Tools and tool troubles. #3: Clamp storage ideas.....have any?

Someone here just posted a clamp rack on the wall in their shop. Mine are clamped on a shelf where they are always easy to find. The real long ones are stored on a shelf under the miter saw.
Hey Roz, do you know Grizzman? He’s in L.A. too. Don’t remember the name of the town but, check out his profile page…it shows a map of the area where he is

-- Gary, DeKalb Texas only 4 miles from the mill

Thanks Gary, I’ll check out Grizzman. I have shelves under my work benches but I couldn’t put the long clamps there and my miter saw and work counter is all drawer storage, so that won’t work in my shop. I think I will have to hang them on the wall somehow. I just don’t want to use a lot of wall space.

-- Terry Roswell, L.A. (Lower Alabama) "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans."

My shop is in my basement…no ceiling so the floor joists are exposed and that is where my clamps live. I have most of them in one area , but others that I use for certain reasons are located overhead in the areas that I use them in. I simply clamp them to the joists …no hangers necessary : )

-- I'm absolutely positive that I couldn't be more uncertain!

I never really considered hanging them from the ceiling. My ceiling is 12 foot, but I think I could come up with a method….interesting idea, thanks fellas.

-- Terry Roswell, L.A. (Lower Alabama) "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans."

I use a inexpensive but effective method. I use a 8 foot 2×4 with 7” gutter screws spaced every 5 inches or so. Then just hang the clamps between the thread and the head piece.

-- Bob A in NJ

Thanks Bob.

-- Terry Roswell, L.A. (Lower Alabama) "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans."

Do you have any pegboard in your shop? I keep my long clamps hanging on a couple of those heavy-duty hooks that are designed to be used in pairs to hold a shelf. They are about 8” long, so you can easily hang half a dozen clamps on one while taking up very little space.

Even if you don’t have pegboard, you could use the same principle by getting one of those long screw hooks they make for hanging bicycles on the wall. The point is that most of the time you see clamps lined up side-by-side on a rack or on the wall. But if you devise a system where they extend from the wall one directly in front of the other, they will take up less space. I hope I’m describing this well enough.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Roz: I built a rolling clamp rack clamp rack that works pretty well for me. It allows me to take all my clamps to where I’m doing my assembly work. I’ll post some pics in my projects for you to take a look at. Hope this helps. I must have skipped the part where you built a rolling one already. Sorry.

-- Dave from "The Sawdust Shed"

Down and dirty solution – nail or screw a 2×4x8 to the wall and use it to hold your clamps. For spring clamps drill a couple of holes in the 2×4 and glue dowel rods in.

-- Those that say it can't be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

I store my clamps much like CharlieM1958’s suggested. Works OK for me….plus it is easy to reconfigure the space. (pic below—hopefully ;>)

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh321/trrh_photos/clamp-storage.jpg

best wishes & Happy New Year to all LJs

Terry, Fredericton, NB

-- Terry, Fredericton, NB Canada

Greetings Roz: Here’s my clamp rack system I built a while back. It works great, and keeps your clamps up and out of the way, yet handy to get to. Works good for all types of calmps. Made of 7/8” Maple, it’s stout. Here are several shots to give you an idea how it works.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu73/RickDennington/100_0869.jpg
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu73/RickDennington/100_0870.jpg
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu73/RickDennington/100_0875.jpg
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu73/RickDennington/100_0876.jpg
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu73/RickDennington/100_0877.jpg

Hope this helps you get an idea. Feel free to use any or all, if you can….........

-- " There's a better way.....find it"...... Thomas Edison.

All these ideas are great and a big help. Thanks guys, I’ll have a close look at all your recommendations. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Roz

-- Terry Roswell, L.A. (Lower Alabama) "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans."

Roz, I second Dusty, have all my clamps clamped onto the rafters in my garage/shop.

Rick Dennington has done it right. Easy to see what you have and all in one place.

-- Mike The Termite ~~~~~ Working safely may get old, but so do those who practice it.

this is mine – so far holding up pretty well for almost a year. I have added more of those since:

-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.