no-one teases me about the mess!

WV Sawmiller · December 02, 2023, 12:27:16 PM

"I'll take some pictures as long as no-one teases me about the mess!"

Hey, if you can't stand the heat you better stay out of the kitchen. :D :D :D

Big_eddy · December 02, 2023, 07:30:44 PM

I guess you don't want to see them then 😀

WV Sawmiller · December 02, 2023, 08:06:09 PM

Oaky. :( I apologize and I'd really like to see them. ;) :D

Brad_bb · December 06, 2023, 09:46:00 PM

Still waiting on those pictures... If no pictures, then it didn't happen.

So I've been working on it a little bit each of the last three days. Almost done. I think I'm gonna put some plywood 4 feet up on each side just to make sure small stuff can't fall out to the side. I didn't have to buy any wood to make this. Well, technically I guess I did. All of the pallets we've received building materials on I either convert to lumber pallets and those that are not suited to that, I disassemble, de-nail and put the materials on my shelves. Got a lot of 2x4's, and pallet top boards for repairs. So I guess I do pay for the materials, built into the price of our building materials, but at least I salvage it and use it again.

WV Sawmiller · December 06, 2023, 10:59:20 PM

I think those sides need more bracing. JMHO.

Since mine are permanent I can secure them to an upright tied to the roof trusses. Being mobile you have to compensate for that somehow.

Big_eddy · December 06, 2023, 11:17:54 PM

Quote from: Brad_bb on December 06, 2023, 09:46:00 PM
Still waiting on those pictures... If no pictures, then it didn't happen.

They will come. Super busy right now and travelling too.

Brad_bb · December 08, 2023, 01:24:10 AM

Finished it up tonight. Added a few small 3" wide pieces of flat plywood to the back for bracing. Put Put 1/2" plywood on from bottom arm down on each side to prevent small pieces from falling out. Arms are pretty stiff. Upper ones are Ash, lower ones are pine. Next to get it in place and start filling it.

redbeard · December 17, 2023, 02:28:21 AM

Saw these adjustable metal lumber board dividers at a auction , tried too get them but lost our. I liked the options the had. They slide side too side and stay solid by tagging them too the horizontal 2 x 4. They also could shorten and lengthen by sliding in the square tubing .

Ljohnsaw · December 18, 2023, 11:26:21 AM

Those a pretty nice. Could probably fab them up out of ½" & ¾" conduit.

Big_eddy · December 20, 2023, 08:55:58 AM

Finally moved enough stuff to take some pictures. Nothing fancy and still a mess.
First few are the metal rack.
My wood rack is essentially two metal racks back to back with a 2' opening between for sheet goods. It works -sorta- but I tend to toss too many small chunks in there then gravity wedges them down to the bottom and makes it hard to get the one piece you want to come out.
Still better than a pile on the floor though.