Jack Stand Storage Cart

[soj]

I have accumulated 10 jack stands over the years. They take up a lot of space and (to me at least) are hard to store. I don't have any shelves that the bigger ones will fit on.

Then I bought a 4 post lift, and the casters to go with it. They really take up a lot of floor space, and the obvious solution is to hang them up someway. And my first plan was to go vertical with a rack for the jack stands, and hang the casters on the side.

But I decided to not go so tall, so the rack would be closer to counter/work bench height.

They all fit in a 30" X 36" space, with room left over.

The lift casters mount on the side, resting on hooks at the bottom. I didn't hang them from the top because they won't hang straight. The weight of the wheels causes the bottom of the castor frame to swing out away from the cart frame, creating a shin buster. Or, if turned around, the wheels stick out in the way.

The caster wheels fit in between the jack stands.

Same on the other side. The weight of the wheels tips the castor frame against the cart frame. They are just sitting on the hooks on the bottom, leaning against the cart frame.

To keep them from getting knocked off (like when moving the cart), I made a big wing nut to hold them in place.

It is spring loaded, just pull and turn left or right to release.

I have two old Craftsman boxes that I keep seldom used tools in. They fit in 1" angle frames on the top.

And some plywood for a shelf.

When the cart is mounted on 4" casters (leaning against the floor jack wheel), these two floor jacks will fit under it.

Next will be paint and mount it on the casters. I have 1/2" nuts welded in the bottom end of the legs. Gotta paint those pitiful looking tool boxes too.
jp

 

[Capt Chrysler]

Kool build!

Except, you mixed wood and steel! My anti wood brain locked up on the wingnuts!

Still nice work!

Capt.Chrysler

 

[soj]

Kool build!

Except, you mixed wood and steel! My anti wood brain locked up on the wingnuts!

Still nice work!

Capt.Chrysler

Sorry Capt. I tried to use steel, but any ideas I had required a lot of bending, (I tend to overthink things), and I needed to make two. I even considered aluminium, but I didn't have any suitable scrap. I make a lot of stuff with wood, so it was an easy choice, with plenty of scrap available.

Thanks for the kind words, I take it that after the initial shock, you forgave my choice of materials.

 

[Abeo]

I think I just found my new bench grinder and chop saw location! Thanks!

 

[bullnerd]

Nice!

 

[GettinJunkDone]

Very cool, I've been thinking about building some sort of shelf system myself. I'm limited on space so I was considering building it only deep enough for one, then just place them side by side so I can keep it as close to the wall as possible. Nice idea!

 

[drivesitfar]

Soj: when you put the casters on can you take a few close up picks and post them.

Always like a multy purpose bench. Good thinking.

I also was also thrown off a bit with the wood but since you made a nice fix maybe painting it red or black might help us (you).

 

[hotdogstand]

That's a very cool idea. I've been wrestling with what to do with mine for a while, I may have to borrow some of your genius

 

[soj]

Soj: when you put the casters on can you take a few close up picks and post them.

Always like a multy purpose bench. Good thinking.

I also was also thrown off a bit with the wood but since you made a nice fix maybe painting it red or black might help us (you).

Will take pics after painting and caster install.

The cart will be blue (to match the BendPak lift. I am thinking the wooden T nuts will be red.
jp

 

[soj]

I finished painting the cart. A couple of views with it unloaded:

drivesitfar asked for pics of the casters installed:

9" clearance for the floor jacks:

Fully loaded, except for the tool boxes. The tool box clean-up and paint will have to wait, other fish to fry/two many irons in the fire right now. I did take time to paint those ratty looking home-made stands.

Close-up of the 4 post lift caster frame retainer:

One add-on before painting. The smaller stands on the middle rack were a bit crowded and I was afraid they could fall off when moving the rack, so I added some retainers:

Now they are secure:

One other thing to point out that may help someone building something like this. The smaller stands (on the middle rack) are two different brands / sizes. When oriented in the same direction, the base size doesn't match up:

But by rotating the smaller one on the right, they are close enough in width to fit on the same runners. I used 1" X 1/8" angle, larger angle could accommodate an even greater difference in width, possibly with them oriented as in the previous pic. Of course, with a solid shelf, you can turn them any way you want, or use the shelf for something else. I just wanted this to be ONLY for the stands, so they wouldn't get crowded out and end up back on the floor. Now they have a home of their own.

jp

 

[Brians VWss]

Good solution. Bonus with the rollling table

 

[JamesW]

Built something similar a couple of years back to hold to jackstands, creeper and floor jack in a small space.

 

[malibu101]

Why didn't I think of that. Consider your idea stolen as a winter project.
My jacks and stands also take up too much floor space in the corner where I put them.

THANKS for giving me an awesome idea how to start to free up a few square feet of valuable floor space AND allow easy movement AND a flat "table" on top to set things AND giving me a reason to cut and weld!

 

[soj]

Why didn't I think of that. Consider your idea stolen as a winter project.
My jacks and stands also take up too much floor space in the corner where I put them.

THANKS for giving me an awesome idea how to start to free up a few square feet of valuable floor space AND allow easy movement AND a flat "table" on top to set things AND giving me a reason to cut and weld!

malibu, glad you were inspired. This is why I post on GJ, hoping someone will get an idea of something that will help them.

Only thing is, you didn't steal my idea, it was freely given (but I get your point).

Post pics of what you build. If you start your own build thread, post it here for cross reference.

Thanks, jp.

 

[InTheMitten]

Built something similar a couple of years back to hold to jackstands, creeper and floor jack in a small space.

Any other shots of that setup you built?

 

[soj]

Built something similar a couple of years back to hold to jackstands, creeper and floor jack in a small space.

James, that is more like what I had in mind when I first started thinking about this. The first "design" in my head (I have a copy of Sketch-Up up there, but only I can see the screen, and there is no print function) was more of a tower shape, narrow and tall, just for jack stands. But since I didn't build it right away, it morphed into more of a cube shape, with multi functions.

More pics would be nice.
jp

 

[TauntDevil]

Looks really good. I was planning on making something similar once we get the new house since I have 5 sets of jack stands and 3 jacks, thought about making a nice setup out of wood to store it all but this is also a good idea. I like it. I like the creeper holder as well. Might merge it all into one to save space. Thanks for the idea and nice job on it!

 

[bullnerd]

Do you mind sharing brand and color of paint you used?

Looks great, like the color.

 

[soj]

Do you mind sharing brand and color of paint you used?

Looks great, like the color.

Rustoleum:

In case you can't see the color names, they are Apple Red and Deep Blue. The claim that it covers better is valid. Two light coats, or one heavy one is plenty.
jp

 

[MarkG]

Nice job! If the wood T-nuts bothered you enough, it would be easy enough to weld up a 'T' from small square tubing and cap the ends with a plate that overlapped as needed to catch the black things. Doesn't bother me though-----nothing wrong with wood and metal together if it does the job. The wood is probably better. Less likely to scratch!

 

[taumac]

Dude, that came out awesome. Well done sir!!!

 

[soj]

Nice job! If the wood T-nuts bothered you enough, it would be easy enough to weld up a 'T' from small square tubing and cap the ends with a plate that overlapped as needed to catch the black things. Doesn't bother me though-----nothing wrong with wood and metal together if it does the job. The wood is probably better. Less likely to scratch!

The wood, or the mixing of wood and metal are not a problem to me. I use whatever works best at the time.

I like your idea for a metal substitute though. If I had thought of that I might have built it that way. All I could think of, using metal, was a flat strap (1" X 1/8") bent in a U shape, then the ends bent to form a flange or hook to hold the caster frames. I decided that was too many bends, too close together. I realize it could be a straight strap, but then the spring would be sticking out in the way. Your way would work, because the spring could be inside the tubing, just as it is inside the wood.

If there are concerns with metal to metal causing scratches, one surface can be lined with some rubber mat.
I have a roll of that from Amazon, it stinks like a HF store, but is handy to have on hand.

The wood pieces work great, so I am gonna stick with 'em.
jp

 

[JamesW]

Any other shots of that setup you built?

I fount this in another photo and cut it out... not very good. I'll take a good one tomorrow.

 

[JamesW]

Little better photo.

 

[bullnerd]

Rustoleum:

In case you can't see the color names, they are Apple Red and Deep Blue. The claim that it covers better is valid. Two light coats, or one heavy one is plenty.
jp

Thank you sir

 

[bad_idea]

I like-ee. Did you know - you can pull the support bar out of the middle of the stands and stack the empty frames like solo cups? My garage is a minuscule 14x20 and I have to use every square inch.

 

[InTheMitten]

Awesome - thanks!

 

[magrahamkp08]

Well done. I'm going to have to do something similar. All mine get spread out throughout the garage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gahrajmahal]

My stands are getting a reorganization soon. I will need some version of this. I put my jack under a shelf unit right by the door. Previously I had it all over the garage but was always afraid the handle would fall down and dent a car. Now it is out of the way.

 

[Davi]

Nice. I like it a lot.

 

[sberry]

These are gems. Great hobby stuff and some of it could save a lot of labor as well as space.

 

[Bears Fan]

Wow! Looks awesome! Well designed...Two thumbs up

 

[soj]

Dude, that came out awesome. Well done sir!!!

I like-ee. Did you know - you can pull the support bar out of the middle of the stands and stack the empty frames like solo cups? My garage is a minuscule 14x20 and I have to use every square inch.

Awesome - thanks!

Well done. I'm going to have to do something similar. All mine get spread out throughout the garage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nice. I like it a lot.

Wow! Looks awesome! Well designed...Two thumbs up

Thanks to all for the kind words.

Now I need to modify that floor jack on the far side so the handle stores straight up, like the one on the near side. I had to tighten up the spring just to get it as vertical as it is. It still leans out just enough to get in the way.
jp