wall mounted clamp racks v. Rolling racks

[HowardH]

I'll be getting a dedicated shop sometime next year and have accumulated a few clamps.  Not a huge amount but a few dozen.  Do you keep your clamps stored on the wall or do you have a rolling clamp rack so they are close at hand?  I'm planning on building a 1200 sq/ft shop so wall space shouldn't be an issue. 

 

[ChuckM]

The longest ones (e.g. Bessey over 48") are kept on the wall as they don't get used as often. The rest, 100+, are stored on two rolling clamp racks, such as this (modified from a shoe rack) for F-clamps and smaller ones:

[attachimg=1]

 

[HowardH]

That would seem to make sense instead of walking back and forth for them. 

 

[ChuckM]

Exactly. I can wheel the rack close by the assembly table, and I never panic if unexpectedly I'm in need of one or two more clamps during a complex glue-up. (I also found it cheaper or quicker to modify some suitable mobile racks into clamp racks than making them from scratch with 2x4 and ply).

 

[tjbnwi]

It’s nice to bring the clamps to the work rather than walk for them if you have the floor space/room. There a 2 of theses in the shop, the second one holds the TSO Products on the back.

[attachimg=1]

Tom

 

[ChuckM]

I'll be getting a dedicated shop sometime next year and have accumulated a few clamps.  Not a huge amount but a few dozen.  Do you keep your clamps stored on the wall or do you have a rolling clamp rack so they are close at hand?  I'm planning on building a 1200 sq/ft shop so wall space shouldn't be an issue.

Since you're still in the early stage of collecting clamps, I'd suggest that if budget allows, aim for the Dubuque Aluminum Bar Clamps. These USA made clamps are pricey, but their quality and light-weight are worth the money. If I started over again, I'd get all of them instead of my Bessey's (except those over 48" as the longest Dubuque clamps are only 48" from my local retailer:https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/clamps/bar/70618-dubuque-aluminum-bar-clamps). I have 14 of the bar clamps, and am getting 4 more.

 

[RussellS]

Both.  I have mounted some black pipes to the ceiling that hold many of the lightweight or small clamps.  Such as: C-clamps, Pony sliding chrome/orange F clamps, wooden handscrew clamps, Quik Grip bar clamps, squeeze spring clamps.  And I have made a box (5 sides) out of plywood with wheels on the bottom.  I set my Bessy clamps in it in rows.  Bessy are heavy and you usually need many of them to glue up panels.  I needed 14 of the 24" Bessy to glue the sides of the box.  Heavy.  The black pipe rack is near the bench where you need little clamps to work on wood you carry to the bench for work.  Or to hold tools to the top of the bench.  Or if I need a small clamp or two somewhere else in the basement, then I will have to run to the black pipe rack by the bench and get a clamp.

 

[rvieceli]

[member=396]HowardH[/member] if your new shop will be the size of a football field like Tom's and Chuck's  [tongue] then rolling racks make a lot of sense.

If it turns out to be something small like mine where I honestly couldn't get a rolling rack close to my assembly/outfeed table without moving a bunch of stuff, racking them on the wall makes a lot more sense. It's only 2-4 steps away from where I'm working for me.

Ron

 

[TSO_Products]

It’s nice to bring the clamps to the work rather than walk for them if you have the floor space/room. There a 2 of theses in the shop, the second one holds the TSO Products on the back.

[attachimg=1]

Tom

[member=4105]tjbnwi[/member] - I wonder if your second Clamp Roll-around Cart has any interesting ways for stowing TSO tools in your shop environment?

Others might benefit from your results oriented approach to your work. [wink]

Hans

 

[HowardH]

That's where I am now, using the one car slot of a 3 car garage.  I have to have them on the wall at the moment or else I would be tripping over them. Problem is I have no more wall space so no room to put any more. 

 

[ChuckM]

[member=396]HowardH[/member] if your new shop will be the size of a football field like Tom's and Chuck's  [tongue] then rolling racks make a lot of sense. snip.

Ron

Hahaha. I wish I had a big shop like Tom's. Mine is just a 2-car garage with a car (2 before the pandemic) parked at night . All my machines and work stations or benches, mostly on castors, are by the walls (three sides).

The shoe rack has a small footprint of 8" x 36". The larger one was previously a mobile clothing rack from Sears (which closed for good and sold the fixtures for $25 Cdn a piece), and is used to store clamps, Krenov style sawhorses, the new Veritas Domino Joinery Table (on the top of the rack), etc.

Like this kind:

[attachimg=1]

 

[Crazyraceguy]

My personal clamps are all either wall mounted or on the end of my assembly bench, the big ones anyway. (Bessey K-body) The smaller F clamps are in the bottom drawer of the black tool chest/cart.
There is a rolling cart with pipe clamps, that belongs to the company. It has something like 20, that range from 30" to 60". There are a half dozen 10' pipe clamps, leaning against a corner. They don't get used very often, but darn handy when needed.
The extra depth of the K-body jaws works out well when clamping across the pipe clamps, so I do use them occasionally.

[member=57948]ChuckS[/member], you really find those aluminum bar clamps to be stiff enough to use?
I have always considered "aluminum bar clamp" to be an oxymoron. No such thing.
All of the ones I have tested were so flexy as to be unusable.
I wouldn't mind having a few lighter clamps, if they are worth using.

 

[ChuckM]

Snip.
[member=57948]ChuckS[/member], you really find those aluminum bar clamps to be stiff enough to use?
I have always considered "aluminum bar clamp" to be an oxymoron. No such thing.
All of the ones I have tested were so flexy as to be unusable.
I wouldn't mind having a few lighter clamps, if they are worth using.

I sold all my imported aluminum bar clamps after trying a set of 4 Dubuque ones in a build. Paul Sellers reinforced the imported kind with a wooden batten, but that didn't fix the poor quality of the other parts such as the clamp heads and handles.

The 1,000 lb force is more than enough for any properly cut joints, and the Dubuque is fantastic in weight that I can handle or move it with one hand during a glue-up. It's almost like having an extra hand when I need to adjust things.

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]

They are now my go-to clamps. But don't be deceived by the butterfly handle -- you can easily overclamp by turning! To protect the work from indentation marks, adhere leather or cork pads to the clamp heads. Suffice to say, stop when the gap closes up!

[attachimg=1]

Edit: More info. here -https://toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-ABAR.XX

I also have some miter attachments.

 

[tjbnwi]

It’s nice to bring the clamps to the work rather than walk for them if you have the floor space/room. There a 2 of theses in the shop, the second one holds the TSO Products on the back.

[attachimg=1]

Tom

[member=4105]tjbnwi[/member] - I wonder if your second Clamp Roll-around Cart has any interesting ways for stowing TSO tools in your shop environment?

Others might benefit from your results oriented approach to your work. [wink]

Hans

As Hans mentioned, we have a second rack. The back has various TSO Products on it.

[attachimg=1]

Tom

 

[fritter63]

I prefer to keep things in cabinets to keep spiders out of them. So I have a "pantry" style cabinet (original plans from Wood IIRC) that I have modified to hold all my clamps.

 

[festal]

[member=57948]ChuckS[/member] what did you modify in the shoe rack?  what are the dimensions of yours?  Thinking of doing the same for my smaller clamps

 

[ChuckM]

[member=57948]ChuckS[/member] what did you modify in the shoe rack?  what are the dimensions of yours?  Thinking of doing the same for my smaller clamps

I added a cross brace to the back, and reinforced the caster bars:

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

You can find the dimensions here (click specifications) :

tfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#store=302

If you plan to put only spring clamps, small F-clamps, etc. (up to 80 lbs or so), you may not need to beef up the caster bars.

 

[ryanjg117]

I think it all depends on the size of your shop and how much free space you have. I originally built this rolling clamp rack for my 1,200 sqft shop, but as I've accumulated more large tools, I regret the decision and I'll be building or welding a wall mount unit in the near future.

The idea of having the clamps close by is the benefit, but in practice, I never find myself wheeling this albatross to my assembly table. It's heavy and too large. If you're planning to use it for parallel clamp storage, keep in mind you need it to be tall, which means the base needs to be large, which means it just ends up eating a lot of floor space.

This is also one of those projects where welding make a lot of sense if you have it in your repertoire. Burden any rolling wood clamp rack with enough Bessey K Body Revos and it will flex more than you probably want. 

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[ChuckM]

Snip. It's heavy and too large. Snip.

Agreed. Tall & heavy clamps (over 36"? 48"?) should be kept on the walls as they are not used so often. Wheeling 60" & 72" Bessey clamps around is quite a task.

Exactly why I recommend the Dubuque clamps for day-to-day needs! [tongue]

 

[Crazyraceguy]

The 98s will hurt your heart. I use them way more than is comfortable. I have even clamped them onto things as a counterweight.
With clamps this heavy, you really do have to pay attention, because they will make things tip or distort.
I might just have to get a few of those Dubuques to try out.