# Rockler Ceiling Track?



## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

Anyone using this? Or tried to use it? https://www.rockler.com/starter-kit-for-rockler-ceiling-track-system

It looks kind of useful. But then, a lot of stuff collecting dust in my shop looked useful before I actually tried using them.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Probably about the same price all said and done as using regular, galvanized strut channel

https://www.mcmaster.com/strut-u-channel

BTW, McMaster is probably the most expensive way to buy it, shop from a local supplier


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

use a shower curtain rod...
a stick of EMT..
eye bolts..
curtain hooks..


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Don't have it but have seen it. Useful? If having cords and hoses coming down from the ceiling and not up from the floor then yes. It looks like price wise rigging up your own is the way to go. Rockler has a way of making a lot of money from a good idea when you use their system. I use their Dust Right hoses and fittings for dust collection and it gets a little costly when you start getting their accessories and "New" Dust Right" products.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

For my bigger CNC machine, I was thinking of something similar for over table DC.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I liked it as soon as I thought about hanging my Festools power cord and vacuum hose, as their always getting stuck on the edge of the board. 
I have welding blankets that I could use on these also .


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

I considered that type of thing about 10 years ago, but then realized that most of the time I wanted compressed air, vacuum, and electricity in one general area, above the bench that I usually work at. 

I bought a plastic clothes line reel from Target that spring retracts and I attached it to the ceiling above the workbench. I ran the vacuum line across the ceiling using the large hooks available from Lowes or Home Depot, and probably many hardware stores. I installed these hooks in the ceiling to reach several frequent locations where I want the vacuum hose routed. My shop ceiling is only 8', so I can just pull a loop in the hose and hook swing the loop of hose up over a hook, then pull the loop out by pulling on the end of the hose, then repeat the process to attach to the next hook, until I reach the location where I want to use it. Some of these hooks bring the vacuum line to this main workbench, but other hooks let me rout it to my drill presses, scroll saws, bench sanders, etc. My shop vacuum system for these light sawdust producers is a re-purposed central vacuum unit with a Dust Deputy in the line ahead of it. A 20 gallon steel drum dollects the sawdust under the Dust Deputy.

For my ROS or other type sander I combine a power cord, my 1 1/2" vacuum hose connected with a reducer adapter to attach my sander and bundle the hose and power cord every foot using a Velcro strap. I then attach the end of the plastic clothes line using with Velcro straps attaching the clothes line to the working loop area of the bundled vacuum and power cord using another one of the Velcro straps. The spring tension of the clothes line re-winder needed one turn removed to get the spring tension right so it holds my hose/power cable work loop about a foot above my bench. I can then use the sander without the cord or hose catching or getting in the way.

I have a power cord rewinder mounted on the ceiling next to the clothes line rewinder reel, so I can pull that down and work with it on the bench for 120 volt needs. It's rewind mechanism has a latch so it can be held from rewinding at any cable length, so I don't usually use the clothes line to support this power cable, but use the end of it in it's fully retracted position to plug in my power tools (sanders, etc.) when using them at the bench or when using them anywhere in this half of my shop.

My air lines in my shop are 3/4" soft copper the compressor is outside the shop in an enclosed addition attached to the North wall of the shop. There is a filter/dryer and main regulator mounted on a wall inside my shop that feeds the entire shop air system. It's usually set high at 100 psi so I can use brad and narrow crown staplers anywhere, but I have several regulators with quick attach fittings, so I can plug one in wherever I need lower air pressure and then plug in the sprayer or whatever I need that requires the lower pressure and it will regulate down from 100 psi to whatever is needed. 

In my air compressor shed I have a refrigerated dryer, also with quick connect fittings.
Whenever I need really dry air, like for painting or sand blasting, I can just quick connect this dryer in the air line and turn it on. Both spray painting and sand blasting are always done outside the shop, so the connections to the shop are left connected and the air dryer just feeds these needs outside of the shop quick connectors at the compressor, through one of the quick connect regulators, if I should need it at a lower pressure.

I have an elbow with attached mounting tabs attached to the ceiling beams with a short 1' pigtail of 3.8" rubber air line that hangs down from it with a quick connect fitting on the bottom end. I have this same setup at every location in the shop where I want an air connection at the ceiling, but similar . Most of the time, the one above this main workbench has a nylon spring coil type air line plugged into the quick connect, and the other end has a blow gun attached, but also with quick connect fittings, so I can attach a die grinder, air drill, air sander, etc to the line. When the blow gun is attached, made a figure eight loop out of coat hanger that I installed just above the upper quick connect fitting, one loop around the pipe nipple and the other loop is for attaching the hook on the blow gun when not in use. This keeps the spring hose and blow gun out of the way, but within easy reach when needed.

Well, that's a little more than you asked for. I hope it helps.

Charley


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

Hand sanding is where this bothers me the most. I hung a loop of twine down from a garage beam. I put one loop in it and slip the vacuum hose through it about six feet back from the sander. It helps but it's not ideal because if I travel too far it restricts the movement. I'd like to have something better.

A welding shop that I worked at as a kid, had something like Doug posted. They had it fastened only at one end with guy wire supporting it. The mig operator could move anywhere in his area - the arm would swing around and he could move in and out along the arm. There was a lot of ceiling space there though.


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## Barry747 (Jun 16, 2011)

Like Paul, my main problem was with sanding but with my ROS. A couple of years ago I had purchased Rockler's hose kit: https://www.rockler.com/dust-right-flexiport-power-tool-hose-kit-3-to-12-expandable for my Bosch ROS20VS. Although it worked well enough connected to my shop vac, I found the hose heavy, difficult to maneuver and would periodically come unplugged from the ROS due to it's weight. I still used it since it was much better than having to constantly dump the small filter attached to the ROS. Then I saw this: https://www.rockler.com/dust-right-cord-and-hose-holder on sale at $10 off so I bought it. My first impression was that I was surprised at how sturdy it is . I recently used it for a jewelry box i'm making for my great-niece and it worked really well. It managed the hose and power cord and took a lot of the weight off the hose making it easier to maneuver and less tiring. The hose never came off the ROS either. And the clamp makes it possible to put it anywhere on my workbench which is a big plus since I may have more than one project on it at a time. When not in use I just lean it in a corner where I have some lumber stored vertically so it's not a space hog. Was worth the money for me.


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## ScottyDBQ (Jul 5, 2008)

I have a little simpler system. I ran a couple of quarter-inch steel cables from one wall to another in a couple of places. Before tying off the cable, I put about six 1 1/2" solid steel rings on the cable so I attach things onto the rings and and just pull the item out as far as I needed. I have a 4 foot LED shop light and a separate extension cord on one of those cables and an electric cord on another one. The cable was probably a little overkill, but I figured if I wanted to extend something heavier in the future - like an air hose or flexible vacuum duct - or affix the vacuum duct right to the cable, I'd already have a system heavy enough to handle it. I also figured that if I wanted to run something else on it, I could unhook the cord and pull all the steel rings and light to one end and then either slip large key rings over the cable or more likely shower curtain rings since they will probably hold anything that isn't too heavy, and use almost the whole run of the cable. if I really wanted to move something a little heavier, I could switch the shop light and electric cord onto a bunch of shower curtain rings and use the solid steel rings for the heavier item. I have a workbench in the corner and a lathe in the middle of the room without any electric outlet in a handy location in that corner. It's very simple to slide the shop light so it's right about over the work area.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

I use rubber bunji cords. Hook em on the ceiling and make a loop on the other end. They stretch and follow you anywhere. Just figure out the right length that works for you.


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

Someone is making huge profits on those hooks !!!


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Danman1957 said:


> Someone is making huge profits on those hooks !!!


yup. you can get the plain u strut channel, and make all of the accessories. The little trolleys can be made with cheap skate bearings, a piece of scrap aluminum, ply, or hardboard, and a pin.

https://www.amazon.com/Shielded-Ska...er+skate+bearings+pack&qid=1583198741&sr=8-17

Now you've got me thinking about what I could do in my shop...….


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