Thoughts on this? Pull-out closet rod?

Use plastic or metal piping to "sleeve" the rods. Run the sleeving from the absolute front of the unit to the absolute rear. Cement or glue the sleeves in position - they should not move.
Size the sleeving to the rod as tight as you can - still being able to pull the rod out. Think pistons in an engine.

You should be able to get 75% of the rod out and still be stable - but adding additional weight, cantilevered will make the unit unstable unless you have weight in the bottom of the shelving unit.

walleye*guy wrote: ↑ Use plastic or metal piping to "sleeve" the rods. Run the sleeving from the absolute front of the unit to the absolute rear. Cement or glue the sleeves in position - they should not move.
Size the sleeving to the rod as tight as you can - still being able to pull the rod out. Think pistons in an engine.

You should be able to get 75% of the rod out and still be stable - but adding additional weight, cantilevered will make the unit unstable unless you have weight in the bottom of the shelving unit.

My shelving unit is drilled into studs, but there is no weight at the bottom of my shelf (intentionally open - similar to photo, but that's not my shelving unit)

The sleeve is a good idea... I think! I also thought about supporting it from above/higher up with chains, but not sure how much this would actually help - especially since ideally I'd want to be able to pull it out to multiple positions.

My shelf unit is 31" deep, but that includes the 2x4s so 28" between the front+back

At 31 inches you should go metal tubes

walleye*guy wrote: ↑ At 31 inches you should go metal tubes

Argh, well that definitely makes it more complicated and expensive. Any ideas on a different approach?

Kaitlyn wrote: ↑ Argh, well that definitely makes it more complicated and expensive. Any ideas on a different approach?

Don't know how much you want to spend but how about using black metal pipes?

If you go with idea below, just have the assembly pull out only about 18".
2 x Black Steel Pipe Nipple 3/4 inch x 24 inch $9.20 ea - your pull out
2 x Fitting Black Iron 90 Degree Elbow 3/4 Inch $2.14 ea - use with above
2 x Fitting Black Iron Cap 3/4 Inch $1.71 ea - to use as inside end
1 x Black Steel Pipe Nipple 3/4 inch x 36 inch $13.21 ea - your cross bar
2 x 1 Hole EMT Strap 3/4 In $2.83/10 - use as inside stop

toyorav4me wrote: ↑ Don't know how much you want to spend but how about using black metal pipes?

If you go with idea below, just have the assembly pull out only about 18".
2 x Black Steel Pipe Nipple 3/4 inch x 24 inch $9.20 ea - your pull out
2 x Fitting Black Iron 90 Degree Elbow 3/4 Inch $2.14 ea - use with above
2 x Fitting Black Iron Cap 3/4 Inch $1.71 ea - to use as inside end
1 x Black Steel Pipe Nipple 3/4 inch x 36 inch $13.21 ea - your cross bar
2 x 1 Hole EMT Strap 3/4 In $2.83/10 - use as inside stop

So that's actually not nearly as bad as I... thought it would be. Thanks a lot for including the parts too! I've never worked with pipe. I guess wood isn't the solution to everything eh?

My shelf is actually 65" wide. On HD, at least, I see 36, 48, 72". Given the threaded ends I guess cutting is out of the question? I have zero ability or interest to weld haha. I could use the shorter 24" and put two of them, but then I'm also doubling up on the pull-outs + parts. Although now thinking about the option, the idea of only pulling out half for a single item is somewhat interesting

Would using 3/4" or even 1" wooden dowels in place be significantly weaker? I'm not hanging weights off this of course, with my snow chains probably being the heaviest. Just don't know how the weight/leverage math works out when you're hanging it off-center.

For your part listing that last EMT strap - are you suggesting I would mount that "on top" of the bar to prevent upwards angling? Couldn't I also just screw in a wooden block stop or similar if going with dowels?


Here I was thinking this would be a super simple and easy addition, turns out not so much

So Home Depot could cut and tread the pipe to length that you want but I have no idea about the costs. Just buy the length that will work for you which I think is the easier.

If your shelf is 64" wide, your option of pipe length you want to use is up to you. Using wood will be weaker for sure, may as well build it strong.

The EMT strap , you are going to fasten it under the shelf so when you pull the pipe assembly out the End Cap will be stop by the EMT strap. You can even use short 2x4 if you have extra kicking around - End Cap will be stop by the 2x4)

Hope this helps, good luck. It's pretty easy for me to think about it.

If you want it super sturdy. I would scrap the whole thing and make it out of metal.
I would use HSS for your pull out rods, maybe sched 40 or sched 80. Maybe 1" or whatever size you want depending on how much weight you want at full length. Then I would put this HSS inside another HSS and run it all the way into the back.
The weight of the shelving unit would hold up whatever you need to hold up at 25" or whatnot. And because the HSS pullout is size on size with the HSS sleeve, you can pull it out literally up to maybe 2-3 Inches and still get a good weight to go on.

If you have no interest in welding, just pay a welder to do it for you.

If you want this to look clean and professional, forget the strap mentioned a above. It works but we want it looking pro right?

Pull it out as far as you want to go, drill straight through both HSS so you have some sort of idea where you want to stop/where the locking mechanism will be. Now drill the outer sleeve a touch bigger. Put a small diameter pipe into the HSS pullout so then you can put a spring and a metal dowel in it. Now when you pull it out once it reaches as far as it goes, the spring pushes the dowel out and it locks it into place. To push it back all you do is press into the dowel and push the bar in.
This above will work when the hole is drilled sideways and not from the bottom (else the dowel will fall out). If you want it from the bottom, will require a little more work (like a peened dowel, or magnet on the outer HSS, or a dozen other ways)

Add another 2x4 12" parallel to the outer 2x4 shelf member, and screw it in to place.. Drill a hole in both the outer 2x4 and the new 2x4 large enough to fit 1/2" black pipe. Insert a 36" by 1/2" black pipe through the holes. Add 1/2" caps to each end to act as stops.

walleye*guy wrote: ↑ Use plastic or metal piping to "sleeve" the rods. Run the sleeving from the absolute front of the unit to the absolute rear. Cement or glue the sleeves in position - they should not move.
Size the sleeving to the rod as tight as you can - still being able to pull the rod out. Think pistons in an engine.

You should be able to get 75% of the rod out and still be stable - but adding additional weight, cantilevered will make the unit unstable unless you have weight in the bottom of the shelving unit.

I was thinking similar, and then I read your post.
We're thinking alike.

Maybe flange that pipe on the wall, and insert in through a hole in the front face.

Two undermount drawer slides, a dowel that spans them and a quick squeeze clamp to lock it in position anywhere along the length. 10 minute job and you're done

Maybe something like this...

Use two full length drawer slides (they can hold a lot of weight extended) and your imagination (depends on what you're hanging) and consider building under your shelf.

MrFrugal1 wrote: ↑ Add another 2x4 12" parallel to the outer 2x4 shelf member, and screw it in to place.. Drill a hole in both the outer 2x4 and the new 2x4 large enough to fit 1/2" black pipe. Insert a 36" by 1/2" black pipe through the holes. Add 1/2" caps to each end to act as stops.

Just so I understand, what is the point of this second 2x4?

Kaitlyn wrote: ↑ Just so I understand, what is the point of this second 2x4?

The other 2x4 acts as guide so the pipe won't flop left, right, up and down. Also, if you pulled the pipe out to its fullest, any weight placed on the pipe would cause the single 2x4 to become a fulcrum.

Sooo I just got back from HD.

I went with this:

3x36" pipe - these act as the "depth rods"
2x90deg elbows - 1 on each side
1xTee attachment - attaching 2 cross poles + the "middle" 36" pipe
1x24" + 1x36" - span the cross piece connecting to the two 90deg elbows and the middle Tee.

A few things:
- The threads don't seem to go in all the way for ANY of the fittings - is this normal?
- My width with all the attachments ends up being 1.5-2" too wide to fit where I want it.... if I cut off some pipe, then I can't screw it to attach? The pipe only seems to come in 12" increments, so I'd be shortening my width by 10"-12" going with 2x24" instead of 24"+36".

Any ideas how I might be able to make it less wide by at least 1.5"? I did some quick measuring and it looks like if I managed to cut off the width of the "exposed threads" then I'd gain about an inch... which isn't enough.

Kaitlyn wrote: ↑ - The threads don't seem to go in all the way for ANY of the fittings - is this normal?
- My width with all the attachments ends up being 1.5-2" too wide to fit where I want it.... if I cut off some pipe, then I can't screw it to attach? The pipe only seems to come in 12" increments, so I'd be shortening my width by 10"-12" going with 2x24" instead of 24"+36".

Depot (before the world ended) will cut and thread pipe for you to custom lengths. Not sure if they will do this in your area with Covid. The one closest to me will not, but the one 2 mins further away in a different direction will.

The threads do not thread all the way in. There is a slight cone shape to the threaded part.

I am not sure you need the centre T part. I am not a small dude and I could probably hang off 1” black pipe at 36” with only support at the two ends.

Edit: I now realize you are 65” wide. If they wont thread it for you, they do sell “nipples” in 1” increments 12” and under so you could buy more unions to get where you want. Or call around to someone who will sell you the exact length of pipe you need. Any local HVAC or gas fitter will do this for you I’m sure for a fee.

Jerico wrote: ↑ Depot (before the world ended) will cut and thread pipe for you to custom lengths. Not sure if they will do this in your area with Covid. The one closest to me will not, but the one 2 mins further away in a different direction will.

The threads do not thread all the way in. There is a slight cone shape to the threaded part.

I am not sure you need the centre T part. I am not a small dude and I could probably hang off 1” black pipe at 36” with only support at the two ends.

Edit: I now realize you are 65” wide. If they wont thread it for you, they do sell “nipples” in 1” increments 12” and under so you could buy more unions to get where you want. Or call around to someone who will sell you the exact length of pipe you need. Any local HVAC or gas fitter will do this for you I’m sure for a fee.

So the pipe I'm using is 1/2" not 1"... I guess half as strong? For the 36" lengths going in, I found some 1" pipe that the 1/2" pipe fits quite snugly into and would use that as the sleeve.

I think I'd be fine with a single length. I saw Lowes+Rona have a 60" length, but even then I think it'd be a touch too long - especially if cutting off ends isn't as easy since you say it's cone-shaped.

I could also swap my 36" to a 30", and end up a bit shorter than ideal but it'd totally fit and "work". Seems I can go down by 6" increments, but nothing smaller - apart from adding extra pieces. Although getting a couple shorter pieces + coupling them together doesn't exactly seem ideal? But maybe that works just fine too? The rona+lowes pipes are decently more expensive than HD.

My 65" wide, I originally forgot to account for a 2x4" on each side, so -3" total.. 62" MAX width to work with.

Kaitlyn wrote: ↑ So the pipe I'm using is 1/2" not 1"... I guess half as strong? For the 36" lengths going in, I found some 1" pipe that the 1/2" pipe fits quite snugly into and would use that as the sleeve.

I think I'd be fine with a single length. I saw Lowes+Rona have a 60" length, but even then I think it'd be a touch too long - especially if cutting off ends isn't as easy since you say it's cone-shaped.

I could also swap my 36" to a 30", and end up a bit shorter than ideal but it'd totally fit and "work". Seems I can go down by 6" increments, but nothing smaller - apart from adding extra pieces. Although getting a couple shorter pieces + coupling them together doesn't exactly seem ideal? But maybe that works just fine too? The rona+lowes pipes are decently more expensive than HD.

My 65" wide, I originally forgot to account for a 2x4" on each side, so -3" total.. 62" MAX width to work with.

You wont be able to thread this pipe yourself but its all in a typical day for any pipe threader. I would consider going to 3/4” pipe and no centre thingy, and find a store who will cut it. Maybe a home hardware or some other hardware store might still thread it for you. When I did my garage heater I bought all the pipe for the TSSA registered guy doing it on the side and had to go get a 21” custom length pipe. Depot or Lowes did it for me in seconds once I found someone.