Steel Rack Extension

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I have a couple of heavy-duty racks that I use to store steel.  One of the racks sticks through a hole in the wall which limits the maximum height of the rack. I decided to cut off the unusable top of the rack and use it to extend the height of a second rack, located in my addition, where there is more head room.  1. Old rack

After cutting off the four corner columns, I ground off the cross brace.  The original cross brace was 18 inches long and the new one needed to be 24” long.  Also, the new brace needed to have a higher section because I wanted to rest some metal directly on the cross brace.2. Grinding off cross brace

I selected a 1/16” wall 1-1/2” square tube for the new cross brace. I used my Fireball angles and magnetic blocks to fixture the frame in place. I find the Fireball tools to be very useful.3. Fixturing with Fireball Tools

The next step was to tack weld the cross brace in place.  I tack welded all four sides of each tube before I welded it out. I used my Lincoln LE31 MP welder which is 140 amp 120 volt multi-process welder. I used .030” wire, which was in the welder, but I should have switched to .025” wire, because the thickness of the columns was only about .035”  (Not including the paint). 4. Tack welds

Next, I welded it the frame.  I positioned the frame so that the heavier 1/16” wall tube was on the top, to help prevent burning through the thinner metal of the columns on the bottom.5. Weld-1

Smith Oxyacetylene TorchMiller Dynasty 200DXLincoln SP-250 MIG WelderClausing/Coldchester 15" Lathe16" DuAll Saw15" Drill Press7" x 9" Swivel Head Horizontal Band Saw20 Ton Arbor Press BridgeportLincoln LE  31 MP & Lincoln 210 MP
Reply:6. Weld-2

Here are two pictures of the extension frames on top of the existing steel rack.7. Frame-1

8. Frame-2

I blind riveted tabs on the end of the extensions to align the extensions with the existing columns of the steel rack.  I was planning on welding the extensions, but it was so rigid that I didn’t bother welding them.9. Blind rivet splice

And here it is all done.10. All done

-DonSmith Oxyacetylene TorchMiller Dynasty 200DXLincoln SP-250 MIG WelderClausing/Coldchester 15" Lathe16" DuAll Saw15" Drill Press7" x 9" Swivel Head Horizontal Band Saw20 Ton Arbor Press BridgeportLincoln LE  31 MP & Lincoln 210 MP
Reply:Looks good and a great reuse of material.I personally would weld out the splices because the tabs just create a hinge point.But that's just me!