Friend of a friend has some assorted bent pallet racking. So we went out to Prestons with an empty ute, and collected several bent Dexion orange beams, some blue upright channels, and a few mesh shelves (which I have been seeking for at least 3 years!)

Ute was getting too full to get all of the beams, we only collected the straightest ones.

• The worst of the upright channels got its bent end chopped off

• The first two beams, I immediately chopped in half,
to use as a support on the side of one of my bays.




RACKING INSTALLERS, LOOK AWAY NOW !




I have one row of racks along one wall, and another along the adjacent wall.
Decided to try and tie them together.
Dodgy fabrication ensued (because I don't trust my welding):

IMG_2203.jpg IMG_2205.jpg IMG_2206.jpg

That beam is basically a support for the end of two other beams (whose other end is properly hooked into an upright). The clamp is just to stop it sliding. There is also a strap to hold the two beams the correct distance apart:
IMG_2207.jpg


I'll get a better photo next time I'm 5m up in the air.






I was surprised that the other bent beams straightened out so easily. They had about 7cm lateral deflection in the middle. Just put them on the ground, on blocks about 10cm up at each end, and jump on them a dozen times where they are bent upwards.

(was thinking I would have to park a car on them )




Note that these are not carrying any significant load - just a few boxes.



P.S. NEVER use bent pallet racking for anything you need to forklift to lift !

(i.e. if can't lift with your two hands, it doesn't belong on twisted steel)
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