Reclaimed Plastic Container Organizer

    Do you have a bunch of plastic containers that you keep your hobby materials in, but you don't have a great way of storing the containers themselves? Then here's your solution; a pallet wood rack for plastic containers.

     I needed something to organize my Knex containers, and I had a bunch of pallet wood laying around so I decided to see what I could build. After much experimenting I finally came up with this idea and built it. 

     The result is very nice. The containers remove easily by simply lifting the front up and pulling down (picture 8). The hooks can also be adjusted too (picture 10). The max weight each container can support is about 8lbs (pictures 15-17).

Dimensions - 45" tall, 40 1/2" wide, 21 1/2" deep

Enough said. Let's get building!

P.s If you like my project please vote for me.
 

Step 1: Materials and Tools Needed

Here's all the stuff you'll need. Your wood and screws will vary depending on how many hooks your building. I made 15 hooks. This is a list of the stuff I used. 

If you're using pallet wood and wood screws, a counter bore drill bit (picture 7) is a great drill bit to have because it helps to keep the wood from cracking by drilling a pilot and counter bore hole at the same time. The link's below.

            Tools

• hand drill and/or drill press
• power saw (I used a miter saw)
• clamps
• drill bits
• counter bore drill bit (optional)
• tape measure
• square

            Screws

• 17 - 2 1/2" long
• 85 - 2" long
• 66 - 1 1/4" long

            Wood

• two 2x4s - 43" long, with a 60 degree angle cut at one end, and a 30 degree angle cut at the other (picture 1) (Note. When I say "2x4" I mean what type of board it is. Not the dimensions.)
• two 2x4s - 21" long (picture 2)
• 2 boards - 42 1/2" long (picture 3) (Note. All of the regular boards I used are 1x4s.) 
• 2 square board blocks  (picture 4)
• 6 boards - 40 1/2" long (picture 5)
• four 2x4 square blocks (picture 6) (Note. When say "2x4" I mean what type of board it is. Not the dimensions.)
• 15 boards - 9" long
• 30 boards - 5" long
• 15 boards - 2" long (Note. If your using pallet wood. Pallet wood tends to vary in thickness, so make sure these boards are slightly thicker than the 6 boards - 40 1/2" long)
• 15 boards - 1" long
• 12 boards - 2" long, 1/4" thick
• 3 boards - 2" long, 1" thick

​            Miscellaneous

• masking tape
• pencil
• wire brush
• wheels (optional) The wheels would replace the four 2x4 square blocks (picture 6)

Step 2: A Cool Trick I Learned

     Awhile ago, I bought a wire brush drill bit to see if it would take some of the splinters off of my pallet wood. It worked o.k. in my hand drill but the drill was very hard to hold. After I got my drill press for Christmas I wondered, "Hmmm. Maybe I can put the wire brush in the drill press and feed the wood underneath it?" Which is exactly what I did, and as you can see in picture 4, it turned out really nice! (picture 4)

      In my opinion, power washing pallet wood is still the best way to clean it, but the wire brush is good too. It takes off some of the splinters which the power washer can't get. It's also a lot faster. I used the wire brush method for all the wood for the hooks, and power washed the rest of the wood.

Step 3: The Frame Intro and Part 1: the Supports

     The frame gave me a bit of trouble, mainly trying to figure out how to brace it to screw it together. As you can see in the pictures I decided to use the legs of my workbench to help. My right angle clamp was very helpful as well. I used a pipe clamp because my wood was a little warped.

             Pieces list

• two 2x4s - 43" long, with a 60 degree angle cut at one end, and a 30 degree angle cut at the other (picture 1)
• two 2x4s - 21" long (picture 2)
• 2 boards - 42 1/2" long (picture 3)
• eight 2 1/2" screws 
• four 2" screws
• two 1 1/4" screws

             Other Things Needed

• 1 clamp
• 1 right angle clamp (optional)
• 1 pipe clamp (optional)

Pictures 4 - Make a line 3 1/2" from the end of either side of one of the 42 1/2" boards.
Picture 5-7 - Position the support like this. Make sure to have the end of the 21" 2x4 brace against something. Line up the 60 degree angle cut end of the 43" long 2x4 with that 3 1/2" line, and put a clamp there to keep it from moving.
Pictures 8-10 - Drill 2 pilot holes and screw in two 2 1/2" screws.
Pictures 11&12 - Position the support like this.
Pictures 13-15 - Drill 2 pilot holes and screw in two 2 1/2" screws.
Picture 16 - Clamp the wood like this, making sure that it's still lined up with that 3 1/2" line
Pictures 17-20 Drill 2 pilot holes lower down for the 2" screws and another pilot hole higher up for the 1 1/4" screw, and screw them in.
Pictures 21&22 - Repeat the process for the other support.

Step 4: The Frame Part 2: the Feet and Front Board

     Now it's time to screw on the feet and the front board.

             Pieces List

• one 40 1/2" board
• 2 square board blocks
• four 1 1/4" screws
• six 2" screws

            Other Things Needed

• 1 clamp

Picture 2 - Clamp the board in place.
Pictures 3&4 - drill a pilot hole and screw in a 2" screw.
Pictures 5&6 - Remove the clamp, drill two pilot holes, and screw in two 1 1/4" screws. Repeat the process for the other one.
Picture 7 - This is what you should have so far.
Pictures 8&9 - Clamp one of the 40 1/2" on the bottom front of the frame, and line up another board at the top to make sure it's even.
Pictures 10-12 - Drill pilot holes and screw in two 2" screws.
Picture 13 - Do the same for the other side.
Picture 14 - Done with that. On to the next step!

Step 5: The Frame Part 3: the Back

     This is one of the easy parts, screwing on the back.
           
             Pieces List - picture 1

• 5 boards - 40 1/2" long
• 30 1 1/4" screws

            Other Things Needed

• 2 clamps
• pencil
• tape measure
• square

Pictures 2-7 - Start from the top of either of the supports and make 4 lines at 9" increments going down. Do the same for the other.
Pictures 8&9 - Stand the supports up and clamp a 40 1/2" board to the top. Make sure the base is the same width of the top before you screw the board in.
Pictures 10-12 - Drill 3 pilot holes and screw in three 1 1/4" screws. Repeat for the other side.
Pictures 13&14 - Now, go to the bottom and clamp a 40 1/2" board there. Make sure to line it up with the lines.
Pictures 15&16 - Drill 3 pilot holes and screw in three 1 1/4" screws. Repeat for the other side.
Pictures 17-21 - Now that you know the process, screw in the other boards like the the first two and you'll be done with the frame.

Step 6: The Frame Part 4: the Extra Feet/Wheels

     After I was done with the rack, I tested it and discovered that it still needed to be raised off of the ground a little bit more. So I added these blocks. Another great solution would be to add some wheels, but I didn't feel like paying 6 to 10 dollars per wheel.
 
             Pieces List - picture 1

• Four 2x4 square blocks, or wheels (Note. When I say "2x4" I mean what type of board it is. Not the dimensions.) 
• Eight 2 1/2" screws

            Other Things Needed

• 1 clamp

Picture 2 - Drill two pilot holes. Make sure not to screw into the other screws behind the block.
Picture 3 - Screw two 2 1/2" screws in.
Picture 4 - Repeat the process for the other blocks.

Step 7: The Hooks: Intro and Part 1

     The hooks are pretty simple to make. Only 3 out of the 15 hooks I made use a 1" piece of board instead of a 1/4" piece. The image notes explain it. Also, I needed something to hold the wood together when drilling pilot holes. I tried a small clamp, but it got in the way. I discovered that masking is the perfect thing to use. It holds it firmly and comes off easily. This is also where I recommend using a counter bore drill bit because some of the pilot holes are close to the edge. 

Here is the pieces list to make one of the hooks. (Picture 1)

• masking tape
• 1 - 9" board
• 2 - 5" boards
• 1 - 2" board (Note. If your using pallet wood. Pallet wood tends to vary in thickness, so make sure this board is slightly thicker than the board it will hook onto.
• 1 - 2" board of varying thickness; 1/4" to 1" depending on which container it's for.
• 1 - 1" board
• 5 - 2" screws
• 2 - 1 1/4" screws

                  Part One

Picture 2 - The pieces you'll need for the first part. The 9" and 1" piece. You'll also need two 1 1/4" screws.
Picture 3 - Place the 1" piece on top of the 9" piece like this.
Picture 4 - Wrap masking tape around it. Make sure that the boards are lined up.
Picture 5 - Drill a pilot hole about right here. Drill though the first board and into the second board just a little bit.
Picture 6 - Don't go to far.
Picture 7 - This is what you should have.
Picture 8 - Drill another one.
Pictures 9&10 - Screw two 1 1/4" screws in.
Picture 11 - Peel off the masking tape.
Picture 12&13 - Done with that part. On to the next!

Step 8: The Hooks Part 2

                 Part Two
Picture 1 - The pieces you'll need: The 2" board, one of the 5" boards, and three 2" screws.
Picture 2 - Make a line 2" from the top on the back.
Picture 3 - Line up the wood with line.
Picture 4 - Tape it.
Picture 5 - Drill about this far in.
Picture 6 - Drill here.
Picture 7 - And here.
Pictures 8&9 - Flip it over and drill one in the center.
Pictures 10-12 - Screw in the 2" screws starting with the center.
Pictures 13&14 - This is what you should have so far. 

Step 9: The Hooks Part 3

The third and final part.

Picture 1 - The pieces you'll need: Two 2" screws,The other 5" board, and the 2" board of varying thickness. For almost all my hooks I used 1/4" boards.
Picture 2 - line up the wood and tape it up.
Pictures 3&4 - Drill two pilot holes. 
Picture 5 - Screw two 2" screws in.
Pictures 6&7 - Great job your done with one. (Note. On a few of the hooks I made, the front piece seemed a little loose. So I drilled an extra screw in.)
Picture 8 - Now, build 14 more or as many as you want.

Step 10: Almost Done

Great job! You're almost done.

I didn't feel like polyurethaning it, but if you want to, go right ahead. I recommend that even if you're not going to polyurethane it and especially if you are, to brush it down first with a wire brush and then a soft brush to remove and extra splinters and dirt. 

Step 11: The End

Congratulations! You're Done! Now you have a nice organizer for your stuff.

Once you're all done, post a picture of it, and I will post it here at the end.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Keep checking back for more stuff from me.

KneXtreme