How does 15 go into 8? with a double stack clamp rack

[Rorton]

I have a few UniKlamps and ages ago made a quick holder for them:

That held 7 clamps and works OK - was rough and ready from whatever I had lying around, and a 'door' on it to stop the clamps coming out.

I need a few more clamps, and the space I had to store them was still the same space, no where else on the walls, so I got thinking about having a double layer of clamps - I could fit max 8 in a row, and have 2 rows, with them being 'offset' the other row would have 7, so I could fit 15 clamps into the same space that 8 would take up - Perfect!

Into the computer we went using sketchup, and started to work sizes out etc - here was the design:

One layer on top of 7 clamps, and a second layer, offset by a set amount, to store the other 8,

The design seemed to work ok, so into the garage to see what we have to make it with...

I had some oak left over from the tables I built recently, so 2 lengths of that were glued together to make a single board that was 115mm wide, x 1200mm long

This was then thicknessed down to 16mm as the board was already 18mm and I wanted it flat after gluing.

Then crosscut into panels for the top and bottom rack and 2 sides:

I decided to rebate the top and bottom into the sides for a bit of extra strength, so I measured down the height of the top of a clamp (27mm) and cut a rebate on the tables on each of the sides - quick press fit dry to make sure it was ok

I then marked out the spacing for the top and bottom brackets which initially needed to be identical, as the clamps on the top rail needed a slot in the bottom rail to pass through, so I stuck the 2 panels together with double stick tape, and then started to cut the grooves on the table saw again - coming in from each end.

This worked out great, so I split the 2 panels, and then cut the extra slots in what was to be the bottom one:

Once all cut, I quickly clamped the dry assembly to the tablesaw with a blue clamp (that's not part of the solution!!!) to to check how it would work

Idea was good, so carry on...

Next was some kind of bracket to secure to the wall, so I cut some more oak, used a forstner bit to cut shallow 25mm holes for washers, and epoxied these to the wood

I also needed a way to secure the clamps in the rack - I had some rare earth magnets left from another project, so made a couple of panels that would sit directly under the slots for the clamps, and drilled 5mm x 5mm deep holes for the magnets

Thats about where im up to at the moment, the magnets and washers will take a while to set, so once done, I will glue those panels onto the main frame, another sand, some OSMO for protection, and should be finished

Will post some more pics of the next stages when I get there....

 

[Jameshow]

Shocking use of oak!

Nice project!

Cheers James

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Those short grain fingers, especially the piece with fifteen slots cut into the edge, look a bit fragile to me. I think that's the sort of project where I'd have chosen plywood to provide extra strength in each of the fingers, as illustrated in the fist photo in your post. I appreciate you were probably trying to make something that's visually more attractive than some pieces of plywood lashed together, but for my money a clamp rack is primarily a tool and doesn't need to be particularly aesthetically pleasing, although looking like a dog's breakfast wouldn't be appropriate either. I'd just aim for functional yet neatly made. Slainte.

 

[Rorton]

Your probably right. The thinner fingers are 13mm x 30mm deep, although the actual head of the clamp is supported by the whole width of timber, not just the finger.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

The thinner fingers are 13mm x 30mm deep ...

To strengthen the fingers (you're sure to break at least one at some point) you could carefully bore a hole 40-45 mm deep from the front edge of each finger and glue in a piece of dowel. Just how you'd hide the end of the dowel at the front face might be an interesting wee challenge, but I wouldn't bother with that because having the ends of the dowels show in that circumstance wouldn't be of concern to me. Slainte.

 

[Rorton]

thanks for the tip - while I was applying finish, I applied a considerable amount of pressure in both directions to the fingers, and they really didn't move, so im hoping that they should stay that way (fingers crossed!)

Ive put some oil on, just needs to dry then will attached to the wall and load up

 

[billw]

Like this idea, I'm all for stuff that utilises space well. If it doesn't snap I'll make one

 

[TheUnicorn]

looks good, definately a good use of space as others have said, I think ply would have been a better option for the fingers, which do look a bit fragile.

Talking of fingers, how easy is it to take the clamps out, looks a bit fiddly, especially on the bottom row? I wonder if it might make sense to set the top row back by something like 30 mm, (and cutting the grooves deeper on the bottom row on the matching spaces) which would make access easier at the bottom. As a bonus you'd also be able to see quicker which slots are which on the bottom row

 

[Rorton]

Thanks - I'll find in in a few hours how easy it is when its screwed to the wall! at worst I guess they could be grabbed from the bottom - I guess use the ones on the top row first, which frees up space to get the lower ones after could work?

If I had thought about it more, I probably should have done rougher version to test all this out - how do you think the fingers will break - they won't be carrying any real weight as the whole of the shelf that has the fingers cut from will take most of it, ive given them a real good wiggle up and down and side to side and they dont move at all - perhaps when the clamps are placed in and out?

 

[Sgian Dubh]

- how do you think the fingers will break -

Probably the first time you clumsily drop a clamp onto a finger(s) as you either add it or remove it from the rack, or some other cause of shock. Slainte.

 

[Cabinetman]

It may be a good precaution to put a screw through each finger into something a bit more solid at the back, I wouldn’t but if you are fussy as to how it would look you could glue a wooden plug on top of the screws. Ian

 

[Rorton]

hmm, will look into it then, maybe a contrasting dowel or something - dont want to spoil the look now!!!

here it is hung up with some clamps on

 

[Rorton]

Got some 50mm dowels and glued them into the fingers so should be a bit stronger now

 

[Cabinetman]

Nothing wrong with that at all, your dowel solution was a lot better than my screw idea. Looks very neat and tidy. Ian