It won't impress any cabinet makers, but I needed a mental health therapy project and this did the trick.
(Actual diving wasn't an option this morning.)
Supplies:
7 @ 2 x 3 x 31"
1 @ 1 x 8 x 48"
1 @ 2 x 6 x 50 3/4"
1 @ 2 x 6 x 59 7/8
21 @ 1 5/8" decking screws
28 @ 3" decking screws
1 @ 2014 Dodge Ram
6 @ SCUBA tanks
2+ @ rachet straps
This project is nice because there is no dimensional/milling work that has to be done to the lumber. Everything is standard (in America) lumberyard dimensions. A person could get by without cutting out the scallops if they wanted to mount a simple furring strip as a 'valve protector.'
The centers of the 31" long runners are 7 3/4" apart. The width of all runners is 48" wide measured on the outside. That puts the center of the center runner at 24". This was incredibly simple to lay out. The only tricky part was getting the 'scallops' cut into the 'tank valve protector.' I used an AL80 boot and marked the inside diameter through the hole in the bottom. I cut them out with a scroll saw. Holding the line was critical. To make them smooth, I taped a poster board to the outside of a tank. Then taped a piece of 100 grit sandpaper to the poster board. Then used the tank as a sanding block. Perfect diameter scallop. To finish it all off, I routered a chamfer on the scalloped side of the 1x8. With the chamfer, and with the bottom of the tank snug to the board, there is about a quarter inch gap between the top of the tank and the 'valve protector.'
I figure that if I am involved in a car accident big enough to break the ratchet strap holding the tanks, I probably don't have to worry much about the valves. I do need to add something to hold the bottom of the tanks to the rack. I may replace the 2x6 at the 'bottom' of the rack with a 2x10. I could then mount blocks to hold the bottoms down in the event of a bad bounce. For now it is still vastly better than letting them roll around.
(Actual diving wasn't an option this morning.)
Supplies:
7 @ 2 x 3 x 31"
1 @ 1 x 8 x 48"
1 @ 2 x 6 x 50 3/4"
1 @ 2 x 6 x 59 7/8
21 @ 1 5/8" decking screws
28 @ 3" decking screws
1 @ 2014 Dodge Ram
6 @ SCUBA tanks
2+ @ rachet straps
This project is nice because there is no dimensional/milling work that has to be done to the lumber. Everything is standard (in America) lumberyard dimensions. A person could get by without cutting out the scallops if they wanted to mount a simple furring strip as a 'valve protector.'
The centers of the 31" long runners are 7 3/4" apart. The width of all runners is 48" wide measured on the outside. That puts the center of the center runner at 24". This was incredibly simple to lay out. The only tricky part was getting the 'scallops' cut into the 'tank valve protector.' I used an AL80 boot and marked the inside diameter through the hole in the bottom. I cut them out with a scroll saw. Holding the line was critical. To make them smooth, I taped a poster board to the outside of a tank. Then taped a piece of 100 grit sandpaper to the poster board. Then used the tank as a sanding block. Perfect diameter scallop. To finish it all off, I routered a chamfer on the scalloped side of the 1x8. With the chamfer, and with the bottom of the tank snug to the board, there is about a quarter inch gap between the top of the tank and the 'valve protector.'
I figure that if I am involved in a car accident big enough to break the ratchet strap holding the tanks, I probably don't have to worry much about the valves. I do need to add something to hold the bottom of the tanks to the rack. I may replace the 2x6 at the 'bottom' of the rack with a 2x10. I could then mount blocks to hold the bottoms down in the event of a bad bounce. For now it is still vastly better than letting them roll around.
I would accept "seriously okay."
