Key clamp brackets for racking?

[ondablade]

I need to install some racking for timber mounted off a solid 4in block wall, and am thinking of using no.8 (48.3mm OD) Key Clamp malleable cast brackets and galvanised pipe used for industrial handrails: http://www.alvinkeyclamps.co.uk/

The A12 bracket will bolt to the wall with M8 expanding studs/bolts.

Looks like it should be (a) labour saving, (b) very compact (space is tight as i want to put cabinets/shelving immediately below it), and (c) strong. The mounting bracket extends 88mm up the tube, with the result that that section would not be usable - but it's not that big a deal.

It's not too expensive - the brackets are £5.70 ea, and galvanised gun barrel can't be all that expensive.

Has anybody done anything like this?
What's a decent spacing for the tubes to avoid stored timber sagging? Other feedback?

Thanks

 

[OLD]

Have a look at 'white twinslot shelving ' in toolstation 220lbs load max per shelf easy to fix they work for me and others.

 

[moz]

I have been thinking exactly the same thing for a while, scaffolding tube and brackets to create cantilevered shelves for timber.

I spoke to these people the other day

http://www.suitetrolley.com/ (Steeley Products, Little Hulton)

No website to speak of but they make customised steel benches, shelving, carriages, etc. They quoted me for the sort of arrangement you are describing. For an upright with a lower leg and five cantilevered struts, in 40mm steel all welded and powder coated, the cost is around £70.00. Braces to bolt the uprights together are £10.00 each. I thought it pretty good value. I'm looking for 4 off making an 8' x 8' rack, about £340.00. They sell direct and do all their own coating. I'm thinking of getting them to do a mobile bench for me as well.

For smaller loads you could use 30mm, and with less 'shelves' the cost would be a lot cheaper. It depends on how much timber and space you have.

John

 

[ondablade]

Thanks guys, helpful.

The plan is to bracket a single line of cantilevered tubes for the full 8m length of the shop about 300mm under the roof. For use for longish term storage to condition timber - but a bit unpredictable really over time.

This maybe makes using Twinslot (which look really cost effective) a bit more difficult Old, as it's built around a long vertical screwed to the wall which normally permits multiple rows. I need to keep the wall space below clear - but i could i guess cut the verticals short and screw them down just below the shelf bracket.

Bracket spacing is a big factor on cost as you say Moz using something more expensive like Alvin Key Clamps. Taking a dig since last night it looks like (while lots of commercial racks go up to 1200mm) that a pitch/spacing of 450mm may be more advisable to prevent warping.

Presuming hardwood of up to 150mm deep stacked on top, this would mean that each bracket could have to support up to 45kg or 100lbs (?). Which actually isn't that high - maybe the lighter size would be OK as you say - but that's within the Twinslot's range too - albeit the brackets seem a little shorter than i had in mind.

More digging required, thanks for the thoughts....

 

[Carlow52]

I would be a bit nervous of such a cantilever system on such a small bracket: 4" between centres is not much.

If at all possible some support underneath would be better.

I used (50 by 50 by 6)mm steel T section and make an inverted L bracket ( the normal L position will work either except the 50mm web reduces the usable width)
With a mitered weld and a longish leg they are very strong.
The fixings can be done by drilling the flanges each side of the web

If you need a stronger bracket then a bit of triangular plate welded in the corner will do the job.
On the fixing of such brackets to the wall it is all very fine to say you will drill all the holes exactly at the right height so as the run is level, but much harder to do in practice.

What I did put a horizontal chalk line along the wall at the right height: say 2.4m off the floor.
I then bolted the brackets to lengths of 4 by 2 timber that were marked off against the chalk line at each position as the floor was a little uneven
then fixed the 4 by 2 to the wall and ran 2 rag bolts into the wall through the bracket.
The real advantage of this set up is the the vertical load is mostly carried by the 4 by 2 and the only load on the rag bolts is a pull out due to the cantilever. The line is perfectly level and no sags or humps.

I used chemical fixings from www [dot] .fischer [dot] ie/ on the ragbolts.

While the 4 by 2's may take up a bit of room, they can be used for additional shelving etc
HTH

 

[chippy1970]

Thats funny we had to remove some of that at a school Im working on at the moment its very heavy duty.

 

[matthewwh]

Sounds reasonably sturdy, although I reckon it would be better if you could run the full width of the room and load it from one end or support the fresh air end with chains.

For levelling the fixings a length of clear tube with a chopped off bottle on one end to act as a reservoir makes an easy way of levelling points over a distance.

 

[ondablade]

My personal sense Carlow is that the no. 8 /48.3mm dia Kee Clamp brackets should be plenty strong - but i will dig up number before buying. Each would be secured by 2no. 4in x 1/2in dia expanding studs spaced 113 crs vertically, and running right through the thickness of the concrete block - they have to stay put in any foreseeable situation where a person is projected against a handrail/1100mm high post.

Maybe even overkill, as OLD's brackets work well too. But that'd be part of the attraction - along with the fact that they would probably permit cantilevering out quite a long way - maybe 600mm? (as long as it wouldn't pull the wall over!)

I don't think i can afford to cross the shop as it'd eat up a lot of the already lowish 2500 ceiling height. I'm putting in dust ducts, but have been able to route them between the ceiling joists for this reason.

Getting the brackets accurately leveled to avoid warping wood will indeed take some care - quite apart from finding the level it's quite tough to get a masonry bit started in exactly the right place. (small pilot hole first?) The 'U' tube is lateral thinking!

Seems i can buy the brackets at just under €6 each locally, which is pretty good, will price galvanised 1 1/2in GB next....