Jack Hogoboom
03-18-2007, 6:33 PM
So I was working in my new shop today, trying to start organizing it. I wanted to make a clamp rack for my parallel jaw clamps (Bessey K-bodies and Jorgensen clamps). I was following the plans in the Wood magazine shop tips issue. I used some of my scrap plywood to make it.
I have 24 of these bad boys (apparently, you CAN have too many clamps). I got the rack finished and hung it on the french cleat I had made. I then loaded all of the clamps on the rack (they range in size from 12" to 60"). So far so good.
I go upstairs to have lunch and while I'm eating hear a loud crash. Being the bright boy I am, I figured the new rack had just taken a tumble.:rolleyes:
I went down to the basement and, sure enough, the cleat had pulled right off my plywood wall. Since it was attached with number 8 1" screws, I figured the culprit was not enough gripping power. I replaced the number 8 screws with 2" number 12s. I re-loaded the rack. While I was standing there, I started to hear a sickening creaking sound, which grew progressively louder. Before I could get the clamps off again, the whole thing fell off the wall with a loud bang.:eek: This time, the cleat was still on the wall, but the rack itself had failed with the back (secured with 2" number 8 screws) pulling loose from the clamp holding piece.:( Needless to say, at this point, I just turned around shut the lights off and figured I'd take this up another day.
So, my question is, what went wrong? Was it a mistake to use plywood for the rack? Should I have used hardwood? Did I try to put too many clamps on one rack (I followed the instructions and scaled them as necessary for the additional clamps).
Any insights that you could provide to help me avoid this from happening again would be greatly appreciated.
Jack
I have 24 of these bad boys (apparently, you CAN have too many clamps). I got the rack finished and hung it on the french cleat I had made. I then loaded all of the clamps on the rack (they range in size from 12" to 60"). So far so good.
I go upstairs to have lunch and while I'm eating hear a loud crash. Being the bright boy I am, I figured the new rack had just taken a tumble.:rolleyes:
I went down to the basement and, sure enough, the cleat had pulled right off my plywood wall. Since it was attached with number 8 1" screws, I figured the culprit was not enough gripping power. I replaced the number 8 screws with 2" number 12s. I re-loaded the rack. While I was standing there, I started to hear a sickening creaking sound, which grew progressively louder. Before I could get the clamps off again, the whole thing fell off the wall with a loud bang.:eek: This time, the cleat was still on the wall, but the rack itself had failed with the back (secured with 2" number 8 screws) pulling loose from the clamp holding piece.:( Needless to say, at this point, I just turned around shut the lights off and figured I'd take this up another day.
So, my question is, what went wrong? Was it a mistake to use plywood for the rack? Should I have used hardwood? Did I try to put too many clamps on one rack (I followed the instructions and scaled them as necessary for the additional clamps).
Any insights that you could provide to help me avoid this from happening again would be greatly appreciated.
Jack