Trigger Clamp DIY Storage Rack

I’m a big fan of trigger clamps and use them often. At any given time, my garage and workshop will look cluttered with clamps lying around. I may have used them on various projects but not put them up after use. It tends to become messy because I’ve never had a great place to store my clamps other than on a shelf I have always used. Sometimes I clamp them to the shelf and sometimes they pile up lying on the shelf.

This may be fine if you have a clamp or two but when you have a half dozen or more, it becomes a mess. You can store them in a toolbox but they are out of the way and harder to get to when you need them. Having a place to store them provides you with easy access to them at any given time. Then, once you are finished using them, it’s easy to put them right back where they belong.

I decided to create a simple clamp storage rack that would allow me to easily store all my clamps when not in use. The idea is simple and will allow a place to squeeze the clamps onto and stay there until ready to use again. They will look organized and ready to use without hassle whenever I need them.

This is a simple project that can do wonders for helping you organize your clamps. I like to keep things nice and tidy but unfortunately, I’ve let my clamp situation get out of hand over time. This simple project can be done in only a couple of hours or even less.

Parts I Used

• 1″ x 3/8″ wood that attaches to the wall
• 5 1/2″ x 3/4″ wood for the clamping surface
• Screws (2 1/2 inch & 1 1/2 inch)
• Drill & bits, Miter Saw (or some way to cut wood to size)
• 1″ x 3/8″ wood for the lip of clamping surface (Optional)
• Nail Gun (Optional)
• Wood Glue (Optional)

Let’s get started building this thing!

Building the Back Plate

The back of the storage rack will be the part that mounts to the wall and holds the clamping surface. It will be made from a 3/8″ thick wood piece that measures 16 3/16″ wide x 5 1/2″ high.

You can purchase this 3/8″ wood at a hardware store and you’ll just need to cut it to size. I purchased mine at Lowe’s and just had to trim it off at the length I needed it.

Once cut, you’ll need to find the center of it. Once you have found the centerline, you can line that up with the center of the clamping surface wood and make marks where the wood will be installed. Since the clamping surface wood is 3/4″ thick, line the center of 3/4″ up on the centerline that you made. The center of 3/4 inches is 3/8 inches. Now you can mark both sides at the 0 mark and the 3/4″ mark.

Building the Clamping Surface

The clamping surface wood will be made from 1″ wood (although it actually measures 3/4″) and the dimensions will be 15 7/16 wide x 2 3/4″ high. There is nothing to do here other than cut it to the dimensions you need.

You’ll need to leave space on each side to add the lip to the shelf IF you are going to add it. It isn’t necessary but will keep your clamps secure should one become loose.

Putting It Together

Since everything is already marked, you’ll just need to line it up with the marks you made earlier. Once lined up, you can hold it tight with a couple of trigger clamps. Once tight, you can turn it over and work from the back. At this point, you’ll be preparing to screw the two pieces together.

On the backside of the piece, it will help to find the center in a couple of places and then draw a line with a straight edge that gives you the center throughout the full width of the wood. This is where you can drill your holes and screw the two pieces together.

I used a 1/8″ drill bit and 2 1/2″ SPAX screws. I also used a countersink bit to drill out an area where the screw heads will go. Since it’s mounting against the wall, you’ll want them sitting flush with the wood. I drove the screws in tight using an impact driver but you can use a drill or whatever you have available. I used five screws on mine but three should suffice.

Installing a Lip on the Shelf (Optional)

This lip is optional but will allow you to put clamps on loosely and not have to worry about them falling off. It will also allow you to store small items on it and not worry about them rolling off.

I used a 1″ x 3/8″ strip of wood to complete this part. If mounted flush with the bottom, it will leave you with a 1/4″ lip on the top that will stop anything from falling off including a loosely clamped clamp.

You’ll just need to measure to figure out how much length you need to extend all the way around.

Once you have these cut and ready to go, you can use a little glue and a nail gun to install them. They don’t need to be installed tightly since they won’t be carrying a load. I used 1 1/2 brad nails with a little Titebond III to hold them on.

Mounting Storage Rack to the Wall

The final thing to do is to clean the piece up and then install it on the wall. You can finish it all pretty if you’d like but I opted not to since it’s only going in my workshop. I think it looks fine in its natural state.

If you are going to finish it, you may want to drill your installation holes first. You can figure out where you’ll mount it into the wall and then drill those holes. After that, you can finish it or just sand it real smooth, which is all I did to mine.

I’m using some holes that were already in my wall. These holes held a ladder mount on my wall in the past and will line up good enough to hold this rack. It’s best to find a stud to install it on but if not, some strong drywall anchors will work since it won’t be carrying a heavy load.

Screw it in and then you have a nice little storage rack to hold your clamps when not in use.

Conclusion

This little storage rack will help you tidy up your space and give you a place where you know that clamps will always be. Rather than rummaging around your shop trying to find one, you can just grab one off the rack and go. I have found it to be a much better solution than what I used to have.

No longer are my clamps in a messy pile on my workbench, on the floor, or any other random place I may have put them. Instead, they are hanging neatly on my wall and I can easily grab one as needed.