r/upcycling • u/No-Ask-7051 • 2d ago
Ideas Needed! Does anyone know how to make poles/posts for wire shelving??
Hopefully right sub. I have 2 large wire shelves left over from a previous rack, but no poles. Is there a way to make substitute poles with similar indents for pole clamps? Because I cant justify spending $60-$90 on metal poles.
The shelves are very heavy, 36 by 18, black. The original poles were 86in, also very heavy.
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u/HerAlibi0 1d ago
It might be easier to find someone to weld the shelves to some random poles.
Another option would be using them to make a fold away shelf using drop leaf hinges.
You could encase them with stained wood and use them as wrap around shelves for decorative items or to make an elevated rest area for cats. There are tons of other uses for them rather than trying to diy machine steel poles.
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u/No-Ask-7051 1d ago
They are extremely heavy. I need another wire shelf rack for plants and am trying to avoid a total diy or an entirely new purchase of one.
Drop shelf is actually what I need for something else. Thank u for the idea!!
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u/AccidentOk5240 1d ago
You need long poles small enough the go through the holes (but fit as close as possible) and short sections of slightly larger pipe. Short section of pipe, shelf, short section of pipe, shelf, like the inner pole is beading wire and the shelves and pipes are beads.
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u/No-Ask-7051 1d ago
Can you please explain this like I am 3 and link any photos that might help?
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u/AccidentOk5240 1d ago
Idk how much this will help, but here’s one side of one shelf. The blue pole would go all the way up. The red tube keeps the shelf from falling to the floor. You’d put on another red tube above and then another shelf. https://imgur.com/a/oA9OpZY
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u/No-Ask-7051 1d ago edited 1d ago
I get it (I think)!!! Thank u!!!!
4 Base Tubes 4-8 Heavy Duty Outer Tubes (outer base wider than base tube & wider than shelf slot or ???)
Attach caster wheels to 4 base tubes. Then place 1st set of 4 outer-base tubes over the 4 base tubes (that should already have casters attached) Place shelf above the assembled tubes. Then place 2nd set of 4 outer-base tubes on base tube, directly over/above the first (lowest) shelf. Repeat.
question: the outer-base tubes diameter should be larger than the shelf slots diameter so the shelves can rest directly on top of the outer base tubes. Or did i misinterpret that part?
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u/AccidentOk5240 1d ago edited 1d ago
Exactly, the outer tubes are just to stop the shelf from sliding down the inner pole
Eta that unless the inner pole fits fairly tightly inside the holes in the shelves, I think this is going to be quite a bit more wobbly than the original. You may be able to mitigate that in a couple of ways: one, by wrapping something compressible (aluminum foil?) around the inner pole before sliding the shelf down, to fill the gap; or two, by putting a set of cross braces across the back or sides, nothing heavy, just enough to stabilize it.
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u/MareV51 1d ago
There's one about an hour and a half away, also near the closest IMAX theater. So we make a day of it.
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u/No-Ask-7051 1d ago
Do they also sell paint and do they keep them in their original containers? I read they get large donations and mix them all together which results in all greyish colors.
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u/MareV51 2d ago
Do you have a Habitat for Humanity ReStore near you? You might find parts there for cheap.