French Cleat Storage Wall

[ChuckM]

Snip.

I agree with you, it's simple geometry. I couldn't understand how Mario would get two different pieces.

He probably meant two pieces with different angles. Shorthand: two different pieces. [tongue]

 

[MikeDVB]

They would be two different pieces with the same angles though.

 

[ChuckM]

Were they not talking about cutting the cleats at an angle other than 45*?

 

[MikeDVB]

Yes - but so long as the two sides are parallel and the cut line is straight - the angles will be the same.

Cut it at 30 degrees - and it'll be 30 degrees on both pieces.  Cut it at 75 degrees and it'll be 75 degrees on both pieces.

The two angles on either single resulting piece, the acute at the tip and the obtuse where the miter meets the parallel side, will add up to 180.  So if you cut it at 45 - you'll have two cleats with a tip at 45 degrees and the other face will be at 135 degrees.

If you cut it at 30 degrees - the tips of both cleats will be 30 degrees and the other angle on the same piece will be 150 degrees.

With a 45 degree cut you'll have 2 at 45, and 2 at 135.  If you cut it at 30 you'll have two at 30 and two at 150.

No matter what you do the two angles - the acute and obtuse on each cleat will add to 180 and both pairs will add to 360.

Try it - go out and take any piece of wood with two parallel sides and cut a miter into it - and measure the angles .

 

[ChuckM]

Got it. I did not make any cuts...just did a sketch to see the angles.

 

[Mario Turcot]

I read some where that the degree doesn't matter down to 30deg. The beauty of 45deg is that you have two identical pieces that you cannot mix up.

How would any angle other than 45 result in two different pieces?

I must have said two identical pieces. edit: Oh wait that's what I said  [tongue]

Taking cabinets as example: You have two cabinets to hang on cleats. On one cabinet you screw a 40deg cleat on the other a 60deg cleat. Now on the wall you have to screw a 40deg and a 60deg cleats to accommodate both cabinets. How do you interchange cabinets position? If both parts are the same this is a non issue.

I have French cleats row on a wall every 18", they are all 45deg. When ever I want I can add or move something w/o even thinking if the cleat will fit.

 

[Paul G]

I read some where that the degree doesn't matter down to 30deg. The beauty of 45deg is that you have two identical pieces that you cannot mix up.

How would any angle other than 45 result in two different pieces?

I must have said two identical pieces. edit: Oh wait that's what I said  [tongue]

Taking cabinets as example: You have two cabinets to hang on cleats. On one cabinet you screw a 40deg cleat on the other a 60deg cleat. Now on the wall you have to screw a 40deg and a 60deg cleats to accommodate both cabinets. How do you interchange cabinets position? If both parts are the same this is a non issue.

I have French cleats row on a wall every 18", they are all 45deg. When ever I want I can add or move something w/o even thinking if the cleat will fit.

Thanks for clarifying your remarks. I think the main take away is to pick one angle that works for your needs and stick with it.

 

[jarbroen]

I know I'm late to the party but I was just thinking about the same math problem when making my own cleats.
I went with the close enough approach using my TS75 and the parallel guide.

I realized afterwards that I could have ripped all the strips the same width with the TS and then hit them with a 45 degree chamfer bit on the OF1400.
One more way to skin the cat.

p.s. thanks for posting up pictures of your wall. I have a bunch of cleats cut and trying to decide how I want to organize all my long stuff like rails and levels.  I already have a parallel clamp hanger that I built of plans from a woodworking site.