There’s no doubt about it, garages and workshops can become cluttered and disorganized quickly. If you do any kind of do-it-yourself woodworking projects, then you likely have a supply of clamps in your work area. And, if you are like most woodworkers, then your work area is probably a lot smaller than what you would like, making organization difficult. But there is a way that you can take care of your clamps, organization, and lack of space with this overhead clamp rack. With just a few materials and tools, you will be able to get your clamps organized and where you can find them without giving up any useable space.
With this unique storage solution, you’re able to use space overhead to mount your clamp rack, taking advantage of the unused space. PVC pipe is sturdy and durable which makes it perfect for even the biggest clamps you have in your workshop. This rack is customizable, as you can make it as short or long as you need to fit all of your clamps in one place. It’s also a great idea to organize your clamps in the rack according to size so you never have to hunt for a specific clamp again – you’ll know exactly where each clamp is.
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Materials Needed for the PVC Overhead Clamp Rack
These materials will make a rack that holds a dozen clamps and measures approximately 3’ X 1’ X 1’. You will have to adjust the measurements if you want a longer or shorter clamp rack.
Materials
12’ 1 ¼“ PVC Pipe
6’ 2” X 4” Wood Stud
(2) 10” X 10” X ¾“ Plywood
(8) #8 1 ¾“ Woodscrews
(6) #8 3” Woodscrews
(4) Woodscrews for mounting
Tools
Drill
Screwdriver bits
1 ¼” Hole saw bit
Miter saw or hacksaw
Measuring tape
Steps to Build Your PVC Overhead Clamp Rack
Step #1 – Prepare the PVC pipe
Cut the PVC pipe with your PVC Pipe Cutter into 1’ pieces. You should have 12 pieces.
Step #2 – Cut Wood Pieces
Next, using your saw, cut the 2” X 4” wood stud into two pieces that are 33½“ long. If your plywood isn’t cut into 10” squares, do that now. You’ll need two squares for the ends of the rack.
Step #3 – Drill Holes in Wood Studs
Now, you’re ready to drill the holes in the 2” X 4” pieces of wood. Starting 3” from the end, drill 1¼“ holes in the wood that are 2½“ apart, center to center. You will have room for twelve holes and the end holes will be 3” from the end of the wood. Repeat with the other piece of wood.
Once you have twelve holes down the wood stud pieces, cut them down the middle lengthwise.
Step #4 – Assemble Rack
Now, comes the fun part: putting it all together. Place one end of the 12 pieces of PVC pipe into one half of a 2” X 4”. Put the other half on top so that the PVC pipe pieces are in the holes. Using the 3” woodscrews, screw the two halves of the wood together. Repeat with the other end of the PVC pipe pieces.
Attach the plywood squares to the ends of the rack using the 1¾“ woodscrews. Now, you’re ready to hang the rack. If you have ceiling joists in your workshop, you can easily attach the rack to them using additional woodscrews. Otherwise, you may need additional hardware (like brackets, for example) to mount the rack overhead.
Step #5 – Slide Clamps into the Rack
All that’s left to do is to slide your bar clamps into the PVC pipe openings. Viola! You have an organized, out of the way overhead clamp rack.
DIY Overhead Clamp Rack
This do-it-yourself PVC overhead clamp rack will prevent you from having to hunt around or sort through shelves to find the clamp you need, when you need it. Additionally, the rack fits in a space that would otherwise be unused, so you’re not having to give up any workspace.