How do you folks build strong shelving / cabinets for storing boolits?

[Mr_Sheesh]

I am thinking 1/2" plywood shelves and 2"x4" bracing to make things super strong, should that work? I need to move & once moved will be building a reloading room so for now I am planning and thinking...

[jonp]

I built the shelving in a closet for bullets and such out of 2x4's and left over OSB Sub Flooring like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/23-32-CAT-PS2-10-Tongue-and-Groove-OSB-Subfloor-Application-as-4-x-8/1000065715

Less flex than plywood I think and very strong. If you attached the 2x4's directly to the wall studs on 3 sides unless it's a very large closet you won't get flex under any reasonable load. I ended up putting a cross piece in the front anyways because I always overbuild but it wasn't necessary I think.

I bought a couple of these for the garage https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-40-in-D-x-24-in-W-x-72-in-H-5-Tier-Plastic-Freestanding-Shelving-Unit/1002571984 They work well and show no flex but you can decide if the 250lb shelf rating is good enough for what you have in mind.

[Rcmaveric]

Thats more than adequate. I screwed 1x4 to the wall and made wrap around shelves in a walk in closet with .5 thick ply wood. I did have to go back and add supports in the middle of the shelves as the middle of my shelf bowed when storing lead or bullets. As I built wall mounted shelves enstead of a book case style shelf.

I know only store lead on the ground. Remember lead and bullets are heavy. A cigar box full of lead is gonna weight about 20lbs or more. If your shelf is bug enough you may accidentally put more than 100lbs on it.

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[725]

I made a rack on my work bench by cutting a sheet of 5/8ths plywood to the size of the shelf unit. 3' x 4' or so. With finished 1 x 4's I made a rectangle perimeter frame and 1 x 4 shelves within. Each shelf was a few inches apart, but separated enough that I could stack two boxes high on each shelf. From the back, I screwed each shelf at about 6" intervals, along with the perimeter frame. After sanding and finishing, I used tap-cons to mount the unit into the block wall. Washers under the tap-con heads.

[Went2kck]

I use a couple of old style TV amuares, The kind with the doors in front. Then built shelves inside to store stuff. One has a turret type bottom and use to turn but dont any more. Need to replace the lazy susan bottom on it. this was an old gun box I built years ago. works for what I need to store.

[jonp]

Take a look at this http://innovativepanel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/American-Plywood-Association-Load-Span-Table.pdf

Go down to table 3 and you will see the span ratings for different thicknesses of plywood in lb/sqft. Pretty much the same thing for a shelf. I used a table like this to figure the floor joist width and subfloor for a weight rating on the bathroom which is what contractors will do. Of course as usual I overbuilt it using 2x10's where the load rating indicated 2x8's were more than adequate for the span.
If you screw the 2x4's into the wall studs on the 3 sides, use a cross piece on the front and a center from front to back unless your piling lead bar after lead bar on it you should be fine.
A standard 2x4 that is 10ft (2x4x10) has a point load of 400lbs. Decrease the length and the point load increases to a max of I think 1,000lbs. If your closet is, say, 4ft wide then the limiting factor should be the plywood. If you put a center support front to back then unless your putting over 500lbs on the shelf the limiting factor is the fasteners.

Frankly, I think that a shelf in a closet using 1/2in plywood and 2x4's with one or two center supports depending on width will hold about what you want unless your putting your entire lead and bullet stash on one shelf.

[DougGuy]

Look in Craigslist. I find metal shelving in there quite often. The kind with the rivets and holes that snap together are really strong like 1500# per shelf and they take down for moving. Stores closing all the time you can pick up some good deals on multiple units.

[Burnt Fingers]

CostCo has their HD shelving units on sale right now.

$140 for an 8' four self unit that will hold 2000 lbs per shelf.

[tazman]

I am thinking 1/2" plywood shelves and 2"x4" bracing to make things super strong, should that work? I need to move & once moved will be building a reloading room so for now I am planning and thinking...

That is exactly what I did for my boolit storage shelves. Worked like a champ. Even after years of having hundreds of pounds on them, the shelves are still level and have not drooped.
Mine are 2ft deep and 8ft long except for one I built to fit a shorter space. Assembled with deck screws.
Shelves are nearly completely covered with containers of cast boolits.
Only thing I would do differently is to make the shelves 16 inches deep instead of 2 ft. The lower shelves are difficult to see what is in the back row when it is dark outside. Also are a bit harder to lift a container off the back of the shelf than it used to be(Am I getting old?). The shelves are over 10 years old.

[Petrol & Powder]

Your imagination and money are the only real limiting factors but I would be reluctant to store lead off the floor. It's not a function of shelf strength, the shelving can be made strong enough without problem, it would be the need lift the lead to an elevated location.

As for making shelving, there are countless techniques to build strong shelves. A few things to keep in mind are: Any type of bracket that cantilevers the shelf from the wall will impart a twisting force to the bracket. (the load wants to rotate the bracket off the wall). So sometimes it's better to transmit that load directly to floor if you're dealing with a lot of weight.

The deeper the shelf (distance from the wall) the more that twisting force will be. So keep the depth to a minimum if dealing with heavy loads. Plus the deeper the shelf, the more difficult it is to reach the back.

Keep spans realistic. The longer the span the stiffer (heavier) the shelf needs to be.

Reinforcing the forward edge of a shelf board can significantly strengthen the board without adding a lot of weight or expense. Gluing and screwing a 1"x2" to the front edge of a shelf board to form a lip (which can be flush on the upper surface or not) will dramatically increase the stiffness of that shelf without adding a lot of weight. The same thing can be accomplished with a piece of angle iron or aluminum.

Plywood works best when it is supported around its entire perimeter. Plywood shelving that is thick enough to have a strong, unsupported forward edge is both heavy and expensive. Consider using solid boards with a reinforcing lip instead of going to a thicker piece of plywood.

Plan your project before you build your project.

Good luck

[BigAlofPa.]

I use the hyper tech shelves from walmart. They are rated 600 lbs per shelf. Inexpensive and easy to assemble. And you can set the spacing where you want it.

[dverna]

I just sold 9k bullets and have over 20k left. None have ever been stored on shelving.

I place 2x4's flat on the garage floor and stack boxes on them. Commercial bullets come in boxes that can be stacked 2-3 high. I also use the USPS small boxes that are free and tape them up (they hold about 1000 9mm/38 bullets 130 gr). Makes it easy to take an inventory too. I built my shelving so the bottom was clear for stacking stuff on the ground. Here is a picture showing buckets of 12 ga shells but easy enough to put down 2x4's and place boxes on them.

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[Plate plinker]

I build mine just like dverna. I have about 80 linear feet four tiers high. I make my shelf spacing high enough for a milk crate. Two ammo cans high might be a good idea.

[lightman]

I just made some shelves for my ammo storage from concrete blocks and 2X10's to lay. I used 3 blocks spaced out evenly for the 8ft 2x10's. Two boards per layer fit an ammo can pretty well. 3 blocks with 2 boards on top, 3 more blocks and 2 more boards, ect. I think I have about $100 in my 3 layer shelving.

Another option is to see if you have any material handling places near you and check for pallet racks. These are the heavy duty shelves that are in Lowes or Home Depot. They come in different depts from 12in to 48in and are incredibly strong. I think I paid $10 per end and $10 per shelf for the ones in my shop. They gave me the boards that go with them.

[Kenstone]

I used to build not-deep shelves out of 1x3s/ 7/16 OSB.
Each shelf was OSB and had a 1x3 perimeter frame and the corner uprights were an "L" of a1x3 and 1x4.
The shelves had 1/4x20 "t-nuts" in the curtain frame that lined up with hole in the up-rights.
I could knock them down to a flat pile by removing the 1/4x20 corner bolts for moving, I moved a lot.

Now that 7/16 OSB is $29 a sheet [smilie=b: I build shallow shelves out of skid/pallet boards or 1x4 furring that are 1 box-of-500-bullets deep, from the floor up to what I can reach.
Not wide enough to need bracing for the shelves, open backed, and anchored to the wall studs.
:mrgreen:
.

[jmorris]

Steel and a MIG or TIG

[tankgunner59]

I decided to use this kind of shelving. I have it mounted to the walls in my office/gun room.
http://mobileimages.lowes.com/product/converted/819175/819175000520.jpg

The ones I have mounted will support more than 300 pounds, I tested them. Of course they're mounted to the wall studs.

[Mal Paso]

I use Costco racks but for bullets/ammo I needed something smaller. 1 1/8 plywood sub floor was what I used for the shelves. I don't like OSB or particle board for anything.

[gmsharps]

Here's a bullet rack I made from 2x6's. I know it's a bit of over kill but I had some scrap 2x6's and it works fine. The containers were from my sister in law that at one time in her business she used these nut containers.

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gmsharps

[country gent]

! built my shelving from 1 x pine lumber. 1 x 4 1 x 8 and 1 x 10. I made the frame from 1 x 10s glued and screwed together then cut braces the height I wanted between shelves. these made a spot for the shelf ends to rest on and were notched on the back side for a 1 px 2. . each shelf sets on 3 of these 1 each end and 1 centered. each shelf has a 1 x 2 along back edge glued and screwed to stiffen. Each shelf sits on 3 solid spacers with the rib down the back side. I considered a rib along the front also.when assembled they are very solid and secure can be finished by staining and oil or other means. shelves are screwed and glued in to spacers and thru the sides. It is a heavy weight wise set of shelves.

I made mine in place, well close to it. Started by cutting up rights. then the shelf spacers. one of these went on the bottom of each upright glued and screwed in place. shelves were cut and the support rails glued on. set one shelf on the support screwed thru up right then down into the support and rail on each end. add 2 more supports glue and screw in add shelf continue to top. in the center is a row of supports to help stop sagging.

When making shelves dont make them to deep as its hard to get to items at the back and heavy items at the back can be even harder to reach. If you want wider than 10" use 2 1 X 6 or 1 x 4 and 1 x 10.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Lots of good info, I probably will use cat treat containers and similar containers sold at TAP Plastics as they're pretty cheap, about the same thing as those nut containers. 2x's on lower shelves for lead items, maybe 1x shelves on higher ones for empty casings? Just don't confuse the two :)

[JimB..]

I will suggest that your closet was probably not designed to support a 1 or 2 ton static load.

[onelight]

I don't know how many bullets you inventory but for myself my bullets store on shelves that are less than 12" deep. I don't want to have to build the shelves to support enough containers to fill a shelf that is deeper and I don't want to move 2 or 300lbs of bullets to get at the ones I want . 18" and 24" shelves are handy for many items but for me way to deep for bullets .
A lot of the commercial built 18 and 24" shelves have more spacing between shelves than most of us need so a shallower shelf could be added between to hold bullets over the deeper storage for things not made of lead.
For components and tools I want to be able to see what I have easily and not have to dig through multiple deep shelves to find it.
Every one that has accumulated a lot of components and reloading equipment has their own plan some are easy to live with and some aren't . Many of us have a hodgepodge of different storage solutions in our reloading rooms but I have learned storage needs to be flexible as to use , because over the years what we need to store and access changes .
And as I side note I prefer not to have doors on my storage so when I forget where I put something I can just look around and see it :)
Only you can decide how to set it up . But leave yourself some flexibility to configure it for changes in equipment and needs for the future if you do this long YOU will accumulate more stuff.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Plan is to move and possibly have a house built custom, I may well have lead storage outside (Root cellar like storage?) for 'bulk' lead but indoors I'd build something awful strong, I can calculate the weights, but don't need 400000 308 cast boolits in the reloading room, planning to have shop and they can store there (reloading area may well be out there, still mulling it over.) Reinforced concrete slab should support SOME weight :)