I needed additional lumber storage for a large project, but the existing storage in my small shop was full. To get around the problem, I designed and built a temporary rack for the project wood. It allows easy access to the lumber without being in the way, and it can be removed and put away until needed again.

The rack has two main parts: a fixed member that consists of a dovetailed housing and a mounting cleat, and a removable member that holds the wood. The fixed member is screwed to the ceiling joists and the removable member fits into the dovetailed housing and is screwed in place.

The 22-in.-wide, 12-in.-tall rack is laminated from 3/4-in. plywood. The fixed member is a three-piece lamination. The removable member is laminated from two pieces of plywood, and I used a half-lap where the horizontal piece meets the vertical piece, gluing and screwing them together.

The rack holds a lot of weight but can be easily removed and stored when not in use.

Edited and illustrated by Jim Richey

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