Scrap Metal Bins?

[tom86951]

Anyone here make a scrap metal bin to store old sheet metal and tubes that are too good to throw away? I need one and am looking for design inspiration. Thanks!

 

[clutchee]

I use an old chemical tote, sits outside, back of shop, will throw whatever inside and then when I need something go grab.
I leave the valve open to allow water to drain.

 

[engineer2]

5-gallon bucket. Anything long goes in the rafters.

 

[CoogarXR]

5-gallon bucket. Anything long goes in the rafters.

Yeah, I am a small-time scrapper too. I just have 5-gallon buckets for copper, aluminum, motors and transformers. I typically don't bother with steel unless I have a scrap-trip planned soon. It's just too big, heavy and mostly worthless to keep piled up around here.

 

[engineer2]

I save useable scraps of metal. It's a real lifesaver when you need an odd bracket or home-made tool. Unwanted scrap goes to the curb the night before garbage day and will be gone by morning.

 

[Copymutt]

I’m open to suggestions, better than the 5 gal. buckets currently used. Too difficult to dump out to find whats required.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

55 metal drums are less fail prone, and are easy to trim if too tall.

 

[TurnipTruck]

I once had a pyramid of drums on their sides for different shapes of steel: angle/bar/tube/pipe/plate/channel/stainless/etc. They were slightly sloped downward for drainage.

 

[jimgood]

I've been thinking about doing something as well. I am leaning toward a system of smaller to larger containers that are sized for the approx. length of the scraps. I was going to cut them out of some PVC drainage pipe I have laying around. Cut wood discs to screw in for bottoms. Maybe mount them on a cart of some sort. The question is whether I can be disciplined enough to take the time to put the scraps in the right sized container.
Right now, everything is in a metal garbage can. It's a mess.

 

[jimkinney]

I use cat litter buckets. They're rectangular and stack better than paint buckets.

 

[sanddan]

I made it using scrap I had on hand including the casters. Still haven’t painted it, once I filled it up it was too much work to remove everything for paint. I keep it under the stairs to the loft, easy to move if needed.

 

[cpttuna]

55 gallon barrel for big stuff 5 gallon bucket for little stuff

 

[thr3squared]

I made it using scrap I had on hand including the casters. Still haven’t painted it, once I filled it up it was too much work to remove everything for paint. I keep it under the stairs to the loft, easy to move if needed.

Nicely done!

 

[thr3squared]

Before and after of my material rack, I couldn’t handle the blue paint. Found it cheap at a shop that was closing down.

Pardon the mess in the first picture. I’d just moved into in the garage (fully remodel).

I need to add brackets off the back of mine to hold sheet metal

 

[MadeByMiller]

I realize that this isn't exactly helpful for the OP, but I saw scrap bin and I just had to share this self dumping bin I was hired to design to fit a particular location on the customer's tube laser. They built a couple of them and they work great!







Not the best renderings I've done, but they were done quickly to show the customer some 3D printed badge ideas.

 

[paulsomlo]

I needed a place to store stock for my lathe work. I had a heavy wall cardboard tube that I cut up into various lengths and glued them all together, then glued them down to a piece of plywood with casters on it.

 

[blacksuit99]

I am severely limited on space. So this is what I came up with. Base is a furniture dolly from harbor freight. A wooden board was put into the crate and screwed into the dolly. Used 3 inch pvc zip tied to crate.

 

[GeoBruin]

I used a similar concept - biggest ABS I could find at home depot - to add scrap storage to my little portaband cart made from a Harbor Freight welding cart. Long stuff in the tubes, short scraps in the drawers.

 

[thr3squared]

I used a similar concept - biggest ABS I could find at home depot - to add scrap storage to my little portaband cart made from a Harbor Freight welding cart. Long stuff in the tubes, short scraps in the drawers.

That's awesome, great use of the cart!

 

[stubbsrodandcustom]

4" pvc screwed to the stud. Works great.

I am a 2 car attached and keep things simple and clean here now.

 

[Sumboodie]

I realize that this isn't exactly helpful for the OP, but I saw scrap bin and I just had to share this self dumping bin I was hired to design to fit a particular location on the customer's tube laser. They built a couple of them and they work great!







Not the best renderings I've done, but they were done quickly to show the customer some 3D printed badge ideas.

Rendering? I thought they were pictures. Computers sure have gotten fancy if that's a "quick" one.

 

[tom86951]

Thanks all. Keep them coming! I have some tubes and channels, etc., but my storage issue is more about sheet metal. I like the rack sandman made and am thinking something like that might be best, but with a good portion of mine set up to slide sheet metal into...

 

[Riverrat]

Is there a link that will tell me how to post photos to Garage Journal forums. I would like to share how I store my metal.
Thanks
Tom

 

[WoodsTruck]

This is my screen view. I just click the "Attach files" button and it prompts you to your photos.

 

[Joemctag]

I once had a pyramid of drums on their sides for different shapes of steel: angle/bar/tube/pipe/plate/channel/stainless/etc. They were slightly sloped downward for drainage.

That sounds good because you’re looking at the ends of stuff and can see what you got and pull it out from under other stuff.
In our fab shop, it’s similar, but horizontal racks, 5 of them, about 15’ long and 2’ deep. So pieces up to 4’ long, some a lot shorter. Longer stuff, we stand up leaning against a wall. It’s important to see what you got, readily, and, with how much steel costs, we wouldn’t even throw away a 1’ long piece of anything.

 

[Riverrat]

My solution is similar to Joemctag. I have 20 gallon drums that I cut in half that are stacked on their sides. On the ends, I did the same thing on a smaller scale using cans that at one time had tomatoes in them from a restaurant. I used old bed frame material that I got at the landfill for a lot of the racks. I try to put everything in my shop on casters to move it out of the way when it is not needed. Since floor space is limited, think about going vertical with your material storage.

 

[Joemctag]

My solution is similar to Joemctag. I have 20 gallon drums that I cut in half that are stacked on their sides. On the ends, I did the same thing on a smaller scale using cans that at one time had tomatoes in them from a restaurant. I used old bed frame material that I got at the landfill for a lot of the racks. I try to put everything in my shop on casters to move it out of the way when it is not needed. Since floor space is limited, think about going vertical with your material storage.

You’re giving me some ideas for the next one I build. Keeping the really short pieces separate. Also, using Bed frame angle, which is very strong, but can’t (easily) be drilled, so has limited usefulness.