This Topic is Archived
little turtle (original poster member #15584) posted at 12:16 AM on Sunday, June 29th, 2014
I need some help from handy fix it people. I have a metal rack shelf that is too tall for my basement. What is the best way to cut the metal poles?
Thanks!
Failure is success if we learn from it.
wifehad5 ( Administrator #15162) posted at 1:05 AM on Sunday, June 29th, 2014
FBH - 52 FWW - 53 (BrokenRoad)2 kids 17 & 22The people you do your life with shape the life you live
little turtle (original poster member #15584) posted at 2:08 AM on Sunday, June 29th, 2014
Failure is success if we learn from it.
sad12008 ( member #18179) posted at 2:57 AM on Sunday, June 29th, 2014
It depends on what tools you have at your disposal. A hacksaw's always a cheap solution. A pipe cutter would probably be easier; a chopsaw would be fastest. If you wrap masking tape around where you need to make the cut, it can make for a cleaner cut.
Check YouTube to see if there are any videos...they seem to have a video for just about everything!
You can't fill a cup with no bottom.
little turtle (original poster member #15584) posted at 3:38 AM on Sunday, June 29th, 2014
sad, thanks for the tips! I tried searching on google, but nothing helpful came up. I will check for a video.
Here's the type of rack I'm talking about, but not the exact one:
Failure is success if we learn from it.
welcome14 ( member #26741) posted at 6:14 AM on Sunday, June 29th, 2014
No helpful info on cutting it, just a reminder to wear eye protection- those metal shavings are dangerous! And hard to remove, and can cause permanent damage to the cornea. Good luck!
Bs- me
Someone I used to know- Him
Nothing like a trail of blood to find your way back home- nikki sixx
I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.
WarehouseGuy ( member #6037) posted at 12:06 PM on Sunday, June 29th, 2014
Pipe cutter or hacksaw.
And save the top shelf. It might make a great grille over a fire pit.
whg
If you see your ex with someone else don't be jealous. Our parents taught us to give our old,used toys to the less fortunate.
MovingUpward ( member #14866) posted at 2:41 PM on Monday, June 30th, 2014
Those are adjustable shelves too. I think that I would follow the idea of a pipe cutter and using it at one of the indentions for the shelves to rest at. If you don't have a hacksaw or a pipe cutter your Ginsu knife might be able to hack it.
TrulyReconciled ( member #3031) posted at 3:30 PM on Monday, June 30th, 2014
None of the above (except a chopsaw with a metal-cutting blade would work - outside with serious eye protection, please!). Those are commercial-grade Metro shelves, or similar and pretty tough chrome-plated steel. They'll take you quite awhile with a hacksaw.
Beg, or borrow a reciprocating saw with a fine-toothed metal cutting blade like this one and do it in 15 minutes:
Or have someone who owns one do it for you. You'll also need to hold the pipe legs still while cutting, which is quite a trick with chrome plated steel. There are vises made for this.
You could take the legs to a metal working shop - they would probably do it cheaply for you.
[This message edited by TrulyReconciled at 9:33 AM, June 30th (Monday)]
"In a time of deceit, telling the Truth is a revolutionary act."
dontknowwhyme ( member #21587) posted at 5:27 PM on Monday, June 30th, 2014
My tubing cutter has no problem cutting through stainless steel. I am pretty sure it would laugh at those shelf poles. It's nothing fancy either. I'm sure the same one or similar is sold at every Home Depot or Lowes.
The other thing to consider is the finished cut that each process will leave. The pipe cutter will be the smoothest and by the way it works will also be very straight. Like MovingUpward stated use the indentions for the starting point of the cutter.
Finally, holding the post from spinning while cutting them can be made easier by assembling as many of the shelves as you can up to the point at which you want to cut it. The clamps that hold the shelf to the right height, if pressed down on, should assist in holding it from spinning.
BS 38
FWW 37 (fireandice)
Married 13 Years - Together 20
D-Day1:Jan 08 (EA OM#1)
D-Day2:8-15-08 (EA/PA OM#2)
DS12, DS9
D-Day3:11-3-10
Divorced 1-27-11
Remember, you don't drown from being thrown in the water. You drown from staying in it.
tushnurse ( member #21101) posted at 7:54 PM on Monday, June 30th, 2014
^^^THIS^^^^
Definitely do it that way. A reciprocating saw can be difficult to handle, and may scratch up the surrounding metal if you are not strong enough to give solid steady pressure the whole time.
Me: FBSHim: FWSKids: 23 & 27 Married for 32 years now, was 16 at the time.D-Day Sept 26 2008R'd in about 2 years. Old Vet now.
little turtle (original poster member #15584) posted at 3:52 AM on Tuesday, July 1st, 2014
Wow. Thanks for all of your feedback! I will talk with SO and find out what tools his dad has. The shelf is actually his, but SO is going to cut it for him. I'll check into a pipe cutter if his dad doesn't have one. That was my initial thought as to how it cut the poles. They are heavy duty for commercial use, so I wasn't sure if it would work.
Failure is success if we learn from it.
This Topic is Archived