*Food Storage Rolling Shelves*
I remember while in my early teens I was quite fascinated with a particular set of shelves that my dad made. The shelves were in our cellar and held a good number of canned goods on them. The part that intrigued me about the shelves is that the cans rolled on them! Mom and dad would put the items they just bought on the higher end of the shelf and they would roll down and meet the other cans in that row!
A little over a year ago I, finally, got tired of having to take all my cans off the shelves I had, put the new canned items on the back and replace all the other cans (rotation is necessary in your food storage plan). Anyway, I got tired of it and I ripped down some makeshift shelves that we had up in the catch all room, went out into the shop and found whatever I could to use for the framework and went to work!
I have to admit I didn't draw anything out to go by...I just screwed things together where I thought they should go and measured during the 'creation' to get my frame somewhat symetrical:-) Also, I needed to do a bit of measuring on my cans so that I would know where to put the small wood strips (dividers) on each shelf. I am very pleased to have this rolling shelf unit and I sure would like to make another one! If I could makeshift one together, anyone can! It makes the rotation system so easy and it makes it easy at a glance to see just what you have!
So, in a nutshell, the basic idea is to have enough pitch on the shelves so that the cans will roll. I have about an eight inch pitch on mine. You place your new cans up on the highest part of the shelf and let them roll down 'til they clunk the older cans! Just remember when you take a can off to take it from the lower end of the shelves!
My shelves are about 6 1/2 ft. long, 3 ft. high and 14" wide. As you can see by the picture I can add another shelf on top! Think I may do that real soon!
Caution and common sense...DO NOT rotate glass jars in this manner!
Happy 'rolling shelf' making, should you decide to make some!
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