How can I attach wooden shelves to a vertical pipe?

How about attaching hose clamps to your shelves and then tightening them against the rods?

Rutager, that’s a good idea. This is probably a dumb question, but what’s a good way to attach the hose clamps to the shelves? Would it be strong enough if I just screwed right through the hose clamp, or is there a smarter way to do it?

Those plastic clips only work because the sleeves welded to the ends of the shelves has an internal taper. The more weight you put on the shelf the tighter the sleeve squeezes the plastic clip into the groove of the post.

If I had to add something to one of those posts I’d make something that looked like a split pillow block bearing out of laminated plywood and wrap a wire around the post in one of those grooves then clamp the wooden “bearing” around it. Then you could attach what ever you want to this.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Rob,

I think you could screw it to the wood, or maybe route an circular channel in the corner of the board.

-Rutager

2 hole(1 hole?) electrical clamps on the end of the boards. Drill a half hole (size of the pipe radius) and screw the clamp into the end grain.

-- Don't rollerskate in a buffalo herd

Rob, along the lines of crank49’s answer….

Drill a hole the diameter of the post in a rectangular piece of wood. on each side of the hole drill a small hole at 90° to accept a 10X24 machine screw or maybe even a 1/4×20 bolt. Cut the piece of wood in half on the table saw, not the band saw, down the length of the large hole.

Attach the shelf to one half of the rectangle, probably with gussets to add strength, repeat on the other end.

Put the shelf up to the posts so the holes line up, insert the machine screws or bolts, tighten.

-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!

I’d run u-bolts around the rods and into a shelf bracket under the shelves. BTW those things are supremely ugly you have my sympathy.

-- Bondo Gaposis

The answer Dallas gave you works. Furthermore, you could include a dogleg (below the shelf support part) on one of the pieces and hang your headphones from it.

Hey, everyone, thanks for the great ideas! Looks like there are a few that should hold the smaller shelves pretty well, and a couple more heavy-duty ideas for the laptop shelf. They all seem pretty inexpensive and right about at my skill level, so I might just try them all.