Shop Wall storage ideas, French cleats vs ......

[Dan Dubeau]

Just gathering some ideas and opinions on how best to populate my new tool wall in the shop. I will admit I've always been drawn to the french cleat idea and custom tool cradles, but then again, I've always simply got by with screwing simple hooks and posts to the walls wherever I want/need to secure my tools......

The wall in question.

I only have about 4-5" of depth here, so screwing shelves and simply piling stuff on top of each other is out of the question here....sorry squatch......

That's a current snippet of my tool wall, but the tool collection has grown/growing, and my Belt grinder currently resides there now, so these gotta go. I plan on wall mounting the chargers, and I don't think my drill cradle will fit the depth of the space, so.....I'll probably move it to the basement workbench area. Will need something out here to takes its place though.

What does everyone else do for battery tool storage? Any thoughts on french cleats? Are they worth the space penalty? Or should I just stick with what I'm doing?

Now that I have my wood shop somewhat cleaned up and usable, I'm kinda of itching for a woodworking project to get back on the horse.......

 

[David]

I'm not a fan of French cleat walls, mainly because I don't think they are space efficient. I know they are praised for the ability to easily rearrange stuff but I don't have the wall space. I prefer to make bespoke holders for things (this is where a 3D printer can really shine) and fit them onto the wall in as compactly as possible.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I agree on the space efficiency. I have limited depth here, and I've already eaten some up with the strapping and OSB. Cleats will give up another valuable 3/4". I'll most likely just do what I've always done and make stuff quick and simple from available scraps, but there's a small part of me that still wants to do a french cleat wall for some reason, and with a clean slate like this I'm fighting that urge.......

 

[Doggggboy]

I agree on the space efficiency. I have limited depth here, and I've already eaten some up with the strapping and OSB. Cleats will give up another valuable 3/4". I'll most likely just do what I've always done and make stuff quick and simple from available scraps, but there's a small part of me that still wants to do a french cleat wall for some reason, and with a clean slate like this I'm fighting that urge.......

My experience with French cleats is that you spend the first few days with it sorting out what to put where and then the next 12 years with everything in EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE IT STARTED. Now I have a big shop so I'm not terribly space constrained . YMMV.

 

[grease monkey]

foam!! likely be my next tool wall!

 

[grease monkey]

I'll likely do this and then hang a roll up blind in front of it, for security, out of site out of mind, would also double as a projector backdrop or even a poster or wall art of your favorite image