Tool storage (french cleats?)

[That would work]

Im soon going to be embarking upon yet another tool cupboard/rack/wall. I've seen a lot of stuff on french cleats which to be honest I don't see the big deal with, yes they are flexible/future proofing but I'm not sure about having to make so many bits and pieces, often for each tool.
I have made in the past (now lost unfortunately) more traditional style cabinets with shelves/shelves with holes, clips, shaped saw handle holders etc etc.
Opinions please?

 

[Droogs]

I don't quite get your drift. french cleats are normally put on the rear of a cabinet to hold the whole thing on to the wall not inside for each shelf or tool. so it's just a plank with a long-wise 45 degree cut very simple really, I use cleats for all the cabinets in the shop as this allows for maximum versitility

 

[That would work]

I know it is slightly miss placed terminology... the same principle as what you mention...they are just strips which are beveled on the back with a corresponding bevel on the drop on holder (for the tool)

 

[Droogs]

Ah got ya. I would just put in shelves etc with holes or cut outs too much faff otherwise

 

[Mrs C]

I used strips of french cleats in my workshop onto the painted breeze block wall as I wasn’t sure where I wanted things to go and was too mean to cover the wall completely in ply to screw things in to. It worked for me as my workshop is very small and I wanted to optimise the hanging storage space, this took several shuffles as I worked out which tools were best where.

If I was doing it again I think I would go for lots and lots of magnetic strips.

 

[ED65]

I think the main draw of French cleats (split battens) is for a large section of or a full wall of infinitely flexible storage with the ability to so easily move items, by lifting off and re-siting completely or just sliding along to a more convenient location for the job at hand.

But of course individually they can be on the back of anything. Once you get to single items though the idea begins to make less sense, as someone (MikeG?) rightly pointed out in a thread a short while ago you drill the same number of holes regardless of whether you screw the item itself to the wall or you screw a batten to the wall that you then hang the thing off. And there's less work, and less material, involved in the former.

I haven't lost my infatuation with them and think they're a neat basis for an entire storage system taking up most or all of a wall, although some prior users have and there are a few YouTube vids on this subject. Often people who have stopped using them have a couple of sheets or a full wall of ply or OSB so they can screw anything securely in any location at a moment's notice.