Looking for creative ideas for pipe storage

[Carny]

I'm a plumber and just bought a house with a 40 x 50 shop
I had racks on the wall at my old place that worked ok but not great. I'm looking for a way to store 20' lengths of mostly pvc from 4" down to 1/2". Anyone have any creative ideas that would keep the pipe accessible and out of the way?

 

[The Boss]

I have a rack in my trailer for trim pieces - you could do the same with your pipe.

 

[dladcock]

Nice size shop. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Here is a link that might give you an idea or two for pipe storage. If you're building your own, you have no limitations.

http://www.gotshelves.com/

dla

 

[d_rock]

hang up some large pvc pipe and slide them in!

 

[Strouty]

How tall is the shop? Could you store it vertically?

 

[Jhoff310]

There was an idea in the family handyman a few years back about using lattice for storing items like pipe and conduit. You could build something similar to lattice and get it up off the floor to save precious floor space.

Jeff

 

[NUTTSGT]

If you have some fab skills, you could make something like this,

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200592589_200592589

 

[kbs2244]

When I worked for an commercial plumbing shop (Big stuff. Hotels, hospitals, etc.) it was always copper.
½ inch to 6 inch.
We just had a 20 foot spot on the wall with 1 inch x 36 inch iron pipe sticking out to stack the inventory on.
Not creative, but it was easy to get to and easy to see how much you had in inventory.

 

[machine_punk]

I think a rolling rack is the way to go, if you are trying to save wall space. Is there any reason that strut or poles or wood planks attached to a wall won't work (near the entryway, for easy loading/unloading)?

How is the weather/security? What about a lean-to shed or cover on one side of your shop? Build a small area with a chain link fence around it and a fiberglass panel roof.

Kev

 

[Carny]

Nice size shop. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

dla

Thanks! I'm super excited! I have a LONG ways to go to get everything organized and usable though.

My old garage had 4 racks on one wall to hold pipe and they were ok but not great. They were probably 18" wide or so. Being that wide and only having four they had a tendency to get full and then it was hard to get the piece you wanted out. I'm thinking a wall mounted version of the northern tool rack will probably work well. If I do that I'll make smaller racks but more of them so I can separate them better.

I haven't measured but going vertical wouldn't work unfortunately.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

I built a little addition to the side of my shop to store my ladders and my extra gutter spouting, aluminium trim, pipe and conduit. The top is for ladders and below is where I store my extra gutter spouting, aluminium trim, pipe and conduit. Right now the pipes and such are just piled in there totally unorganized. In the Spring when I finish the project I'll be adding some horizontal shelves and dividers made out of a combination of galvanized pipe for the bulk items and schedule 20 PVC for the smaller dia. stuff...

 

[bullfrog123]

Racks like my steel racks are pretty simple to build. Some angle iron and flat bar. I would think you could use this way to adapt to storing pipe real easy. Also build some "bins" to hold your 18" and under scraps and odds and ends pcs.

 

[Modifieddriver]

If you have some fab skills, you could make something like this,

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200592589_200592589

$470 for that unit? Ouch!! Concept is great. Looks like an EZ two evening project that could be made from some 1 1/2" square tubing, and be welded better than store bought, possibly made in China junk.

When I taught metal shop we stored metal vertically. We had high ceilings.

 

[bacpacker]

Racks like my steel racks are pretty simple to build. Some angle iron and flat bar. I would think you could use this way to adapt to storing pipe real easy. Also build some "bins" to hold your 18" and under scraps and odds and ends pcs.

I made one very similar to this to store my lumber on. Works very weel and frees up much floor space.