French cleats

...how wide/big did you make the wall half of your cleat system?

OK, I've not hung shop stuff on French cleats, but I've hung quite a few heavy mirrors and pieces of expensive artwork on them. I'd suggest starting with 3/4" lumber that's 3" to 4" wide, then just rip it down the middle with the tablesaw blade set at about 45º. (No need to get too exact with the angle...just kick the blade over into the vicinity and go.) One half of the ripped board goes on the wall and the other half goes on what you're hanging. We would make both halves the same width so we could just carry a few pre-cut sticks in the truck and not have to worry about stocking one width for the wall and another for the artwork.

You can use lumber that's narrower than 3", but you soon run out sufficient material for the mounting screws to hold onto. (We would use 1 1/2" wide stock for small, lightweight artwork, but for shop stuff, the wider the better.)
 
Ned I use scrap fo mine, I usually take a piece of 3/4" stock about 2 1/2" or 3" wide and run it through the saw and cut a 45º angle on one edge and length depends on the piece I am hanging.
 
Thanks guys,
I'm planning on about 6 to 8' lineal cleats mounted above my benches, and then hanging tool racks etc from them as needed. Think I need to get to milling some of my wavy maple down (it's a) paid for and b) not going in anything 'fine' so perfect for this project.
 
Bart, I always make the sides of the piece that I am hanging deep enough so the cleat on the cabinet is inset the thickness of the wall cleat this keeps from having to add a piece on the bottom. Then the sides are flush with the wall.
 
Mine are about 5". I wanted them a little taller for the small organizers to hang on without having to add a shim on the back as mentioned with the cabinets above. I have several that are about 12" apart so don't need the shim on the back of a hanging cabinet.
 
IIRC mine are in the 3" - 3-1/2" range. They have been great. Make a bunch of extra and throw them up over the rafters. They will be immediately available when you want to add or change things. I do not recess them on shop fixtures as then I can slide them left and right as required. On furniture, I hide them because things tend to stay put in the living room ;-)
 

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glenn on your clamp rack,, why the three holes on each side of the slot???

I wanted something to take the abuse of the clamps going in and out, over and over as well as add some strength to the scrap fir I used (the grain direction is not optimal but yet, they survive:dunno:). I have used hardboard for this but, happened to have some scrap 1/8" pegboard that was too thrashed for use as . . . well . . . pegboard. I laminated the pegboard to the blank before I cut the slots. Been beatin' on 'em for years and they're fine ;-)
 
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