Roll-Out Die Racks & Pull-Out Shelving

What a roll-out die rack is for

Getting a heavy die out from under the shelf above it.

A die on a fixed shelf has a problem: the shelf above it. A crane hook cannot reach straight down to it, and a forklift has to reach into the bay. Either way, people end up dragging, prying or rigging at an angle. That is how dies get dropped, shelves get damaged, and people get hurt.

A roll-out shelf solves this by pulling the whole shelf out of the rack. MECO publishes 100% shelf extension on its Roll-Out Shelf Racks, so the shelf comes fully clear of the frame. Then an overhead crane can lift straight up, or a forklift can lift from the front, with nothing overhead. MECO lists dies, fixtures, engine parts and tooling as typical loads.

Roll-out rack, fixed rack, or something bigger

MECO and Jarke at a glance

Same rating, same shelf sizes on our listings. Different construction details.

CustomMHS carries two roll-out shelf rack lines. Both are rated at 2,000 lb per shelf, both come as starter and add-on units, and both are listed in the same three shelf sizes and three heights. The differences are in what each manufacturer publishes about construction and safety.

Why we lead with MECO

MECO-Omaha publishes the details that matter when 2,000 lb is sitting on an extended shelf: a structural 3 in. channel frame, 10-gauge steel shelves, and shelves that lock in the extended position. It also rates the top of the unit for 2,000 lb, which adds a usable storage level. It publishes a fourth shelf size, 36 in. wide by 48 in. deep, for long, narrow tooling. And MECO offers factory-assembled units for shops that do not want to build a 1,500 lb rack on site. CustomMHS is an authorized MECO-Omaha distributor.

Jarke's E-Z Glide is a solid alternative with the same rating and sizes. It publishes a low pull force of about 15 lb, and states that the 2,000 lb rating holds when the shelf is fully extended. If your quote comparison comes down to price or lead time, either rack will do the job. Compare the full model numbers.

Reading a MECO model number

Three digits give you the whole footprint.

Every MECO Roll-Out Shelf Rack model number encodes the shelf width, shelf depth, height and shelf count. Learn it and you can check a quote at a glance.

Every starter has a matching add-on with an A suffix. Depth and height are overall dimensions. MECO notes that the overall width of a starter is the shelf width plus 8 in., so a 48 in. shelf makes a 56 in. wide rack.

Jarke model numbers

Jarke uses a plainer code: EZ, then shelf width, shelf depth and height in inches, with A for an add-on. EZ484872 is a 48 by 48 in. shelf in a 72-1/2 in. tall starter, and EZ363684A is a 36 by 36 in. add-on at 84-1/2 in.

What 2,000 lb per shelf means

The rating is per shelf, for a load sitting flat on that shelf.

Both lines are rated at 2,000 lb per shelf. Jarke listings describe the rating as evenly distributed. That is the normal basis for shelf ratings, and it is worth taking seriously, because dies are not evenly distributed loads.

Weigh the whole die

Use the weight of the complete die set as it will sit on the shelf: upper and lower shoes, guide posts, any parallels or blocks under it, and the pallet or skid if it has one. A die stamped with a nominal weight years ago may have been modified since. If a die is close to 2,000 lb, weigh it or check the die record before you assign it a shelf.

Keep the load centered

A small, heavy die set at one corner of a 48 by 48 in. shelf concentrates the load on one side of the slides. Set dies near the center of the shelf, and use blocks or a skid that spread the load across the shelf rather than sitting on a few small points.

Choosing shelf width and depth

The die footprint sets the minimum. The way you load it sets the rest.

MECO publishes four shelf sizes: 36 × 36, 36 × 48, 48 × 36 and 48 × 48 in. (width × depth). The first figure is the width across the rack face, the second is the depth into the rack.

Depth and the forklift

If you load by forklift from the front, the forks must reach under the die on the extended shelf. Check fork length against shelf depth and the die's position on the shelf. A 48 in. deep shelf with a die set at the back needs forks long enough to reach it.

Choosing height and shelf count

More shelves only help if each die still fits its opening.

MECO publishes three heights: 62 and 72 in. with three roll-out shelves, and 85 in. with four. The frame is punched for 2 in. vertical shelf adjustment, so the opening for each shelf can be set to the dies it holds. MECO also lists additional shelves as available.

Size each opening

Set each opening to the die shut height, plus any blocks or skid under it, plus room to lift it. For a crane lift, the shelf rolls out clear and the die lifts straight up, so the opening only needs to fit the die going back in. For a forklift lift, add space to raise the forks under the die without striking the shelf above.

Height and the top level

On a MECO rack, the top of the unit is a 2,000 lb storage level. At 85 in., the top is higher than most forklift operators can see onto comfortably, and it does not roll out. If you plan to use it, plan to load it by crane.

Starter and add-on units

Build a row with one starter and as many add-ons as you need.

A starter unit stands on its own. An add-on unit shares an upright with the unit beside it, so it cannot stand alone. A row of three bays is one starter and two add-ons, not three starters.

Because the add-on reuses an upright, it costs less and weighs less than a second starter. Match the series when you add on: an add-on must be the same height and shelf depth as the unit it attaches to. Confirm the finished row length on the quote before you lay out the wall.

Loading and unloading

Extend, lock, lift. One shelf at a time.

MECO states that shelves can be loaded or unloaded by overhead crane or forklift. Jarke lists forklift, cart, hand truck or adjustable-height devices from the side, and crane, manipulator or monorail from above.

1. Confirm the rack is bolted down. Never load or extend a shelf on a rack that is not anchored to the floor.
2. Extend one shelf fully. MECO's shelves roll out one at a time and lock in the extended position. Do not open a second shelf while one is out.
3. Confirm it is locked. The shelf must not roll back while a load is being lifted onto it or off it.
4. Lift straight. With the shelf fully extended, nothing is overhead. Lift vertically by crane or straight back by forklift. Do not drag a die across the shelf.
5. Set the die centered. Place the die near the middle of the shelf, square to the frame, with nothing overhanging.
6. Release and roll back. Push the shelf fully home before moving to the next shelf.

Once it is out of the rack

A die cart or a lift table at the extended shelf height lets you roll a die off and move it without a second crane lift. See Lift Tables & Pallet Positioners for positioning equipment.

Aisle, floor and anchoring

A full rack is a very heavy, very concentrated load, and it must be bolted down.

The aisle

With 100% extension, an open shelf projects its full depth in front of the rack. Your loading equipment then needs room to work at that shelf. OSHA 1910.176(a) requires that "sufficient safe clearances shall be allowed for aisles" where mechanical handling equipment is used.

The floor

On a ground-floor slab in good condition this is usually not a problem, but it is a lot of weight carried on four upright feet. On a mezzanine, raised floor, upper story, or a slab with known cracks, have the floor checked against the loaded weight before installation.

Anchoring

Roll-out die racks must be bolted to the floor. A fully extended shelf carrying 2,000 lb puts that weight entirely in front of the frame. On an unanchored rack, that is enough to tip it forward. Anchoring is what keeps the rack standing when the shelf is out, and it is not optional on any size or height.

Freight, assembly and weight

These racks arrive heavy, flat, and on a truck.

MECO units ship knocked down for freight savings, finished in gray enamel. MECO also offers assembled units shipped ready for use, quoted on request. Jarke units also ship knocked down.

• Weight. MECO starters weigh 921 to 1,570 lb and add-ons 852 to 1,474 lb. Jarke lists 1,185 lb for a 48 × 48 × 72 add-on and 1,281 lb for the matching starter.
• Delivery. Plan for a forklift at the receiving end. These do not come off a truck by hand.
• Anchoring. Every rack must be bolted to the floor, whether it arrives knocked down or assembled. Have anchors and a hammer drill ready on install day.
• Assembly. A knocked-down rack needs two or more people, lifting equipment and time. If the install crew is the maintenance team you are trying to save time for, compare the cost of MECO's assembled option.

Common and costly mistakes

Ten things that go wrong on roll-out rack orders.

1. Using a nominal die weight. Weigh the complete set as it will sit on the shelf, including blocks or skid.
2. Letting dies overhang. Overhanging tooling catches the frame when the shelf rolls in. Size the shelf to the full footprint.
3. Choosing the 85 in. unit without checking openings. Four shelves means shorter openings. Your tallest die decides.
4. Ordering three starters for a row of three. One starter and two add-ons share uprights and cost less.
5. Mixing series in a row. Add-ons must match the height and depth of the unit they attach to.
6. Forgetting the extended shelf in the aisle. A 48 in. shelf at full extension plus a forklift needs real floor space.
7. Opening two shelves at once. One shelf out at a time, locked, then rolled home.
8. Not bolting the rack down. Every roll-out die rack must be anchored to the floor before a shelf is loaded or extended.
9. Ignoring the floor. A loaded four-shelf MECO rack can exceed 11,000 lb at full rating.
10. Comparing quotes on size alone. Compare full model numbers, starter or add-on, assembled or knocked down, and freight.

Quick-reference tables

Everything above, condensed.

MECO Roll-Out Shelf Rack specifications

Specify-it checklist

• Heaviest dieWeigh the complete set as stored. Over 2,000 lb needs a different rack.
• Largest footprintSets the shelf size. No overhang.
• Tallest dieSets the opening, and whether 3 or 4 shelves will fit.
• Number of diesSets the shelf count, then the number of bays. One starter plus add-ons.
• Loading methodCrane, forklift or cart. Check fork length and lift room.
• Space in frontShelf depth plus your equipment's working room.
• FloorRack weight plus 2,000 lb per level. Check anything that is not a ground slab.
• AnchoringMust be bolted to the floor. Confirm the slab can take anchors before delivery.
• AssemblyKnocked down or MECO factory-assembled.
• GrowthLeave room at the end of the row for add-ons in the same series.