# Using I-beam to store metal stock idea



## ndnchf (Feb 27, 2017)

My home garage shop is really tight (who's isn't - right?).  I don't really have a good place to store metal stock.  So I was looking around for some place I could use.  I have a big I-beam that runs the length of my shop.  So I got thinking about how I could use that, by making suspended brackets.  I grabbed a yellow sticky and scribbled this idea out.  It would be two pieces of 1/4" x 1" or 1.5" flat stock, bent and bolted together to suspend from the I-beam.  I'm not talking about storing a LOT of stock, just maybe 50 lbs worth. I'd use a piece of all-thread just below the beam with nuts on each side of the flat bar to lock it in place.  Then use a bolt vertically through the two pieces at the bottom to hold it together.  I could weld maybe 4 tabs along the bottom to use as dividers to keep things organized a little.  I'd probably make 3 or 4 of them.

Here's my yellow sticky drawing.  What do you think?  Trying to keep it as simple as possible. Thanks, appreciate your thoughts.


----------



## rgray (Feb 27, 2017)

My vote would be too skip the bolt in the bottom and make it all one piece. Flex it to get it over the I beam and the cross bolt would hold it in pace.

I'd probably use 1/4 round stock and weld washers for the cross bolt or make a clip that holds the top hooks in.


----------



## rock_breaker (Feb 27, 2017)

IMHO the bolt in the bottom  could create material movement problems. As rgray says place the fastener under the horizontal pieces at the bottom. If possible some reinforcement around the top bend may be a good thing.
Have a good day
Ray


----------



## Dave Smith (Feb 27, 2017)

they make beam clamps that threaded rod screws in bottom---you need 4 beam clamps---4 straight threaded 1/4" rods the hanging length you want---and about 6 or eight flat bars with two holes for the threaded rods to slip through----one for just under the clamps ---one for the bottom, and the others to space between for levels-----and enough nuts for one above and one below each bar---plenty of flat bars keeps from having stock being piled on top of others and hard to remove pieces easily---once made--- levels can be adjusted by moving the nuts up or down-----the beam clamps aren't expensive but really useful-----Dave


----------



## ndnchf (Feb 27, 2017)

Thanks for the ideas and feedback. Here is the I-beam I'm referring to. As you can see I don't have a lot of room. So I only want it to hang down about 6".


----------



## StonewellMark (Feb 27, 2017)

You could even c-clamp angle perpendicular to that beam and set your inventory stock on that angle...weld it if its gonna get heavy instead of clamping.


----------



## Cheeseking (Feb 27, 2017)

A 6" vise is overkill for a RF45 style mill. A 4" is more appropiate for that size mill & IMO 5" max. I have a 5" GMT vise on my PM45 & it's slightly too big. Not enough Y axis travel to make use of the 5" full capacity. Better to save your money rather than getting something too big & most importantly the weight. I take my vise of the table quite often, a 6" is still light enough for me to be carried by hand but I'm glad I have a 5". I also have a 4" vise as well. I prefer the 5" though.

But those GMT 6" Premium vises are pretty nice. I'd love to have one but don't need one on my current mill. But if you plan on upgrading to a full size knee mill in the future than the 6" will be perfect.


Here's what the 5" looks like on my mill.




I couldn't even complete this cut without my bellows & DRO scale getting in the way. Not enough Y travel & the 5" vise is not even maxed out.




Here's what a 6" vise looks like on another PM45 (gt40's)
View attachment 253544


----------



## ndnchf (Feb 27, 2017)

StonewellMark said:


> You could even c-clamp angle perpendicular to that beam and set your inventory stock on that angle...weld it if its gonna get heavy instead of clamping.



Now that's a good idea too! Hmmm gotta think on that.


----------



## ndnchf (Feb 27, 2017)

I didn't know home depot carried Unistruts. I'll have to check them out - thanks.


----------



## strantor (Feb 27, 2017)

I'm pretty sure home depot sends a guy down the street to the electrical supply house to buy unistrut at retail price with no loyalty discount, and then marks it up 50% from there and tacks the price of gas on top of that.


----------



## Cheeseking (Feb 28, 2017)

I think a 10' stick is roughly $18 certainly not inexpensive but very handy to have around.   I use it for all sorts of things.


----------



## ndnchf (Feb 28, 2017)

I think I'll got to Lowes and get the unistrut parts.  I check online and they have what I want in stock.


----------



## ndnchf (Feb 28, 2017)

I picked up the struts and stuff tonight and got one bracket made. I think this will work very well for my purpose. Now I need to make 4 more.


----------



## Fitter Bill (Mar 1, 2017)

Looks good. You should turn the plates on the top of the U-bolts 180 degrees.


----------



## ndnchf (Mar 1, 2017)

Yeah, I was looking at it today and thought the same thing! Thanks.


----------



## ndnchf (Mar 1, 2017)

I made 3 more brackets tonight and corected the first one. This turned out great, much better than my original idea. I now have plenty of storage for metal stock and welding rods. It's up well clear of my head and is easily adjustable. So glad I asked for advice! Thanks guys.


----------



## Cheeseking (Mar 1, 2017)

Nice.


----------



## Cheeseking (Mar 5, 2017)

A 6" vise is overkill for a RF45 style mill. A 4" is more appropiate for that size mill & IMO 5" max. I have a 5" GMT vise on my PM45 & it's slightly too big. Not enough Y axis travel to make use of the 5" full capacity. Better to save your money rather than getting something too big & most importantly the weight. I take my vise of the table quite often, a 6" is still light enough for me to be carried by hand but I'm glad I have a 5". I also have a 4" vise as well. I prefer the 5" though.

But those GMT 6" Premium vises are pretty nice. I'd love to have one but don't need one on my current mill. But if you plan on upgrading to a full size knee mill in the future than the 6" will be perfect.


Here's what the 5" looks like on my mill.




I couldn't even complete this cut without my bellows & DRO scale getting in the way. Not enough Y travel & the 5" vise is not even maxed out.




Here's what a 6" vise looks like on another PM45 (gt40's)
View attachment 253544


----------



## JR49 (Mar 5, 2017)

A 6" vise is overkill for a RF45 style mill. A 4" is more appropiate for that size mill & IMO 5" max. I have a 5" GMT vise on my PM45 & it's slightly too big. Not enough Y axis travel to make use of the 5" full capacity. Better to save your money rather than getting something too big & most importantly the weight. I take my vise of the table quite often, a 6" is still light enough for me to be carried by hand but I'm glad I have a 5". I also have a 4" vise as well. I prefer the 5" though.

But those GMT 6" Premium vises are pretty nice. I'd love to have one but don't need one on my current mill. But if you plan on upgrading to a full size knee mill in the future than the 6" will be perfect.


Here's what the 5" looks like on my mill.




I couldn't even complete this cut without my bellows & DRO scale getting in the way. Not enough Y travel & the 5" vise is not even maxed out.




Here's what a 6" vise looks like on another PM45 (gt40's)
View attachment 253544


----------



## Cheeseking (Mar 5, 2017)

This work?


----------



## ndnchf (Mar 5, 2017)

Thanks. I'm very pleased with how it came out, I've never worked with Superstrut before, but i'm a believer now. I could even add a lower level to it if I need more storage.

Your last photo showed up fine.


----------



## dlane (Mar 5, 2017)

Got a trolley for that I beam, ied love to have a I beam like that in my shop.


----------



## Cheeseking (Mar 5, 2017)

Yeah sorry.  Occasionally Tapatalk logs me out and I have to resign in.  When  I do, apparently the default photo options switches back to "Tapatalk hosted" and I forget to switch it back thus the annoying red X's displayed to folks on PC's   I switched back to "Attachment" seems to work now I'm looking at it on my PC


----------



## Glenn Brooks (Mar 5, 2017)

Way cool idea!


----------



## Catcam (Mar 5, 2017)

Fitter Bill said:


> Looks good. You should turn the plates on the top of the U-bolts 180 degrees.
> View attachment 227674


correct. the plates should be rotated 180 degrees.
also in weight carrying capacity dont go too wide with the uni strut.
it can carry more weight closer to the beam.


----------

