Clamp Rack - Overhead

[Wes Bischel]

Has anyone seen or made a rack for their clamps that is ceiling mounted? I have the classic small basement shop. I would like to mount my clamps overhead so I don't have to reach around equipment to get to them on the wall. I have reviewed a lot of wall units and carts, but these take up valuable space - or should I say premium space. I can afford to run some things overhead because I'm "vertically challenged" (politically correct for short).
I had been thinking of a series of "hooks" cut into a single strip of plywood - mount two or three of these strips along a few joists - maybe one 16" away, and another 32" from the first. This would allow me to get my longer pipe clamps and my bar clamps, which are shorter, up out of the way, yet keep them organized and together.

What do you think? Any better ideas? Make any sense?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks, Wes

[George Summers]

somewhere a picture of a guy who mounted an overhead storage box between the rafters. It pivoted on one lower corner (from rafter to rafter). He would pull it down to get into the box. I guess that you could build a frame that fit between the rafters and pivot one end. You could pull it down vertical to get the clamps. I don't remember how he hooked a latch on it but you should be able to figure out some way.

George

[Gilbert Vega]

somewhere a picture of a guy who mounted an overhead storage box between the rafters. It pivoted on one lower corner (from rafter to rafter). He would pull it down to get into the box. I guess that you could build a frame that fit between the rafters and pivot one end. You could pull it down vertical to get the clamps. I don't remember how he hooked a latch on it but you should be able to figure out some way.

George

One way to do this is to use the mechanism from an attic pull down ladder. Just eliminate the ladder and install a box for the clamps.

[Bev Polmanteer]

Since I do most of my work sitting down I have driven nails in the rafters about 8" apart and hang my clamps on these. I have also put supports across a couple rafters and store my wood up there out of the way.

[Pete Lamberty]

Bev, I did the same thing. Nailed some 2x4's across the joists. Some time later, due to gravity, the nails pulled out and all the clamps fell. I had to redo it by useing screws instead of nails. You may want to take a close look and see if your nails are slowly being pulled out. Pete

[Bart Leetch]

One way to do this is to use the mechanism from an attic pull down ladder. Just eliminate the ladder and install a box for the clamps.

I think this might be dangerous. Because this mechanism is made to hold a light weight ladder not the weight of heavy clamps.

[markus shaffer]

Wes,

Simple solution I came up with with some scraps and a few screws. nothings fallen down yet and it's all been up there for a few years now.. Not the prettiest solution but it's cheap and simple.

-Markus

[Wes Bischel]

Thanks for the input. Bart, don't worry about the ladder, I put one in my garage when I built it - had to put 5/8" type X drywall on the face of it for fire reasons. Needless to say, it doesn't want to stay up easily. With the weight of the clamps, it wouldn't go up at all unless I added heavier springs.

Wes