Building an ammo cabinet

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.cheese.

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So I took the time to repaint my ammo cans with Aervoe Forest Green camo paint (more or less the same color they come) and then painted caliber designations in yellow Rustoleum with stencils.

Now I need to build an ammo cabinet. It needs to hold about 20 50 cal cans and 3 SAW cans.

I'm thinking 5 rows, 1 column..... but the question is what to use. Since each of the cans will be full with loose ammo to the top with a desiccant inside, it needs to take some weight. 3/4" plywood for the top, bottom, and sides should be fine, but inside how to get the weight to hold is my question.

I thought about drilling holes in the plywood and using 1 inch steel dowels to make shelves, but I don't know if the plywood would crack under that kind of weight, especially when it has big holes drilled in it. Another thought is to use 2x4s inside screwed to the plywood to make shelf slots, and then another sheet of 3/4" plywood for each shelf.... however, again I run into the cracking problem. Same thing if I use a router to make slots in the plywood. Then there's the idea of making the whole thing basically out of metal pipe and making a wood shell for it.... that would be a lot more work though.

How would you guys build this? It ultimately needs to look like a piece of furniture so that it's inconspicuous just like I did with my gun cabinet. Finishing it with stain would be nice, but I could use paint instead. I'm just trying to figure out the best way structurally to hold a significant amount of weight. on each shelf (I think each can weighs about 50 lbs or more).
 
What about bolting some medium gauge steel angle or channel to the sides, and sitting the plywood on that?

Let me clarify - Looking at the front, the channel would run from left to right, supporting the plywood across the middle. Maybe two or three pieces, 6" apart.
 
I'd make the shell out of 3/4" birch ply, and support the internal shelves with 3/4" ply, essentially creating rabbets on three sides. The front of the shelves will need support, and I'd use 3/4" ply, for that, as well. Just make a shallow full-length dado, and glue-and-screw the support underneath, and support it on both ends with your ply rabbet blocks. A ~matching hardwood face frame and frame and panel door completes the cabinet. Screw it to the wall, 'cause if it tips over, it'll be as heavy as a soft drink machine.

Of course, you could always use trued construction lumber, with dadoed shelving, and a ply back.

There're lots of options; too many to cover, here.

I like to keep my heavy ammo cans closer to the floor, so the bottom shelf of a workbench in the metal shop suits me.
 
'cause if it tips over, it'll be as heavy as a soft drink machine.
Click to expand...

If it tips over.... I'd be cream .cheese. :eek: :what:

I can't imagine having all my cans fall on me.... I'd get squished instantly. Good reminder though. I hadn't thought about that. I'll have to move my gun safe and put this cabinet where the gun safe is, because I was planning to put the cabinet in front of a window, which would give me no way to secure it to the wall.
 
I'd go with a lower, wider setup - 3 rows of 8 maybe, then put some plywood on top and use it for an additional workbench (cleaning bench, etc)
 
what might actually be easiest is to buy a cheap, but sturdy bookshelf, and then just build a door out of wood and attach it and any latching/locking hardware you choose. I use a 7' bookshelf to store my ammo, and it is really great, and very solid, and I dont think I could have built it myself for any less than I paid. Adding a single or double door of plywood or similar would be really simple and pretty cheap, if one desired.

Just a thought. With the cost of building materials now, a lot of times, with simple items, it really isnt any cheaper to build something than to buy soething complete and modify a little as needed. Or, even if it is a little cheaper, it often isnt enough savings to be worth the effort.
 
Why don't you PM PAShooter, I remember seeing him have a great setup. It held plenty of ammo cans, I believe more than you ask for and looked very solid.
 
I've built two such cabinets.

The first was built using 2 x 12s for the all parts, including shell, base and shelves. I routed out the shell for the shelves then glued and lag bolted it all together and it on 4" casters. Once it was loaded, it wouldn't move.

The 2nd edition was built to the exact same dimensions but used 3/4" plywood for the sides, top and shelves. The shelves rest on 2 x 2s that are glued and screwed to the shell. The whole thing rests on top of 2 x 12s.
 
I'd go with a lower, wider setup - 3 rows of 8 maybe, then put some plywood on top and use it for an additional workbench (cleaning bench, etc)
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What he said. I would like to do this too but it will be far too hot for me to store ammo in the garage, mine will have to stay in the house.
 
1. Make the stacks lower than planned, like 3 rows of 8.
2. Add metal angles/ possible chanel to span the width/ support the weight.
AND 3. have fun and plan to add a couple more boxes.
 
2 pallets made of 2x3's with 3/4" ply and 1 1/2" roller barring wheels sized to fit under the pool table in the basement play room. 13 cans per side without stacking.
 
You could also make the shelves out of 2x4s. It turns out that 2x4s are less expensive and much stronger than plywood.
 
What he said. I would like to do this too but it will be far too hot for me to store ammo in the garage, mine will have to stay in the house.
Click to expand...

That's the same problem here. It's way too hot and humid to store it in the garage. All gun stuff goes in my office where it's always 75 degrees during the day and 60 degrees at night. This is going to go in the office.

I had another idea. I could make it the same dimensions as the gun safe, and then bolt the two together so that neither can topple over, nor can either be moved by a thief.

You could also make the shelves out of 2x4s. It turns out that 2x4s are less expensive and much stronger than plywood.
Click to expand...

True... if I recall correctly, that was how PAShooter did his. I'll PM him to check.
 
I saved this photo from a poster on another forum, I don't think it was here. Anyway, looks like some pretty bodacious shelves to me. I believe they should have some 2x4 stringers in between the front and back rails too, though, for center support. Nice ammo stash too.

Shelves20DFD.gif
 
You might consider a gangbox. I keep part of my ammo stash in a 26 c.f. Knaack Jobmaster chest. If its in the garage and you're worried about humidity, get some silicone sealant to seal up any holes, and form a gasket/seal for the lid to clamp down on. Put a dessicant pack in each ammo can, and somer more between the ammo cans in the gangbox.

www.knaack.com
 
I wish I could see photos of Preacherman's idea in action. Sounds like an easy way to do this.
 
How about a 19" electronic equipment rack.
Angle iron for support and 1/2" plywood shelf. Google search for the racks, doors and sides are extra.

I can get 6 50 cal. cans to a shelf.







.
 
I made mine out of 3/4" birch plywood, 4'w x 2'd x 6'h. Bottom shelf has 3 2"x4"s laid flat and attched to the bottom with screws to support the weight. middle shelf has 1"x2" cleats on three edges and a 1"x2" running under the front edge of the shelf. Plenty strong enought to hold ammo, bullets, powder and primers. When I add the next 2 shelves I'll use the same cleat method. 3/4" birch plywood is pretty strong and if you attach a couple 1"x2"s running the length of the shelf it's plenty strong enough. You could also laminate 2 3/4" peices of plywood to make the shelf.
 
How about a 19" electronic equipment rack.
Click to expand...

you mean like rackmount racks?

I have some extra of those in a warehouse actually.
 
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I went looking around. To get the heavy duty shelving would be $50 something and then the cabinet would be $80 something (this was at Home Depot though, I haven't checked Office Depot or Office Max yet).

I went over the lumber after a while of looking in the storage area. 24"x48" 3/4" sandply is $16.67

I could minimize cuts and scrap being left over if I used a full 24"x48" sheet for the back and 2 more sheets for the sides. Then one sheet could be the front, just cut in half and with hinges mounted. Another sheet cut in half would make 2 shelves (3 total including the bottom).

The top and bottom pieces would end up wasting a little less than half of a sheet each though. Additionally, it would be almost twice as deep as an ammo can.

Easy, but would be the wrong dimensions ultimately.

I measured the dimensions of my gun cabinet and it's the perfect depth. So I think what I'm going to do is just use standard sheets of 3/4" sandply, and make it as tall as the gun cabinet I built, same finish and everything. Just make the width more suitable for 5 ammo cans per shelf, and use angle brackets for securing each shelf, along with 2 pieces of 2x2 underneath the center of each shelf for extra support so it won't crack under the stress. Also the doors would be slightly different too. Then I'll put the two together and it will give me a nice long space on the top for storage of flashlights, batteries, and gun cleaning stuff.

It would end up costing about the same amount and I'd get it exactly the way I want it.
 
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