What's the best way to make these dados

[Jim Becker]

Andy, that's true...if I had space the clamp holders just a little wider, I could do second set down a little bit with things facing in the opposite direction as you note. While I'm not about to change these now, I'd consider that for a future shop for sure. Changing my CNC files to accommodate would be pretty darn easy. (there are grooves in the back plate to provide stronger joints between the clamp supports and the back plates...glue in the groove/dado and then screws from behind in countersunk holes. Very solid)

[Brian Tymchak]

<Sigh.....> Now I need more clamps... Thanks Jim..

[Alan Lightstone]

And even the cauls and clamping squares hung neatly. Sigh...

Andy, I agree, Jim's left hand side is more efficient space wise. And a lot cheaper.

On the other hand, I'm retired, bored staying at home due to Covid-19, and needed a new project.

[Alan Lightstone]

So let's go with the fact that I'm significantly into the project, and will still go with the swinging rack design.

On my previous iteration, the individual swinging pieces tended to sag. I used piano hinges for them, but they were small piano hinges, as the wood was only 1/2":
Clamp Rack Piano Hinges.jpg

I have been using 3/4" sapele for the present rack, so both more room to install larger hinges, as well as heavier swinging pieces.

What's the best approach for hinges for these? The depth will be 4", so I can use fairly large hinges, and, I guess, could use beefier piano hinges. Also, they'll be hidden on the far side of the boxes, so really won't be visible from the front.

[Andy D Jones]

And even the cauls and clamping squares hung neatly. Sigh...

Andy, I agree, Jim's left hand side is more efficient space wise. And a lot cheaper.

On the other hand, I'm retired, bored staying at home due to Covid-19, and needed a new project.

I'm right there with you on the last point!

If I understand your rack design, each rack is hinged on the rack behind it? That creates a lot of force on the rear-most hinge, and it's fastening to the wood.

The only thing stronger for your application than a piano hinge is a bigger one, or perhaps entry passage door hinges, but they'd have to be mounted to the sides of the frames. You could replace their wood screws with flat-head machine screws though the wood, and nuts/washers. Not pretty, but stout as heck.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Andy D Jones]

Andy, that's true...if I had space the clamp holders just a little wider, I could do second set down a little bit with things facing in the opposite direction as you note. While I'm not about to change these now, I'd consider that for a future shop for sure. Changing my CNC files to accommodate would be pretty darn easy. (there are grooves in the back plate to provide stronger joints between the clamp supports and the back plates...glue in the groove/dado and then screws from behind in countersunk holes. Very solid)

Jim, you didn't mount those brackets on French cleats?!

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Alan Lightstone]

I'm right there with you on the last point!

If I understand your rack design, each rack is hinged on the rack behind it? That creates a lot of force on the rear-most hinge, and it's fastening to the wood.

The only thing stronger for your application than a piano hinge is a bigger one, or perhaps entry passage door hinges, but they'd have to be mounted to the sides of the frames. You could replace their wood screws with flat-head machine screws though the wood, and nuts/washers. Not pretty, but stout as heck.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

The right side where the hinges will be is really hidden from view. So I can use anything there, even door hinges.

I'm going to have one less swinging door, so the heaviest frame, with the parallel clamps on it, is going to be fixed to the wall, so much less strain on the new version than my present one.

My last piano hinges seemed so flimsy. I could have just purchased cheap ones, plus they had to fit on a narrow frame. And be hidden. I could use far sturdier piano hinges this time, and screw them to the outside of the frame/doors, instead of the inside. In that case, they could be far wider/stronger, I suppose.

But would something like door hinges be sturdier still? Or gate hinges?

Which would resist sagging the best?

[Jim Becker]

Jim, you didn't mount those brackets on French cleats?!

-- Andy - Arlington TX

That's true...in this shop I did not. Next shop, should there ever be one, will be pretty much based on French cleats for anything that hangs on the walls. It's easy, relatively inexpensive and extraordinarily flexible.

[Thomas McCurnin]

For my clamp rack, I simply drew it out on a double stack of 3/4 plywood and jig sawed the fingers. It was a clamp rack and honestly if one finger is off by an eighth it was no big deal. That said, it was accurate and looks great and I can fit 3 or 4 bar clamps per set of fingers

[Alan Lightstone]

Well, I finally finished the replacement rack. It was way too much work, and is overkill, and frankly a solution like what Brian posted would have been much quicker, cheaper, and easier.

But in any case, here is the finished product:
Clamp Rack 1.jpg
Clamp Rack 2.jpg
Clamp Rack 3.jpg

One bit on information I did discover. Even the much larger, beefed up piano hinges do sag, so I had to put some supports under the rack to help slide it in place when closing. Lesson learned.

Now I need to buy some more clamps.

[mike stenson]

Quicker, cheaper, and easier.. sure.. but I like yours. It looks great

[Frederick Skelly]

I assume he's hanging small clamps in that fixture. I too have done the 'drill a hole and cut to it' method. I have done this on the bandsaw and the tablesaw depending on the depth required.

+1. I drill the holes and then cut on the bandsaw using miter gauge. Longer parts go to the tablesaw if necessary.

[Mark e Kessler]

Brackets and French cleats = less space + adjustability + fast and easy to make. Also with the grain running the direction you show I would imagine it would be possible for the “Tabs” to snap off with heavier clamps and/or heavy use, prolly not an issue for hobby use though.

67AC6FF3-FCDC-4FEB-8B7E-A4F749CF3E2B.jpg2EEFD06F-E9C7-4FE9-8599-6CCC1AEF14BC.jpg

[Alan Lightstone]

Brackets and French cleats = less space + adjustability + fast and easy to make. Also with the grain running the direction you show I would imagine it would be possible for the “Tabs” to snap off with heavier clamps and/or heavy use, prolly not an issue for hobby use though.

67AC6FF3-FCDC-4FEB-8B7E-A4F749CF3E2B.jpg2EEFD06F-E9C7-4FE9-8599-6CCC1AEF14BC.jpg

Yours is certainly very space efficient, no doubt.

I never had an issue with the tabs snapping off. There are diagonal wood blocks beneath them that provide extra support. They seem to be solid as a rock.

[Jim Becker]

Alan, yea that was a lot of work, but it turned out beautifully and it certainly is a very compact solution. Bravo!