We got a couple of sheets of this stuff in storage from our old retail store. I’m getting sick of it taking up space with no obvious benefit, so I’m thinking about putting it up in the shop. Only thing is, it’s so danged heavy! Anyone use it? Do you just fasten it straight to the studs? How ’bout a French Cleat thing so it can be moved easily? Where do you get your hardware?
forestgirl — you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can’t take the forest out of the girl 😉
Another proud member of the “I Rocked With ToolDoc Club” …. :>)
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typically it is installed with construction adhesive and screwed to the studs.
I'm not sure of the stability and durability if you want to hang it from cleats, being that there is a fair amount of material removed to make the slats. You could do a frame for support, but it would add weight.
Hardware is available from store fixture suppliers, or try slatwall.
Slatwall is a great option. I worked in retail for a while and we routinely hung heavy stuff on long hooks. So I am sure it would "hold up" (get it?) in the workshop. I am waiting to catch a business shutting down so I can score the slat wall. The hardware is the expensive part. In metro areas there are companies that sell used hardware.
Mike
You can screw it right to the studs, or if the wall has plywood on it, you can screw it to that. Better to find the studs, though. If you're hanging cabinets on it, you can get brackets that attach to the back of the cabinets, then if you need to move them, just slide them along the slatwall. I'm thinking of insulating my garage and since I have 9' walls, I'll have a foot above any 8' sheets I cover the insulation with so I may get some slatwall and cut 1' strips for the top. That way, I can hang shovels, rakes, clamps, jigs, etc from it. I figure that I'll save about 25% of my wall space by using long hooks and stacking the tools.
Then, when my walls fall on me, I'll build a bigger garage.
"Then, when my walls fall on me, I'll build a bigger garage." Sounds like me when I first put hp the lumber rack. Kept checking to see if anything had "slipped." I think I feel safe enough now (2+ years later) to put the jointer in front of it, LOL!
I definitely don't want to use construction adhesive -- nothing is that permanent in the shop! But I might put up a 2x4 sheet in place of the pegboard above the counters. I really hate pegboard 'cause it's such a pain to change things around and it's almost impossible to get good hardware anymore. Seems like slat-wall would also be good for a place to hange jigs and such.
Nothing's happening until next year though.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
You can also use the same hooks and other hardware with slatwall that you had with pegboard. I put up a bunch of pegboard in my garage and I hate it. It needs to have a space behind it for the hooks and the spacing of the holes usually won't let me do what I want. Anyone need about 10 sheets of pegboard?
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
When I built my shop, I intended to use slotwall but I found that when using the hangers, I would have the same problem that I had using pegboard. The fixtures for pegboard would come out too easily when removing tools, parts, etc. When I experimented with slotwall at our local home center, I found the same problem. I would think it would work great for hanging cupboards but the hangers seemed to come out too easily when removing tools, etc. I ended up by building cupboards to keep tools in (like one of Norm's projects) and when I retired from the library/school system, I was able to buy a couple of card catalog cupboards that work perfectly for small parts.
Depending on what you are hanging, there are fixtures that resist lifting out. They typically cost a lot more than the basic wire formed units.
Mike
I've got several sheets of slatwall ready to be used in my shop... trouble is that it is so versatile, I can't decide exactly what I want to do with it first!
Regarding mounting: The best way to keep it up on the wall is to have it sit on a "cleat" or similar. That way, all the vertical load is transferred directly to the cleat, which can be secured to your studs with beefier hardware (think lag screws) that you would consider using for the slatwall. Of course, you would still fasten the slatwall to the studs with screws, but their function would be to keep the slatwall from "leaning away" from the wall once it is loaded with your tools, etc. May as well make the cleat from nice stock, and hang items from it, too!
Regarding hooks, etc., for use with slatwall: I have a next-door neighbor who is in the retail fixturing business. Most of the componentry seems to come from "overseas" and comes in more shapes and functions that you can imagine. Either look in the yellow pages under retail fixtures/displays, or better yet, e-mail me your wish list of parts/intended uses and I'll pass it along to neighbor. The fixturing industry is populated with a lot of smaller operations who will be glad to help out, and may even have 4 of these and 6 of those laying around that they would be happy to sell off. A good display person will also have a huge amount of resources at their fingertips that us woodworkers don't normally know about, but might come in handy someday: Local operations with waterjet machines, metal fabrication and powdercoaters, and etc. SOmeof these elements can integrate nicely with woodwork.
You'll notice that virtually all pegs, hangers and etc., fit into the slat OK, but with some "slop" or wiggle room. That's because there is a really neat way to greatly increase slatwall's capacity: With Extruded Aluminum slat runners (I think that is what they are called). These are 8 foot long inserts with an outside profile that matches the inside profile of the slat. You insert them by starting at one end and sliding them in until flush at both ends of your slatwall sheet. A rubber mallet comes in handy for the last few inches. It's easier to cut your slatwall to length, and do the same for the aluminum inserts, then assemble. With these runners in place, your fixturing will be tighter and sturdier. I think neighbor said it provides something like a 150% increase in carrying capacity. In theory, that translates to a lot more stuff up and out of the way!
Good luck and let me know if I can help.
The aluminum inserts are great, but not all slatwall is the same. For the insert to fit, the slot needs to be routed for it. It really makes a big difference in load carrying capability, though. The main thing to remember is to not overload it and keep the heavy things close to the bottom and the center. Heavy loads at the top and outside edges tend to try to peel the panels off, and it does happen.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Absolutely! Another thing about slatwall is that it collect stuff in its recesses: Chips, dust, SPIDERS! A bit of a pain to clean out, but a shop vac with a dust brush attachment should do it. Which means, ya' gotta mount the slatwall where you can reach it!
"Chips, dust, SPIDERS!" Ooops, didn't thing about that! Spiders are ubiquitous, I don't worry about them, but the dust could be a roal PITA.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
The dust shouldn't be too bad since you have a DC. Maybe an annual cleaning will suffice unless you cut a lot of redwood, cedar, MDF and extremely dry oak. Since I bought my DC, my horizontal surfaces stay very clean if they're along the walls. I move my saw to the middle of the garage when I cut, so that obviously makes a big difference, but even the floor stays a lot cleaner than pre-DC. With a Shop Vac and a crevice tool or brush, cleaning it shouldn't be a big chore.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
"With a Shop Vac and a crevice tool or brush, cleaning it shouldn't be a big chore." I was thinking more like compressed air!
The tools that still result in lots o' dust are the router and the miter saw. I haven't invested the time to build good DC for them. It is wonderful, though, to have a DC running for the table saw, bandsaw, planer and jointer!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
If you go to the plumbing department, you can get rubber adaptors that would let you connect a shop vac to yout miter saw and router. The miter saw has a dust bag, right? Connect the adaptor where the bag attaches. Most woodworking stores have a part that attaches to the router fence for dust removal, and there are funnel-like parts for collecting dust with a DC when you are rabbeting, cutting sliding dovetails, etc. some gets away from the collector, but it's mostly heavier particles, not the fine lightweight dust. HD is discontinuing the orange 4HP 4 gal vac and if you find one, see how low they'll go on it. It normally sells for $69 but since it's being disco'd, I got mine cheaper. He subbed that one for the 5HP 5 gal unit they advertised on TV. It's quiet, comes with a wall mounting bracket and a long hose that fits a 1-1/2" rubber adaptor by tightening a hose clamp so it's snug. I set mine up so I can remove the hose, but it's still snug. I have another adaptor that I'll put on my chop saw when I make the stand for that and my planer. It'll have wings to support long pieces of wood and I'll add a thicker bottom on whichever one needs to be raised. The main reason I set my vac up to disconnect is that I need to move my machines out of the way since I park in the garage. I'm thinking of looking for a different house in spring so hopefully, it'll either have enough room for a shed, second garage or adding on to the existing garage.What I really want is some land with a good sized barn and some outbuildings. If anyone in SE Wisconsin knows of anything like this that's not too expensive, I'd like to hear about it.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Thanks for the tip on the vacuum. My smaller one could stand replacing, the big ol' Craftsman (like 20 years old!) is still going strong. I like the idea of mounting it on a wall.
From what I've seen, the miter saw will need more than just a hose attached to the bag outlet, though I'm sure that would help. I've got a couple of plans bookmarked. My shop's just all jumbled up right now -- I straighten up enough to get some work done, but really need to rearrange the furniture and get the DC set up in a permanent place.
I'm still using my home-made router fence. The Veritas fence that's "on the list" has a dust port. In the meantime, I usually jury-rig something when I'm doing more than a few cuts.
Good luck on your land search. Maybe you should post at WWA and other forums "Cheap land wanted." Hmmmm, never know. Tom, Peter Loh and I were talking about potential workshop property (Tom's shop, if you didn't know, is huge and right in downtown Fremont). Gotta be in the right place at the right time. One thing tms suggested is, if you see a place marked "sold" that you really, really like, contact the real estate people, because often, or at least sometimes, it isn't really sold, it's just been offered on (whatever the real estate term for "reserved" is). If that deal falls through, you can be waiting in the wings!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I love the HD small orange wall-mount vac. Went out and bought a bunch of them over a multiple week period. Seems like I just kept coming up with uses for them: Two located underneath thde Makita DCMS (one for the dust port, the other drawing ambient air via a homemade plenum), one mounted on the base of my bandsaw (drawing air throught the collector port and through a port in the door for the lower wheel), one under the lathe powering a sanding hood, and so on. I hate turing on the big DCs for just two or three quick miter cuts... a moment or two on the band saw, and so on. Instead, I have the big DCs dedicated to the TS, Shaper Table, Pllaner and Jointer. BTW, the small orange vacuums USED to come with two hoses: One about 12' long and quite infelxible, and a second SWEET little hose that was VERY flexible and useful. On their way to discontinuing this product, they produced quite a few boxes with only the one long and inflexible hose: Dropping the better hose was a way for them to save a few bucks, or so it seems. Watch out for what comes in the box, should you decide to go with one of them. The included filer is good quality: A GoreTex variant that cleans up nicely with compressed air.Good luck!
I must have gotten one from old stock, it had both hoses, the crevice tool, 2 wands and a wide mouth attachment. I only bought it because I saw a TV commercial and they showed a 5HP vac for $25 while supplies last. I got there at 9AM and they were out, but when I started to leave, the guy said they were disco-ing the little orange one and he would do it for the same price. He went on about how good it is and I just told him I would take one since I was already familiar with it. My other one is a Genie that sucks like crazy but sounds like a jet engine, even with the Rigid muffler. Way too much noise and kinda big. Now, the new one is mounted on the wall and I won't have to move anything except the hose. And it reaches my router fence with no problem.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Having worked for a while in marketing for a company that produced tangible products, I know that when one store/retailer discontinues selling of a product, there were always other retailers waiting inthe wings to pick up that product and offer it with their own "special" added twist.Kind of like HD used to be ShopV*c territory... and now it's RIdg*d land. And where did ShopV*c go... why to Lowes, of course. I think you get the idea. The design for the Ridgid little vac is most likely the property of the holding company in China that is Ridgid (I think I have that correct) and that part of the world is notorious of getting a product back to market at any cost. I wager we'll see that size and shape for sale somewhere again. Lete's just remember to watch out for quality changes: Louder motor, shorter hoses, etc.
The stuff I've got is basically MDF with the slots routed in. I have had some blow out of the slats when I probably overloaded the hangers. There are lots of things made to fit, but they seem pricey and have minimum orders that would be appropriate for Macys. If you are up for it, I suggest some dumpster diving behind some local retail outlets in your area. It is truly unbelievable what stuff people throw away. Usually extra treasure when the stores redo their displays or change seasonal stuff.
I smell a business opportunity! While I am NOT soliciting -- since I think that's frowned upon in these forums -- I do know someone who owns a retail display business. Each sheet is less than 90 bucks and the minimum quantity is one (1). I can connect you with him, or simply check around your Yellow Pages. Lots of one-man operations in that industry.
I hope the slatwall is laminated for $90. There's a chain of HD-type stores called Menard's and they have it for about $50 with laminate. Paintable is about $35, add the aluminum channel, not sure how much $. Just about any plywood supplier will carry this stuff. They don't care if you want 1 or 1000 sheets, but there will be quantity discounts. If someone buys for goods that they sell, an account can be set up so discounts apply and no sales tax is paid.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
$90 is pretty high. It is easy to get the stuff used if you live in a metro area. The hangers can also be bought used for no minimun and darn cheep. Especially if you don't mind a little rust.
Mike
You are all right about the cost. Thanks for the heads up!I still have my pieces in the shop... unused. Any ideas for it?
You can get the hardware from any merchandising/display store. There should be a few of them in the Seattle area, Los angeles for sure
As to help control the dust problem in the little slots, they make a thin extruded plastic insert that goes in the bottom portion of the slot. This stuff is cleap.
If I had accesessed this portion of the website last week, I would have given you some of it when you we at my home. I have quite a few of left over pieces from doing storefront displays. This stuff I bought in Los Angeles 4-5 years ago. I can't remember the correct product name or where I bought it. Try Outwater plastics
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