need some help on my shelf layout

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
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Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
A couple of concerns come to mind: 1) How vertical and straight are your walls? I've been in houses where shelf brackets needed shimming to make the shelf level. 2) 1/4" plywood laid flat needs to be supported about every 12" or less to prevent sagging, or bending when leaned on. 1/2" plywood is good for about 16" to 18" between supports, and 3/4" plywood can go 24" or more. The other option with 1/4" plywood is to glue 2" thick foam to it to allow the 18"-24" separation between supports.

Based on the above, I would recommend an L-girder running bridging the tips of the shelf brackets. This will provide mounting and support for the 1/4" plywood. Similarly, run at least a 1x3 vertically along the back edge of the shelf bracket to support the back edge of the plywood.

hope this helps

Hi Fred,

I live in CA so the blue/pink 2" foam is near impossible to find and that white foam we have here just plain sucks lol, however i work at Lowe's and i called Owen's corning (the maker of the blue/pink foam) and they told me to call a local supplyer located in San Diego i believe that sells to Lowe's. Im hopeing if I call the company and ask them if I can buy some they will sell it to me.

The 1x3 L-girder sounds like a good idea and would help even more with the sagging of the 1/4" ply. The layout will be either 15" or 18" wide, i haven't decided yet, either way the 15" heavy duty shelf brackets will work.
 

Russ Bellinis

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Feb 13, 2003
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Josh, I was just at Harbor Freight picking up a few small tools. I saw just the tool you would need to set up your grade for about $10.00. It is about 10 inches long and consists of a 180 degree protractor fastened to the center of a level. It is designed for contractors to figure the angle of stair cases, roof pitch, etc. It has a double scale on the protractor so it reads in both degrees and slope %. What you do is set the protractor to the % grade you want, in this case 3%, and lock it in place on the level with the thumb screw. Then you just put the level on the wall and balance the bubble in the center to get the level straight. Once the level is plumb on the wall, use a pencil to make a mark along the edge of the protractor and you will have a line going down the wall at a 3% grade. Lay a yard stick on the line and you can extend it, and just follow on until you are at your 12" below grade point for the staging yard.
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
4,073
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Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
Josh, I was just at Harbor Freight picking up a few small tools. I saw just the tool you would need to set up your grade for about $10.00. It is about 10 inches long and consists of a 180 degree protractor fastened to the center of a level. It is designed for contractors to figure the angle of stair cases, roof pitch, etc. It has a double scale on the protractor so it reads in both degrees and slope %. What you do is set the protractor to the % grade you want, in this case 3%, and lock it in place on the level with the thumb screw. Then you just put the level on the wall and balance the bubble in the center to get the level straight. Once the level is plumb on the wall, use a pencil to make a mark along the edge of the protractor and you will have a line going down the wall at a 3% grade. Lay a yard stick on the line and you can extend it, and just follow on until you are at your 12" below grade point for the staging yard.

SAWWWWEEETTTT Thanks a million Russ, I have a Harbor Freight not to far from me. :thumb: :mrgreen: That sounds really easy to do :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 

CNWman

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Jan 3, 2007
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The Riverside Railroad
hmmm... for the grade to staging, what about a rear track hidden behind big scenery (Hoffa Cement comes to mind), so the track can have a long run for the grade down. Or maybe hidden elevators?:p
 

Russ Bellinis

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Feb 13, 2003
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hmmm... for the grade to staging, what about a rear track hidden behind big scenery (Hoffa Cement comes to mind), so the track can have a long run for the grade down. Or maybe hidden elevators?:p

He is going to have a long grade down. I think he is looking a 36 feet to drop 12 inches. I think his plan is to have the grade against the wall with the staging yard in front of the tracks leading from the mainline to staging.
 
L

lester perry

I am coming into this kinda late and maybe this has aready been as I didn't read all of the replies. but if you are still useing the hidden yard for staging and noy just storageI would suggest rising each track a litte above the one in front of it. so that you can see the car sides. I only use mine for storage not for staging. and try a hinged bridge instead of a lift out. her is how I did it.
100_0096.jpg

this is it raised now how it works.
100_0095.jpg
these 2 pics show the hinges. notice the pin is set back from the edge of the opening. this is for rail clearance for tight fit.
100_0093.jpg


100_0094.jpg

these are the guides on the other end, the micro switches kill the track approaching the bridge when it is up. the bridge its self is steel it is solid and thrail gap is so close wood and plastic expanded and contracted too much. I have had this in for abot 10 years now and only problem I have had is the screws attatching the hinge to the bridge got loose last week. I used snap track at ends obridge and on approaches because one rail slides with flex track , you can emagine the trouble tha causes
Les
 
L

lester perry

oh yea the screws are hight adjustments one on each cormer
Les
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
4,073
0
36
34
Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
He is going to have a long grade down. I think he is looking a 36 feet to drop 12 inches. I think his plan is to have the grade against the wall with the staging yard in front of the tracks leading from the mainline to staging.

Yupppp but droping the tracks behind an industry wouldnt be a bad idea either, something to consider :mrgreen:
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
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36
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Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
WOW thats so cool Les!!!! Thanks for all the pics. I think im still going to go with the lift-out tho. I want it to be up and out of the way when not in use. I have a feeling that if i did what you did it would get bumper and mess the whole thing up :cry: :cry: since the walkway is pretty narrow and there will be a lot of foot traffic going by it.
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
4,073
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36
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Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
Well i FINALLY got my hands on some PINK foam. Ill finally be able to use the good foam instead of the crummy white foam. I bought 4 sheets of 2" and 4 sheets of 1" in the 4x8' sheets.

For the shelf brackets, this is how i will be securing everything to the walls:

15" shelf brackets will be attached to the wall with 2 1/4"x2 1/2" lag bolts in each brackets going into the studs in the walls. To attach the 1/4" ply to the brackets i will be using 3 carriage bolts for each brackets. The carriage bolts wont sit flush with the plywood but its okay because im going to be glueing the 2" pink foam onto of the plywood. Layout construction will be ontop of the pink foam.