Enclosed Steel Rack Keeps Inventory Handy

Enclosed Steel Rack Keeps Inventory Handy FARM SHOP Miscellaneous 32-5-38 This sharp and tidy-looking "steel shack" is one of Roger Gutschmidt's most useful shop innovations. "I absolutely love this rack and can't imagine being without it," he says. "Since I'm always working on projects, I'm in it every day. It sets right outside my shop and holds my inventory of steel tubing, angle iron, shafts, flat iron, and 4 by 8 metal sheets." The storage unit measures about 42 in. wide by 48 in. high, and is 12 ft., 4 in. long. The compartments each measure 5 by 7 in. and are set up in a "checkerboard" pattern. "I used a checkerboard design because it cut the amount of tubing needed in half," he says. "I have a large upright compartment on the right to hold 4 by 8-ft. sheets of steel. It has a hinged door at each end and I painted it with acrylic enamel automotive paint to match my shop's exterior siding." (Gutschmidt points out that automotive paint is much more weather and fade resistant than enamel paints like you find at most building supply stores.) "Storing steel inside the shop is nice, but it takes up a lot of room, and tends to make things look cluttered and messy," he says. "This design keeps my steel organized and it's easy to see at a glance what I have." Gutschmidt built the steel shack in 2002. The 25 pieces of 5 by 7-in. steel tubing cost him $702. The sheet metal for the shell and doors was $250, and the paint cost $491. "This project cost me a grand total of around $1,500, and that's without my labor, but it has certainly been well worth my investment because it's so handy," he says. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Gutschmidt Manufacturing, LLC, Roger Gutschmidt, 6651 Hwy. 56, Gackle, N. Dak. 58442 (ph 701 698-2310; shopdoc@ drtel.net).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.