There is an entire wall (plus another corner) of my shop that is just covered up with piles of lumber. I moved into this woodshop a year and a half ago, and one of my first thoughts was “I need to build a lumber rack right away ...”. Did I mention that lumber is still lying all over in my shop?
For that reason, my number one shop priority this summer is to build a lumber storage rack. But those of you who have been readers for some time will know that I believe in the concept that any job worth doing is worth doing in a really complicated and over-the-top fashion. How am I going to stretch a couple of shelves and a place to store sheetstock into an all-summer event? That is where you come in ...
To start with, I want the rack to roll around on casters (really cool casters!). Secondly, I have a shop-made panel saw that I use to break down plywood and the like. To make that task easier, I am going to mount the panel saw to the cart (didn’t see that one coming ... or did you?). Sadly, at this point I have run out of ideas for embellishment. So I am asking you, the eZine faithful, if you were making an over-the-top lumber storage cart, what would you build into it?
Now don’t go completely silly here (although if you can find a practical reason to include a laser, I will forever be in your debt): your advice must have some practical basis. But don’t hold back either - I am ready to build the Xanadu-dome of lumber racks. Perhaps the seventh wonder of the woodworking world.
I will, of course, share your suggestions in our feedback department of the next eZine - even if I don’t include every one on my project. So put your thinking caps on!
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker's Journal