Power Strips - a good way to mount them?

[Stephen Tashiro]

I think that anyone who uses power tools or computers must deal with power strips. But what is a simple and good way to mount them? The power strip manufacturers seem to think you should slide them over the heads of raised screws which I find a time consuming and unsatisfactory. I've tried using cable ties and strapping them on things but they tend to twist. I've used various brackets to clip them on the side of work tables and this works, but it seems like each job is custom deal.

[Kent Fitzgerald]

The keyhole slots work fine for me. I read a great tip in a magazine, which is to make a photocopy of the back of the power strip - now you have a paper template to position the mounting screws without any measuring. If you're worried about the strip sliding off the mounting screws, you could put a stop at one end to lock it in place.

[Jamie Buxton]

Wiremold still makes power strips with exterior mounting ears. Look at the bottom of this page --- http://www.alliedelec.com/catalog/pf.asp?FN=797.pdf

[Dan Stuewe]

The keyhole slots work fine for me. I read a great tip in a magazine, which is to make a photocopy of the back of the power strip - now you have a paper template to position the mounting screws without any measuring. If you're worried about the strip sliding off the mounting screws, you could put a stop at one end to lock it in place.

Okay, that is just too cool. Those crazy mounting hole dimensions have driven me batty for far to long! I may re-mount all those power strips (and battery chargers) cluttering up my work bench! (I never seem to get them just right and unplugging or pulling the battery out always disconnects them!)

Thanks!

[skip coyne]

epoxy some steel mending plates on the back to give you mounting ears .

its not just the offset , I can make a template but often the holes are to small for a standard screwhead so I would either have to enlarge the screw or grind down the head

[David Genrich]

On some powerstrips, I have been able to unscrew the back, mount the back of the powerstrip from the inside, then re-attach the cover.

On the ones that I could not remove the back, I have done the photocopy trick, placed the photocopy where I want to mount the powerstrips, put in the screws through the paper, then rip the paper off and place the powerstrips on the screw heads.

I have tried measuring, but it seems that the holes are not always lined up straight, so the photocopy trick seems to work the best.

Enjoy,
David Genrich

[John Schreiber]

make a photocopy of the back of the power strip - now you have a paper template to position the mounting screws without any measuring.

Brilliant. Totally obvious once you mentioned it, but it never occurred to me.

[Charles McKinley]

2" velcro tape

[skip coyne]

you can put a piece of paper over the back and shade the keyhole area with the side of a pencil then pop a pilot hole in with a awl but then your still often faced with small keyhole slots

[glenn bradley]

What Kent said although I usually have to drill out the eceiver holes as they all seem to be scaled for something other than the screws readily available in America.

[Joe Petersen]

Place a piece of masking tape over the holes lengthwise. Push the screws through the center of the holes. Peal the tape off and put in mounting place . Screw or hammer fasteners in.

[Steven DeMars]

I like to make my own with ganged or individual handy boxes . . . This way you can choose your receptacle type, switched/non-switched, etc . .