# PIPE CLAMP STORAGE



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Hi Gang
I had a student ask how I stored my pipe clamps and I showed them what I've been using for some time,this made me think that some of you might want the same info. This is not my design I think it's from "American Woodworker Magazine ".



















I still need more of these holders.


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## BelleCityWW (May 28, 2007)

nice design Jim!!!


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

That is cool, Jim! I love your clamp collection! You can never have too many clamps! Thanks for sharing with us. 

Sheila


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

That's just that wall,I think my son counted a while back an came up with about 200 all together. I think the "you can't have to many clamps" thing is true, except when you have to find room to store them )


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Looks great Jim. I am waiting for someone to write a book on different clamping methods. It would sure be an interesting read!


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Mike
That's one subject I cover in my class but I don't know that there's enough variations I know of to write a book on.


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

*a1Jim*...Nice practical storage solution


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## docspencer (Jan 27, 2013)

Great idea! If I didn't live in IN, I'd love to take one of your classes - then again, I have relatives in WA state…......


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

That would a very long drive for either one of you doc .)


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

Finally, A solution that looks like it would really work. I've looked everywhere for ideas for a pipe rack that wouldn't endanger life, limb, or whatever was under it by accidentally bumping it I know what I'm going to be building tonight, thanks especially for the pic with the dimensions spelled out. Only big difference is I'm going to paint mine so they look sharp.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Holy moly…..........it looks like a forest of clamps! You have quite a collection. I'll bet you never come up short like the rest of us!!


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Jim 
Even with 200 clamps I've run out before. It seems like I saw some one LJs that did curved stairs that had 10 times more clamps than I o.


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

Not quite 10 times the amount…..between hand clamps, bar clamps and pipe clamps (the majority of which are hand clamps)...maaayyybe….1200?
Over the last 20 years, we've seen probably another 1000 broken, lost, or outright stolen.


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## OnlyJustME (Nov 22, 2011)

^wow


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## Woodbridge (Oct 12, 2011)

Jim, great idea, thanks for sharing it. I've run out of vertical wall space in my shop so I don't think I will get up to 200 clamps! Any ideas for storing them from the ceiling?


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

Nice and simple. Almost like a Pez dispenser for clamps. Thanks for posting.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Peter
I don't know if you can see in the photo of my clamps but one of these holders is connected to my ceiling.


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## amagineer (Apr 16, 2011)

I am envious of your clamp collection I only have 16.
-don


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

Looks like my Bessey's have slightly smaller handles than this design is set up for, but using this concept I've created a drawing for my thievery of this concept. For my bessey's the channel needs to be bit narrower and since I have 12 of them, I'm going to create one "box" with two channels to store them all. I'm debating whether to start cutting some ply I have or cut some regular pine 1x stock. The pine would look much better.


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

well jim this is a really cool system for clamps, i would enjoy having my clamps organized like this, but i dont have enough clamps to even come close to your showing, so i will clamp my lips and not whine any longer..


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## cjwillie (Sep 6, 2011)

Thanks for another great tip Jim! Always enjoy seeing more of your shop. Is there any tool you want but don't have, or those you want more of? I need to put more of my tools out where I can see them. Every time I re-organize, I forget where I put things!


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

OK, I've made some refinements, hope these post readable, but I've redesigned Jims concept a bit to use common dimensional lumber to store 12 bessey H style clamps. Now I realize this won't work for everyone but I'm sure it will work for me and might work for others. Best part is you don't have to rip cut a bunch of plywood or any other wood. Just chop saw off the rack boards.

it not mentioned but i plan to use Jims original 20 length. it works well. The bessey clamps are about 3" wide at their widest. I bet it takes me 1/4 the time to build than it took me to conceptualize and draw up that drawing.

Here is the drawing I made, sorry for lousy shot, but all I have is a photo and had to use no flash.










Here is the drawing with a couple clamps laid on as a simulation.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Whiskers
This was a design from a magazine not really my design. I used plywood because it's strong and I have plenty of scrap plywood . Your design looks good but I would be a little concerned about doubling the weight for one unit given so many clamps are very heavy. I will be very interested to see how this new design works out for you.


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## KOVA (Nov 21, 2011)

*ES UN INVENTO GENIAL JIM
PORQUE PUEDES ESTIBAR UNA CLAMP LARGA
DESDE ABAJO COMO CUANDO ESTIBAS UNA CAÑA DE PESCAR
TE FELICITO HABILIDOSO CARPINTERO *


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

Built my version of this today and took a couple shots. The clamps seem to fit perfectly in it and it came out great. I added board on the back which wasn't in the original drawings to protect the wall which would be behind the rack.

Top View:









Front View:










I'll take another pic once I've put some finish of some sort on it and hung it up fully loaded.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Muchas Gracias Kovo


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

no matter how many clamps you have your always missing one. The one you need !

good post Jim,.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Looks good Whiskers, it looks like you could make them as wide as you want it you have a good way to anchor it.

Ha ha that's the way it works Charles, Or the clamp you need is 3ft away when you can reach 2ft away while trying to hold your dripping glued up project together… )


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

Clamp storage is an issue that many woodworkers really don't think about. Good ideas like yours and others posted are something to be considered when setting up a shop. I just may have to steel part of your idea to straighten out some of my bar and pipe clamps. Building a rack for them is the easy part. Finding a place for it is another thing. lol --thanks Jim


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Your sure right about that Dave , most of my wall space is filled and floor space too.

BTW I spent a good amount of my youth growing up in Downers Grove.


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

Jim, Width is limited by materials. Since I was avoiding ply due to vanity reasons, My width was limited to 12" stock which is the widest I've been able to find and had on hand. As for hanging, lol, well I've been kind of obsessive about the way I do things. I mean why use a little hammer when you got a sledge available.

This is my typical method. That powermatic Unit is about 65 lbs I believe.









A note about construction. Since I bought it a few months ago, My Kreg pocket hole system and screws have been getting heavy use. Amazon sells the screws in big lifetime supply boxes really cheap, and I don't just use them as pocket hole construction. If you look close at the picture of my pipe clamp rack you can see the dowel hole plugs spaced evenly along the top of each rail. Woodworker supply sells those plugs really cheap, so I like to drill a shank sized hole thru the top piece followed by a 3/8" forstner bit hole. Than I glue and use my pocket hole screws to attach everything. To pretty it up I than just use a dowel plug. Flat head glued in or permanent construction and mushrooms for non permanent.

Here is view the back of the pipe clamp rack if what I'm saying is not clear. I didn't use the dowel plugs since it was going to be up against the ceiling.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I hope that all works out for you Whiskers


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## prattman (Aug 8, 2012)

Nice clamp holders Jim, I need to build one. And its official now " I have pipe clamp envy "


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## BBF (May 13, 2013)

Nice idea thanks for sharing.


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## hoosier0311 (Nov 8, 2012)

I have seen that design before, seems like a great way to maximize some space. I also saw a variant that made the "C" dimension about 1/4 longer letting the pipes hang straight down (not sure why thats important though)


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Like I said earlier this is not my design . Clamps do tend to lean to one side due to the round part of of the clamps handle. I think if a flute was placed on the inside of part "D" where the handle rest that might solve that problem. 
I would flute both sides so clamps can be slid on facing either way.


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## jeffswildwood (Dec 26, 2012)

Jim, I think the old saying don't apply to you. You have too many clamps and really need to send me 20-30 to make some room. Just kidding, nice idea for a problem I wish I had.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Nice…... "got clamps"? lol you can't ever, ever have too many


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

Here it is folks in all it's glory Thanks a lot Jim you really helped clean up a little corner of my shop. There is even room for a few more clamps if I should decide I need them. I think this rack could hold 18 besseys, although maybe not quite as neatly. Please ignore the mess around it like the dangling pipe insulation, that's a job in progress. The garage is unfinished but I'm working on it.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Looks great nice work Whiskers


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

Thanks again Jim, the thing I like most about this design is it's compactness. All commercial pipe racks spread across a wall and eat the space, and we all have trouble with space. A dozen clamps eat a lot of space,, and if you bump those racks the heavy clamps are going to come raining down. Rockler and others sell pipe racks for $30 or so dollars that have all those flaws, but in the grand scheme of things, I doubt I have a fourth of that in that rack.

I couldn't have made this without you Jim. I know it wasn't originally your idea, you got it from a magazine, but I bet you made mods to fit your clamps. I did the same. That what we do, and why these forums are so valuable. To give people ideas. Keep posting.


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## allenfoster (Oct 4, 2015)

I got a dining chair that I bought years back at http://www.javateakoutdoorfurniture.com/products/dining-chairs/, now it needs repair, I certainly know that this stuff would be a great stuff t fix it.


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## daddywoofdawg (Feb 1, 2014)

what is B for?doesn't seem needed.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

"B" keeps the handle to one side or the other ,otherwise the clamps could turn and fall out.


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## JK0702 (Jul 25, 2012)

Thanks for sharing, Jim. I will use your idea in my garage…perfect solution for me.


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## bearkatwood (Aug 19, 2015)

Thanks for the post Jim, I really like that method, looks good. I was looking in Woodworker West and I didn't see your classes listed in there, you should advertise them in there, might get more victims  I mean students. Hope to get over there one day and see those clamps in person. Awesome idea, I might have to borrow it. Have a great day!


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## TrevorR (Apr 2, 2016)

Thanks for sharing this Jim, I just made one today but need to fasten it to my ceiling.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Welcome to Ljs Trevor ,glad it works for you.


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## TrevorR (Apr 2, 2016)

> Welcome to Ljs Trevor ,glad it works for you.
> 
> - a1Jim


Thanks Jim!


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I like the strip on top so the handle can't turn, allowing the 2,000 pound 3/4" pipe clamp to drop and impale a foot, the hard way.


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