Pallet rack into a workbench....how to modify

[tinysparky]

Hello everyone,

So I got 140' or pallet racking at auction and though I am grateful most is 44" deep, I would like to have 16' or so of work bench that is 24".

Question. How would you reduce the lower depth to be 24". I possible could cut the tabs off the rails and weld them into place after I welded on a bracket on the uprights...


Other thoughts?


I don't mind the top overhanging the work surface.

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[RWorth]

Are you against having one set of 24" deep shelving? You could cut the cross bracing and pull the legs in to the 24" mark. Or if you just want the bench top 24" you could add a cross between the legs and weld it all together. Or you could just add two short legs between the existing legs and clip the front shelf bracket to those..

 

[NFT5]

Basically as above, but the pictures might help.

Yeah, I know it's a mess.

 

[bad_idea]

I would modify two cross bars to meet your goal. Hang two cross bars at desired height, cut the center of the front bar off 4" or so from the ends, weld square tube from the cut ends hanging on the rack to the inside face of the rear cross bar, weld in cutout center section at desired depth between square tube.

I assume you built the ramps for working under a car? I have never liked the ramps for pulling a car onto as they slide and I almost went over the back of one trying to get the car up it. It looks like those would make easy work of driving the car up them with the cross bars acting as steps to walk the tires up. Am I right or way off? How do you like them? I have some angle laying around I could bang those together on a Saturday. I like the convenience of getting under a car quick with ramps. Could you post up some dimensions? Thanks. Sorry for the tangent.

 

[tinysparky]

Basically as above, but the pictures might help.

Yeah, I know it's a mess.

The problem with this one is that it is a 24" rack with the top cut out. I am doing almost the reverse except I don't care if the uprights stick out there full 44". I just don't want the table at 44".



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[bullnerd]

Put a 20" cabinet across the back.

 

[rsanter]

You have several options
I put a section of pallet racking in my garage at the first house. I just used the first shelf as a workbench, put the table was under that first shelf and storage above.

I friend that had a small engine shop in LA had pallet racks all over the place, along all the walls. He put the first shelf above head level and each section opening was a place for a machine. Lathe, mill, boring bar, etc.
He was able to store stuff over head including blocks, heads, new parts, etc all on pallets and fork lift them down when needed.
I did something similar in my second house with my mill and lathe under sections of racking

All you have to to is place a bench or cabinet in the opening where you need it

Similar idea is to cut short sections or the Pallet rack for front legs at the depth you want and use the rear cross member in the standard location

 

[Perrorojo]

Put a 20" cabinet across the back.

This^^^ If you use "upper" tool boxes with with drawers you won't loose any square footage.

 

[XJSuperman]

If you insist upon modifying it, then set the back beam at your desired height using the normal pallet-rack method. Then take a second beam and cut it so the ends are clean and weld it to square tube that spans front to back between the upright legs on each side. Or instead of welding, just cut the "teeth" off the beam ends and drill a hole and bolt the beam ends to the aforementioned square tube.

 

[slow]

I solved this issue at work with 2 24" deep work benches (like these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0170FEVNY/?tag=atomicindus08-20 ), just installed under the pallet rack (free standing) with the pallet rack first shelf at 8', (2 horizontal supports are installed on the back behind the work bench at 3 and 6 feet off the floor) No modifications kept the safety person happy. Might not be your ideal solution, but it is easy.

 

[matt_i]

I modified the depth of some, I just cut 6" (as I recall) out of each endframe, welded them back, cut and re-bent the ends of the cross-bars, and cut the grating to fit. The ones I worked on were steel tube and had no diagonals...which would make it a bit more challenging...

 

[lis2323]

Here’s one of my benches using 32” wide end frames which makes for a nice bench. Use whatever length load beams works best for you.

 

[larry_g]

If you have an extra upright cut it so that you have a couple of 36" tall ( or what ever workbench height you want) uprights that will hold a beam across the front of the workbench. Put these inside your tall uprights.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[kbs2244]

"slow" has the fast and easy solution.
Just buy or build a bench that fits.

 

[86turbodsl]

I just installed my first shelf at 7' high and build whatever i need underneath on my pallet racking. You can do it the way you propose, but it's a lot more work cutting and fitting. I use wood benches under it.

 

[csp]

Any way you do it is going to require a little work, but it's not like you're trying to invent a cure for cancer. Get some steel and go after one of the many methods you could take. The best depends on your tool selection and materials on hand.

 

[lis2323]

Any way you do it is going to require a little work, but it's not like you're trying to invent a cure for cancer. Get some steel and go after one of the many methods you could take. The best depends on your tool selection and materials on hand.

^^^ [emoji106]^^^


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