Garage organization

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I am slowly getting into this into this very expensive hobby of welding and metal working. I have started to do light fabrication and have amassed a large collection of tools, benders, and welding supplies. My garage is already jam packed with automotive parts/tools and I am looking for a way to get things up off the ground and more onto shelves and cabinets. I am looking for pretty light duty rivet shelving, the industrial type, not the fancy chrome plated high dollar shelving. Cost is a big issue. I can’t find myself justifying spending $200+ on a simple 48”x18”x84” shelving. I need a couple of these units and was wondering where you guys got your shelving from. Does anyone have a good source for rivet shelving and parts?I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the wealth of information presented here. I enjoy frequenting this board daily and picking up all the little tips to making my personal welding journey an enjoyable one. My MM 210 should be arriving any day now from B&R welding.
Reply:I've used a combination of everything and my garage is still fairly neat and organized. Some shelves are 2x4's with 2x6's. Other are used wire rack shelving. While others are those 90 angle metal braces you can buy in the hardware stores cheap then lay a nice piece of plywood or fiber board over them, then screw them down with wood screws - very sturdy! Let me know if you need pics. John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Go to auctions for shops that are going out of business, people are there to buy the machinery and a lot of what you are looking for gets scrapped or sold as a lot for next to nothing when the auction is over. A little clean up and paint and you turn it into garage chic.JimCut an MGB and widened 11" C4 Corvette suspension and LT1 Chevrolet power & 6 spd. Pictures here:Part 1http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,7581Part 2http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,22422
Reply:Great idea but I wouldn't have the slightest idea on how to find out where those things take place in the DC/VA area. I used to have a used car lot so I know all about the auction deals. Great buys can be found. I may have found a good source online but shipping is a killer. Just as much to ship as to buy.
Reply:news papers, phone book(auction houses/auctioneers) penny saver/thrifty nickel( free sale papers)  may ask a printing place in your area if they know of any places , they would be  a good sorce
Reply:My 2 car garage is the proverbial 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag. I finally latched on to some of the commercial shelving that you see holding all the stuff in HD or Lowes. Best investment I ever made. Got it from a sporting goods place that was going out of business.Everything was about 10$ a piece. 8' uprights, 8' horizontal bars and the heavy duty grids. Its about 36" deep. Bought about $300 worth. O have an extra upright and about 10 extra horizontal pieces.  You can store the extra horizontal pieces right on the back plane of the rack. Its sturdy and infinately adjustable. I have mine set up with a 'big hole' at the bottom where I have a big bench, on casters, that slides in out of the way when not in use.Hobbiest hack
Reply:My local metal supplier/scrap metal yard usually has all sorts of used industrial shelving and pallet racking.   Might want to try that route for a good deal.  Just check out the pieces carefully before you buy to see that they aren't damaged beyond usefulness.
Reply:I'm going to buy a second hand compactus one day. They're pretty cheap from second hand office furniture companies. You can fit alot of stuff in one of them.
Reply:What is a 'compactus'?   Sounds like a small cactus...
Reply:Now I know things are different down under .... What with you guys being upside down all the time... I can see how the blood would run to your head and all.   grin ...But what the heck is a "compactus", in 54 years I have never heard that one?Washman
Reply:Hard to describe.They're basically a set of shelves. Usually each about 2 metres high. They sit on rails and each unit slides along........ That's not making any sense at all. You guys would have a different name for them.I'll see if I can find a link to a site that sells second hand ones.http://www.tradingpost.com.au/itemin...1_subs_Office_See if that works. Think of book shelves that face eachother instead of facing outwards. They can be slid back and forth.
Reply:I've seen those before, usually used for compacting filing space. The shelves all are lined up on the same track and can be rolled against one another untill you get to the shelf you need. Do you have to modify them to hold garage-industrial duty stuff?If you don't have the time to do it right, then you definitely don't have the time to do it over.
Reply:Ya, those are pretty cool. I see them all the time when in Doctor offices working on their damn old *** networks because their too cheap to buy new stuff. :lol:John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:This was cheap and really effective.  Some 3/4" angle, 3/4" plywood and some flat stock.  I already had the plywood and lights, so it was done for only the cost of the steel.Overhead Tool Storage:Sort of a closer up:The totes on the shelves are great for odd shaped things.These "check" cabinets can be found at office liquidation joints.  10 - 6" drawers each.  Mine were free, but I've seen them for $100 and under.  Rubbermaid loves me.TOOLandFAB.com See our Articles and Member Writeups and Tool Review Sections
Reply:Looks good, very organized. I must organize more after I get my other building built!John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Cebby,All I gots to say is....DAMN!Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:After seeing that I won't be able to face my messy shed for a while.I've seen those before, usually used for compacting filing space. The shelves all are lined up on the same track and can be rolled against one another untill you get to the shelf you need. Do you have to modify them to hold garage-industrial duty stuff?