Sheet thickness for cart shelf?

admin

I just made myself a new bandsaw stand but I still need to add a sheet (or possibly expanded metal) to the bottom for the shelf. It will likely end up holding a bucket for scrap, and probably a handful of short pieces of stock. Let's say up to 100lbs.My question is, what gauge sheet (or expanded metal, to let the dust fall) would be recommended, and would additional supports be needed or would a few tacks along the edges be fine to keep it mostly flat with tension? The size of the shelf is 18" x 34".Thanks!
Reply:I would use 14gauge sheet metal. Drill a few holes in it and spot weld it down.  Just my opinion.
Reply:I used expanded metal on mine. All the dust falls through.Look around and you will see some other ideas to make your saw even better. The stand is the first and main improvement!! You will enjoy using it a lot more now.I added some nested square tube underneath the saw on mine, so I can pull out a support. It's not perfect but functions well enough for me.Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:I use either 1/8" or 10 gauge sheet.  I gave up using expanded metal...as I usually end up with something heavier I need to slide on and off like a metal chop saw.  I have found that a convenient place to keep scape metal handy is on the base of my drill press (cabinet) and shelves like the one you are thinking about.
Reply:I made this cart to use at work, while not the same thing you are looking for I used 1/8" for the entire thing.The handle and square tube holding the handle on are probably 3/16" leftover from something else.While overall I have had a lot of weight on it, quite a bit on the bottom shelf in piled up rotors/hubs/etc...  it is still spread out some.  But better still I am able to stand on the top shelf just fine.It does not need to be real thick, I think mine is overkill.  You just need to make sure you have support for the shelf.  It will make it overall lighter, and cheaper.If you look at mine closely I think you can see the angle I used to support the selves on the bottom.  Like the comment above if you are thinking easy clean up and want to slide stuff on the shelf etc...  don't weld the top down.  Lift it out stand it up, it's clean.Eastwood 135 mig welderHobart Stickmate LX 235 AC / 160 DCHobart EX Tig 165