Show your Unistrut / Superstrut designs

[dirttracker18]

So are trusses as good for holding up as much weight(hanging) as they are for snow loading from above??

No

However I will hang the unistrut in the strongest location to maximize load carrying capacity as well as span a number of trusses to spread the load out over a number of them.

The plan is to span the peak ( my ceiling is cathedralled ) and hang the unistrut from that span, thus spreading the load over a larger area of each truss. Then of course the unistrut will span over numerous trusses again spreading the load further.

I am no engineer but have seen and done this myself with no issues. I beleive I am well within spec here.

 

[Theycallmejohn]

Akdiesel,
Where did you find those black back panels for your workbench?

I am interested in building A similar strut workbench out of PHD strut. Maybe I will start a thread and post the current design. I could really use some insight and feedback from those more experienced.

 

[akdiesel]

Akdiesel,
Where did you find those black back panels for your workbench?

I am interested in building A similar strut workbench out of PHD strut. Maybe I will start a thread and post the current design. I could really use some insight and feedback from those more experienced.

Theycallmejohn

I believe you are talking about the Wallcontrol panels. I called Wall control directly and they were very helpfull. There are also some distributors on this sight that can help you.
If that was not it then the other black parts are a rubber strut insert from G-P LLC http://www.strutchannelfittings.com. They sell all sorts of strut parts. The gray plastic strut cover is from Unistrut www.unistrut.com. It is suitable for electrical concealing.

 

[firworks]

Bumping this thread. It's really cool and deserves a second life. Anyone have any more recent Unistrut concoctions?

I've been toying around with the idea of a Unistrut workbench design. Need to get in to Menards and poke around to see what they've got available.

 

[bedn0009]

Firworks. I'm in the process of building some very long cantilevered shelves . Will post this week. I bought everything at Menards/HD/Fleet Farm

 

[bedn0009]

This is a strut channel shelving project that I just finished - and it was my first strut project of any type (and I have zero metal workign experience (or tools)).

The system is rock solid, and lagged into about every possible solid wood surface in the garage. I'm pleased with how it turned out. My initial impression of the strut projects is that the only limitation you've got, besides budget, is an awareness of the available hardware that is offered and how each piece would fit into/bring value to your design.

Planning:

All the hardware I bought... I ended up running out of some of the brackets, and returning some of the hardware.

Everything laid out in tape, used to mark studs and joists:

Lagged every 16" with 3/8" x 4" lag screws:

 

[firworks]

Looks pretty cool bedn0009! Are you planning to paint the strut or leave it golden? Also I'm amazed you bought all that hardware from the big box stores. The local places here are absolutely pitiful. Menards has the best selection and I think they have like 4 types of brackets, and 3 types of strut. HD and Lowe's each only have one type of strut and like 90 degree corner brackets and that's it.

Oh also, how did you cut it?

 

[bedn0009]

I'm planning to leave it unfinished.

The only brackets I used were flat 90 degree brackets and 4 hole splice straps. The grade 8 nuts, bolts and washers are from fleet farm

Cutting it was very time consuming, especially the 15 cross members. I rented a chop saw with a carbide blade, but even with that each cut took 3-4 mins

 

[Ainsley]

I didn't use the premade joints like Bedn, instead I welded it all up. Went with strut in this case for future ease of hanging accessories and different sized shelving from spring nuts.

 

[bedn0009]

Welding would have been significantly faster and cheaper, but I've never welded. The wire decking was $4 for a 24x45 inch piece at a pallet rack supply place. .

 

[firworks]

I'm planning to leave it unfinished.

The only brackets I used were flat 90 degree brackets and 4 hole splice straps. The grade 8 nuts, bolts and washers are from fleet farm

Cutting it was very time consuming, especially the 15 cross members. I rented a chop saw with a carbide blade, but even with that each cut took 3-4 mins

Well, that pretty much sells me on the M12 bandsaw.

I didn't use the premade joints like Bedn, instead I welded it all up. Went with strut in this case for future ease of hanging accessories and different sized shelving from spring nuts.

What type of strut did you use? A lot of it is galvanized and I thought you weren't supposed to weld galvanized steel due to poison gas or something?

 

[Dragfluid]

Well, that pretty much sells me on the M12 bandsaw.



What type of strut did you use? A lot of it is galvanized and I thought you weren't supposed to weld galvanized steel due to poison gas or something?

You can weld it. Just be sure not to breath while your doing it!

And why it the world would it take several minutes to make a cut on this stuff with a carbide chop saw?

 

[Ainsley]

I cut mine with a horizontal bandsaw, kept the down feed pretty slow and it still only took 20 seconds or less per cut.

I ground off the galv coating at the weld points and wore my half mask with organic vapor cartridges... Also had two smoke eaters rockin.

 

[Muggzy]

Cut mine with a really cheap 8" miter saw with grinder like cut-off "blade" in it. Used up 1 1/2 of those blades to make 30 - 40 cuts. They came out straight and Cut quick too.

Sent from my KFOT using Tapatalk

 

[firworks]

I think I saw on one of these Unistrut threads someone had found level feet that screw into caps on the bottoms of the strut. Does anyone know where I could get those?

 

[mdbeck1]

I think I saw on one of these Unistrut threads someone had found level feet that screw into caps on the bottoms of the strut. Does anyone know where I could get those?

I didn't get to look too much but try the catalogs at this site: http://www.unistrut.us/

I saw a LOT of different hardware in the back of one of the catalogs.

 

[firworks]

I didn't get to look too much but try the catalogs at this site: http://www.unistrut.us/

I saw a LOT of different hardware in the back of one of the catalogs.

There's a ton of different hardware but no way to get it. You can't just buy direct from Unistrut.

I got my M12 Band Saw and I'm all ready to start on building a bench, but I am having a heck of a time finding any of the connectors for a reasonable price. I was hoping to use a gusseted 90 degree connector with 3 holes in each for the connection of the sides to the stringers. I can't find them in any of the big box stores and online they're like 30$ a piece plus shipping. I put a post on the Peoria reddit to see if any contractors or anybody knew of a better place to buy the stuff in this area.

Trying to figure out Unistrut is almost like working a puzzle since it only goes together in certain ways without drilling into the strut.

That design might be really dumb but it's so far what I've come up with for making a steel bench. Depending on the thickness of the top I might shorten the legs a bit to get the right standing height.

For the stringer connections my current plan is to use a 4 hole 90 degree bracket and put one bolt into the stile, one bolt into the stringer, and two into the rail.

I'm open to any suggestions on how to do this better / cooler / less dumb.

 

[cat06]

firworks, electrical and plumbing wholesale houses, both sell a lot of unistrut

 

[bedn0009]

I think if you're willing to alter the orientation of the strut 90 or 180 degrees and drill a few holes you can do a lot with what's at menards/home Depot. If you look closely at mine you'll notice that I've done that a few times in my shelving project

 

[bedn0009]

Take a look at these pics. In the second picture, you'll actually see 3 different orientations of the strut:

Channel facing OUT(so I could lag through the back of it into the studs), channel facing DOWN (so I could use the spring nuts to tie into the flat 90 degree brace), and lastly the channel facing UP to allow me to use the spring nuts on the threaded rod to carry the weight of the shelves. IN the piece you see, only the back (lagged to the wall) has a single 1/2" hole drilled through it. The rest I used the most basic of hardware:

 

[bedn0009]

Unistrut Ladder Rack.

Some people "Design/Build," I Design, Build... Re-build... Re-design, Build and Tweak."

I needed a place for my ladders... no room above the garage doors, didn't want to use any significant wall space. I got 3 ladders into the space between the garage doors - and they're stacked in the order in which I use them most. I assume I'll be tweaking it again, but its stable, efficient and serves the purpose. This unistrut stuff is addicting, but man the costs of the fittings add up quickly.

 

[akdiesel]

bedn0009

Very clever. Nice work.

 

[bjcouche]

For those looking for gusseted angle brackets, you can try Grainger. They usually aren't the cheapest, but sometimes it's worth being able to go online and order the stuff you need instead of spending all day looking where to buy it... For the angle brackets search Grainger for AB215EG they are about $10 each. For the strut itself, try your local electrical supply houses. There are always a few around and usually carry the strut. The one closest to me carries the galvanized, green painted, with and without holes. The electrical supply stores are usually cheaper than the big box stores for buying strut. Electrical panels, it's the other way around. The electrical supply by me had various connectors but not the gusseted angle.

I've built a couple shelving units similar to pallet racking but with fixed shelves and at the dimensions I want. Mine are 3' deep, 10' long and 10' high.

Brian

 

[cybrdyke]

http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/dam/public/bline/Resources/Library/4dimension/4DS-15.pdf

B-line came out with a new style of strut recently, called 4 dimension.
It's made so that fittings can be attached on all 4 sides of the strut. Most of the fittings for regular strut will work. There are also other specific fittings for it.
Even though it's thinner than standard strut, the load ratings are surprisingly high, due to the way the it's channeled.
On page 5 of the link above, there is a picture of the kind of rack some of you are building. Have a look.
Good luck,
CD

 

[bjcouche]

I checked out the link to the 4D strut from B-Line and this stuff looks awesome. I stopped by the local electrical supply that sells just about everything Cooper and B-Line... Except the 4D strut. The guy there said he couldn't convince any of the large contractors to use it. He said that the strut was significantly more expensive, and even if it saved a bunch of time for an installation, that was counter productive to a trade that charges labor by the hour.
From the B-line web site it stated that the 4D strut was 10% lighter, which I read as 10% less steel used. Except for the potentially more expensive forming mill to make it, that means 10% less cost in raw materials to manufacture... So at most it should be the same price as regular strut.... People would surely buy it then.

 

[BrianJ]

Where is everyone purchasing the necessary parts?

 

[cybrdyke]

I checked out the link to the 4D strut from B-Line and this stuff looks awesome. I stopped by the local electrical supply that sells just about everything Cooper and B-Line... Except the 4D strut. The guy there said he couldn't convince any of the large contractors to use it. He said that the strut was significantly more expensive, and even if it saved a bunch of time for an installation, that was counter productive to a trade that charges labor by the hour.
From the B-line web site it stated that the 4D strut was 10% lighter, which I read as 10% less steel used. Except for the potentially more expensive forming mill to make it, that means 10% less cost in raw materials to manufacture... So at most it should be the same price as regular strut.... People would surely buy it then.

The thing about "the guy" at the local electrical supply stores is that they aren't good at understanding new products and explaining it to the tradesmen properly. Training at most of those places is woefully bad.
It sounds like you're thinking that products get priced by how much material is in them. Not so. Pricing is done by marketing. They dont think like me & you, so your 10% less materials theory doesn't wash with them.
They see the large reduction in labor & fittings required and figure that they can charge more for the channel since there is significant savings in fittings. I dont think that 4D is going to be sold to the guy buying 3 or 4 sticks of strut. But larger contractors, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, have already started to use it on larger projects. It's especially good for cable tray installations.
CD

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Neat thread, too bad most of the pics are gone (pages 3-6)

 

[PECVD2]

Unistrut storage

 

[Chris_K]

Wow! Replying so i can find this later...

 

[notabiker]

Unistrut storage
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What did you use to do the angle braces?

 

[heffneil]

Unistrut Ladder Rack.

Some people "Design/Build," I Design, Build... Re-build... Re-design, Build and Tweak."

I needed a place for my ladders... no room above the garage doors, didn't want to use any significant wall space. I got 3 ladders into the space between the garage doors - and they're stacked in the order in which I use them most. I assume I'll be tweaking it again, but its stable, efficient and serves the purpose. This unistrut stuff is addicting, but man the costs of the fittings add up quickly.

Dropbox killed the public box. Any way I could see some of these pics? I am trying to build sometihnig for ladders.

 

[JoeFin]

I built my Chassie welding jig out of a Welded Double Unistrut frame with a couple of those cheap engine stands from Happy Fart on either end.

I had to use some 3" x 1/4" Angle Iron down the middle and 4" x 1/4" Flat stock on the corners to give it enough rigidity to resist contortion. That along with the leveling supports at all 4 corners makes it able to resist "Tweeking" while the initial welds are being done on the 4130 Tubing.

The additional "Temporary" braces you see in the photo are done with Unistrut brackets which makes them easy to adjust plumb and level.

Once enough pieces of the chassie are installed and 30% welded I can then roll the jig over with the chassie still secured to it to weld out the under side of the coped joints.

 

[jdrautoworks]

Thought I would start a thread displaying the uses of Unistrut or similar products.
These are just a few I have made.
The bench has Unistrut out the outer edges to house air, electrical and supports for the vices.
Working on a library ladder system for my cabinets and rack system. I will post pictures of it when I have it working.

Question on your bench, what did you use for the top? Looks awesome!

 

[akdiesel]

Question on your bench, what did you use for the top? Looks awesome!

The top is made by Edsel. Surprising enough amazon shipped it to me in alaska. I bought two 6' tops to get my 10'4" length I needed and welded them the seems. I also had the top powder coated with hammered finished to help with strength and imperfections.
I used 7/8" Unistrut and tack welded it to the bottom side of the bench to reduce flexing in the middle for heavy items and a way to attach it to the Unistrut framing.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDMYUU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[PECVD2]

What did you use to do the angle braces?

Sorry Notabiker I just saw this.

I found these aluminum brackets at an indoor flea market and bought the strut from a friend who is the local unistrut distributor

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1614&pictureid=71284

 

[bluebolt]

Just read this thread to get some ideas. Just scored 11 pieces of 10 foot Unistrut for $20 from a plumber who was moving!

 

[bassman2]

Bumping this thread because I've got some benches and a frame supporting my wood working dust control ducting made out of strut.

I've found some good sources on Ebay of all places... Redding fasteners is the user name and fasteners Inc tool outlet is the company.

I did find a local place called Acme Tool - that carries a great deal of strut. And if you know anyone that is actually in the trades - (electrician) you can get a steep discount if they'll buy it for you!

 

[heffneil]

We used some strut to support our shelves




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[Bunk]

I don't think I've shared these here before. Here are my Unistrut shelves I built from inspiration I got here on GJ.
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