ClosetMaid Hacking: Make a Monitor Stand, Paper Tray, Magazine Holder, DVD Rack From Wire Shelving

Intro: ClosetMaid Hacking: Make a Monitor Stand, Paper Tray, Magazine Holder, DVD Rack From Wire Shelving

Make A Monitor Stand, Paper Tray, Magazine Holder, DVD Rack from wire shelving.
from http://www.creatrope.com

STEP 1: Acquire Some ClosetMaid Wire Shelving (or Similar Item)

Sometimes you just need to convert your clutter to something more interesting...

I had several long pieces of ClosetMaid shelving in the garage. They are easily found at garage sales cheaply when people remodel. Even new, these pieces are surprisingly inexpensive ($8-$9), as I believe that ClosetMaid is doing a 'razor' and 'razor blade' strategy by selling the shelf part cheaply and the posts and shelf holders at a premium price.

They are ridiculously strong and fairly light.

By bending them appropriately, you can convert these shelves into a variety of useful items: magazine holder, monitor stand, paper tray, dvd rack, etc.

First acquire a shelf.

STEP 2: Cut to Length, Depending on What You Are Building

Grab your eye protection, and cut it to length using a hacksaw or power saw. For a monitor stand, I made the 'vertical' pieces 4" and the horizontal shelf 11" so I needed (2*4"+11" = 19" long). Watch for the off-by-one errors in length!

Cut the reinforcing bar all the way through and the parallel bars at the 4" inch and 15" mark part way through, see the photo notes below. These cuts enable you to make a clean, ninety-degree bend.

STEP 3: Bend Up Sides, File Sharp Edges, Flip Over, and Use!

Apply some muscle power and bend the sides up.

File/Deburr sharp exposed metal edges.

Apply some paint or rubberized compound to exposed metal corner, if you're a perfectionist.

For a magazine rack, you'll want the verticals at least 10" but the base smaller - perhaps 4"-6".

I think you can figure out the paper tray on your own.

Give us measurements on other variations!

Let me know if you make other cool things out of this item!
http://www.creatrope.com

Comments

[katerlyn]

We were using a bolt cutters. The latest shelves I got at the Habitat for Humanity Restore store...were so thick, maybe a power saw would have helped. Thanks! This is part of our catwalk, now the cats prefer the garage and when it gets warmer they will be able to go outside via this "ladder" catwalk.

[HagridsMom]

oh wow! Love this!!

[katerlyn]

thank you. have you seen Mr. Cohen's work on www.houzz.com. his house makes this look like nothing!

[musick_08]

closetmaid also has multiple tiered (2, 3, and 4 tiered) racks. I got one and hung it upside down on the wall to hold my cds. works great!

[vatik]

closetmaid makes little rubber endcaps for the edges. 84 count (both sizes) for ~$3. Available at lowes.

[velvet_skin]

this reminds me of the iRack spoof

[PetroleumJelliffe]

I ca vouch for the dish stand dollar store racks. They lift up the laptop, and keep it ventilated underneath. And you can stow your external mouse and keyboard underneath.

[SheGeek]

The Dollar Store carries these, already bent how you want... I was just mentioning them to my bf for him to use as a laptop stand! You can usually find them near the dishes; they're used to help give you more space in your cupboard (stack plates under and on the shelf)

[steelydanphan]

And to think I was mentally constructing a stained wooden monitor stand with my myriad power tools. It's off to the dollar store instead ;)

[Junkyard John]

Interesting. The best purpose I've found for the racks are whacking people over the head with them.