ShopNotes No. 108 Page 1 of 7 ©2009 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.

quick & easy sheet metalProjects

Working with sheet metal isn’t difficult — if you have the right tools. All it takes to make the items shown here are some basic tools, a pair of tin snips, and the metal brake featured in ShopNotes No. 108. You’ll also need the patterns on the following pages for laying out the cuts and bends.

I think you’ll discover that after fabricating these few simple proj-ects, you’ll be ready to design and build your own. And to me, that’s half the fun of being in the shop — applying what I’ve learned to build something that’s practical and long-lasting.

Sheet Metal. The first thing I want to talk about is sheet metal. You’ll find it in a variety of thick-nesses, or gauges. The higher the gauge number, the thinner the sheet metal. For shop projects like these, 22-gauge steel is about right. It’s easy to cut and bend but still has plenty of strength.

Layout. With the patterns on the following pages and your sheet metal in hand, it’s time to lay out the project. Then all you need to do is cut out the pattern, make the bends, and spray on a coat of paint. The end result is a set of handy projects for your shop.

Simple Shelf. Page 2

Storage Tray. Page 3

Tool Rack. Page 4

Bit Rack. Page 5

} Drawer Case & Drawers. Starting on page 6.

ShopNotes No. 108 Page 2 of 7 ©2009 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.

simpleShelf

PATTERN

NOTE: CIRCLED NUMBERSREPRESENT SEQUENCE OF BENDS

45

6

3

2

7

1

#/4

#/4

#/4

#/16

#/8

1!/2 1!/2

5&/8

18

10

1!/8

4

#/8

#/4

4#/4

NOTE: SHELF MADEFROM 22-ga. SHEET METAL

{ Strong and Sturdy. By following the pattern below, you’ll create a strong shelf complete with braces. A few simple bends with a sheet metal brake make it easy.

END VIEW

4

4

#/4

#/4

ShopNotes No. 108 Page 3 of 7 ©2009 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.

enclosedStorage Tray

PATTERN7!/2

19!/4

123

3

%/8 3 %/8

#/8

%/8

NOTE:CIRCLED NUMBERS

REPRESENT SEQUENCEOF BENDS

4

5

6

1

372

%/16

1!/2 #/16

NOTE: SHELF MADEFROM 22-ga. SHEET METAL

{ Storage Tray. After drilling the mounting holes in the sheet metal blank, cut out the shape shown in the pattern. Then you can make the bends to form the flanges and sides.

END VIEW

%/8

3!/2

3

wall-mounted

ShopNotes No. 108 Page 4 of 7 ©2009 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.

Tool Rack

PATTERN

8!/4

12!/4

#/4

#/4 #/16

#/4

!/2

!/2

1!/4

1!!/16

2

2

2

3

1

1!!/16

!%/16

!%/16

!/2" DIA.

2

3

4

2

1

NOTE: CIRCLED NUMBERSREPRESENT SEQUENCE OF BENDS

NOTE: RACK MADEFROM 22-ga. SHEET METAL

{ Drill & Bend. To create this wall-mounted tool rack, you start by drilling the holes. To complete it, you then make the four bends, as shown in the drawings and pattern below.

END VIEW2

21!/4

1

ShopNotes No. 108 Page 5 of 7 ©2009 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.

easy accessBit Rack

PATTERN

!/4

!/4

12

9!/4

2!/2

2!/2

1!/4

2

1

!%/16 1!!/16 1!!/16

NOTE: CIRCLED NUMBERSREPRESENT SEQUENCE OF BENDS

4

3

2

13!/4

#/4"-DIA.

#/4

(/16 #/16"-DIA.

#/4

#/4

!/4"-I.D. GROMMET(McMaster-Carr #9307K64)

!/2"-I.D. GROMMET(McMaster-Carr #9307K85)

NOTE: RACK MADEFROM 22-ga. SHEET METAL

{ Safe Router Bit Storage. Rubber grommets help protect the delicate cutting edges and shafts of your router bits. The drawings below show you how the rack is made.

END VIEW

#/4" DIA.

2

1!/4

1

2!/2

2!/2

GROMMET

ShopNotes No. 108 Page 6 of 7 ©2009 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.

sstacked drawer

Case

SIDE(9#/4" x 8!/16")

BOTTOM(9#/4" x 7!/4")

BACK(6#/4" x 8!/16")

TOP(9#/4" x 7!/4")

!/2"-WIDE x !/4"-DEEPRABBET

(THREE SIDES)

!/2"-WIDE x !/4"-DEEPRABBET

(THREE SIDES)

SIDE(9#/4" x 8!/16")

NOTE: ALL PARTSMADE FROM !/2" PLYWOOD

FRONT VIEW

1!#/16

3#/4

7%/8

5!!/16

7!/4

8(/16

8!/16

#/8

!/4

!/4

!/8

!/8"-RAD.ROUNDOVER

{ Simple Plywood Case. This easy-to-build case holds the four drawers shown on the next page. Simple saw kerfs serve as the drawer slides.

ShopNotes No. 108 Page 7 of 7 ©2009 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.

PATTERN

1!/2

1!/2

1&/8

6!%/16

9

#/8

#/8

!/4

%/8

6

!/24

3

2

1

5

NOTE: CIRCLED NUMBERSREPRESENT SEQUENCE OF BENDS

!/8

!/4

#/8!/4

1(/16

sheet metalDrawer

DRAWER BOX(22-ga. SHEET METAL)

DRAWER FRONT(%/8" x 1&/8" - 6!%/16")

NOTE: FOURDRAWERS REQUIRED

{ Fast & Easy Storage. With four of these drawers and the case shown on the previous page, you can create handy storage for small items. And it doesn’t take up much space on a shelf.

SIDE VIEW

9

1&/8

NOTE:ATTACH DRAWER FRONTUSING FINISH NAILS

!/8"-RAD.ROUNDOVER

BLINDRIVETS