building a firewood storage rack. questions

[Johnny]

I want to build a firewood rack and need to know what material dimensions would be acceptable. I don't have a fancy CAD program so I made a "sketch" in PhotoShop- go ahead and have a free chuckle. I hope I have given enough information to fetch an answer? I may choose to make a couple 4' wide units instead. This will probably end up being heavy if it's 7' wide?

I refuse to buy a bolt together POS from Home Depot when I own MM140- even if it's $500 in labor.

Is 1.5" x 1.5" square A513 tubing overkill or inadequate? What wall thickness will suffice? Am I WAY off base in materials selection?

I got a rough idea of materials cost by getting an online quote from metalsdepot.com. Metals Supermarket will likely be my supplier and I haven't a clue about what they'll charge for this type of material- they're website is a bit shy of functional?
A513 Steel Structural Square Tube 1-1/2 X 1-1/2 X 16GA (.065 wall) 48' = $93
A513 Steel Structural Square Tube 1-1/2 X 1-1/2 X 14 GA (.083 wall) 48' = $118
A513 Steel Structural Square Tube 1-1/2 X 1-1/2 X 11 GA (.120 wall) 48' = $136

[aametalmaster]

I would look for a metal supplier thats close...Bob

[Johnny]

I would look for a metal supplier thats close...Bob

Metal Supermarkets is 17miles one-way and I am OK with that.

Thanks.

[tnjind]

Is this going outside? if so you may want to put something under the feet so it doesn't sink.

Looks good. If outside are you going to cover it?

[Johnny]

It's going outside. I'll probably add material to the legs so it dosen't dig into my concrete patio.

It will be covered with a lightly customized blue tarp. I sew better than I weld.

another top notch sketch... with skids added

[Johnny]

Is this going outside? if so you may want to put something under the feet so it doesn't sink.

Looks good. If outside are you going to cover it?

Forgot my manners. Thank You!

[Flyingpig]

Youre going to have a lot of weight 7 feet high with only a 14 inch footprint. To keep from having it fall over on the neighbors poodle, Id make it longer and not as tall. If youre dealing with a confined space bolt it to the garage wall.

[fjk]

Metal Supermarkets is 17miles one-way and I am OK with that.

either you won the lottery or have goat pictures of the local m.s. manager

seriously -- for any non-trivial amount of material, find a steel service
center/dealer/...er. the price difference is major.

s to your design -- i built one about the same -- except that it was not
as long and i did not put the stretchers along the top. it works well.
you _might_ want to consider putting only 1 such stretcher along the top.
it would make it easier to load/unload the rack.

good luck
post pictures.

frank

[TripleTrophy]

For material thickness, you can always look at the POS at Home Depot, and see what they are using. Offhand, I would be inclined to do the bottom in .120" or so, with ".065 a possibility for the sides, and the top which will likely be in tension.

[Johnny]

Thank Dudes! I'll see what kind of minimums are involved with Service Steel. Probably have to buy a 1000'.