What You’ll Do:
[image A] Use precut Aspen wood panels; they are soft enough to cut and drill into easily, the wood is not too heavy and it stains very nicely. Stain the wood shelves, top, bottom and sides, in a water-based gray stain. Use a clean cotton rag and wear gloves.
Because flanges come in slightly different sizes, determine where they are going to land on the bottom shelf. They should be just next to the edges of the wood.
Mark the distance for six pipe holes at the corners and center of the shelf with a pencil. The center point for each flange should be 1 ¾ inches from each side of the shelf and from the center edge.
Clamp the two center shelves tightly together, and elevate them on 2 x 4s so the paddle bit will pierce all the way though both shelves without damaging the work surface underneath.
You will need to use a paddle bit for drilling all six holes for the support pipes in the two center shelves. To accommodate a ½-inch pipe, you will need to use a ⅞-inch paddle bit for the holes. (Remember, ½ inch refers to the inside diameter of the pipe, not the outside.)
[image E] Using a cordless drill with the ⅞-inch paddle bit attachment, drill holes for the support pipes all the way through both center shelf boards at the same time. Be sure to push the drill straight down and not at an angle.
[image F] As an extra precaution to keep the shelves from sliding apart while you’re drilling, insert a loose pipe into each freshly drilled hole.
[image H] Start building the shelf unit with the six 7-inch-long pipes. Attach a flange at one end and a union at the other. Tighten them until they are all slightly over 8 inches tall. Since the baskets are 8 inches tall, you’ll want the distance between shelves to be just large enough to fit the basket. These will be the first layer of support pipes on the bottom shelf.
Using ½-inch screws, screw the flanges to the bottom shelf. Remember to position the center of the pipe 1 ¾inches from the edges to line up with the holes of the next shelf.
[image J] When all six supports are attached, lay one of the middle shelves on top and line up the holes with each corresponding union underneath.
Insert the 8-inch-long pipes next, one in each hole, and gently screw into the union below.
Top each of these pipes with a union as well, and carefully measure so that each pipe is just about 8 inches high. All three shelves don’t have to be the exact same distance apart, just enough so that the locker baskets will slide under them loosely.
[image M] Top this row with the next shelf. Again, line up the holes with the unions beneath. Screw the remaining 9-inch-long pipes into these.
Top the final pipes with the remaining six flanges. Measure to make sure they are all about the same height.
[image N] Lay the final shelf on top and attach the flanges from underneath with ½-inch screws.
Stain the edges of the 2 x 12 boards with gray stain.
[image O] Once the stain is dry, attach the casters to the bottom of the board with the lag screws.
Flip over the shelving unit and lay the caster piece on the underside, leaving about an inch of shelf around all four sides.
[image P] Attach the caster piece to the bottom of the shelf unit with a few 2-inch screws.
Flip the unit over onto the wheels, and insert the locker baskets into the shelves.
Use a drill with a small drill bit to drill a pilot hole centered over each basket.
Twist an eye hook into each pilot hole to correspond with the loop on the basket below.
[image S] Just for fun, I added a few old-school combination locks. (Be sure to leave the combinations taped to the back if you plan on locking them.)