# Built in book shelf/ Shopnotes Clamp rack



## fasttruck860 (Feb 18, 2008)

I have two offerings today, one a built in bookcase I did earlier this summer and my mostly completed clamp rack. I've been working 80 hour weeks for the past 11 weeks and finally work is back to normal so I've had time to build this clamp rack from Shopnotes volume 18 issue 106. I had planned on having a finished work shop by now, but with so many hours every week just about everything was put on hold. 

First the bookcase, built out of 3/4" poplar roughly (81"x30"x11" deep). I used a dado jig and router for the fixed shelves (stopped dados) and built a shelf pin jig for the two movable shelves. I notched the front of the shelves to sit tight to the sides. The back was 1/2" mdf to save money. This was installed in a house I've been renovating on the side and will be painted. The home owner wanted it to be the same size and height as the door next to it and it will be trimmed with the same casing. 

The clamp rack is a modified version of the shopnotes clamp rack. I bought a Oshlun dado set for my saw and this was my first chance get familiar with using this tool. Dimensions are 53"x36"x8", I added a 15"wide shelf on the left and a 12"w shelf on the right and made the middle rack 22"w. I also added a rack at the bottom of the 15" shelf for small f-clamps. The rear rack is setup for 6 pipe clamps and 3 f-clamps. The front is setup for parallel and f-clamps interchangeably. I used 1 1/2 sheets of 3/4" AC plywood with titebond III and 1 3/4" wood screws. I've added 4 bolts to the continuous hinge on each side for strength. I plan on finishing in urethane as soon as I get a hvlp gun, probably in a week or so. I apologize for these pictures because they were from my phone, I lost my camera.

I just realized that the pictures of the bookcase being built were on the camera that has gone missing. All I have currently is the assemblely and install pics. I'm going to go through the house room by room this week maybe I will find it.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

I was thinking about making that clamp rack. Canadian Tire just had a big sale on clamps, and well.... I love a sale! So I need a new clamp home. Please post the rest of the pictures when you get it finished


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

Wow that cabinet looks heavy with 2 ply 3/4 sides. Well built if not anything. You do nice work well done!


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

CanuckGal said:


> I was thinking about making that clamp rack. Canadian Tire just had a big sale on clamps, and well.... I love a sale! So I need a new clamp home. Please post the rest of the pictures when you get it finished


BusyBee Tools has a nice clamp caddy for $59.99. I bought one and like it because I can just wheel it over to where I am clamping stuff and use the clamps right off the cart instead of having to run over the wall and grab a few clamps.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

TRN_Diesel said:


> BusyBee Tools has a nice clamp caddy for $59.99. I bought one and like it because I can just wheel it over to where I am clamping stuff and use the clamps right off the cart instead of having to run over the wall and grab a few clamps.


Now that includes the clamps right??


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Dan I saw that rack in both your post and at Busy Bee. It is a nice clamp organizer but no room for it in my shop. I need a wall mount unit. The one in Shop Notes was perfect. 
Now if I could just add about 12 hours to every day I could get all these projects made.


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

CanuckGal said:


> Dan I saw that rack in both your post and at Busy Bee. It is a nice clamp organizer but no room for it in my shop. I need a wall mount unit. The one in Shop Notes was perfect.
> Now if I could just add about 12 hours to every day I could get all these projects made.


Oh I see well we better lobby then for a national Wood Worker's Day then so we can devote one full day to a project.:agree:


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## fasttruck860 (Feb 18, 2008)

TRN_Diesel said:


> Wow that cabinet looks heavy with 2 ply 3/4 sides. Well built if not anything. You do nice work well done!


It's not so heavy that I can't move it around by myself. Besides I wanted a heavy duty unit. Deb if you decide to build it I would recommend making the back out of a single piece of ply instead of the 2 piece design that shopnotes has.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

National Wood Workers Day? Hmm not a bad idea. Does that mean the spouse has to cook, clean, do laundry, grocery shop and all those other things that get in the way of my projects? I LIKE IT! LOL

Sean I need to modify the design a little to fit where I want it to go. But I see what you are saying. One piece does make more sense.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

I had my National Woodworkers Day today. The spouse is gone up north for three days! Got most of my clamp rack made, but I am going to add another panel to the front of it when I get some wrap around hinges. It's NOTHING like the Shopnotes rack, that's me colouring outside the lines again..lol. 
I'd post a picture but the spouse took the camera it seems. I will be offline pretty much the next couple of days as I have company coming from British Columbia. An old friend I haven't seen in 30 years! But I'll post a picture as soon as I get a chance


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

Looking forward to see what you came up with Deb. I always look at a plan and use it as a guide not a must follow thing. 

So what will be the official day for Woodworkers Day so I can let my wife know when she has to look after the kids?


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Dan I plan to have a NWD every chance I get. Being able to work in the shop all day UNINTERRUPTED was pure heaven. I spent 9 hours out there, just stopped for a quick lunch. I even managed to tame my ADD and concentrate on one (okay maybe it was 2) projects. It was GREAT! I can see locks being installed on the doors... that only open from the INSIDE. ..LOL


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

OK so who did we lobby to get this day passed and put into legislation?


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## fasttruck860 (Feb 18, 2008)

My camera is still M.I.A., but I took a few pics of the final product. I ended up finishing by hand because I have to buy some other tools to buy before I get the spray gun. All in all I'm pretty happy with the finished product and it's now loaded up with my stuff. It actually holds more then I had expected it would.

It would have been better to make the whole thing 2" deeper to hold my jigsaw and brad nailer case. I added some poplar dowels to hold c-clamps, framing square and long levels on the sides.


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

fasttruck860 said:


> My camera is still M.I.A., but I took a few pics of the final product. I ended up finishing by hand because I have to buy some other tools to buy before I get the spray gun. All in all I'm pretty happy with the finished product and it's now loaded up with my stuff. It actually holds more then I had expected it would.
> 
> It would have been better to make the whole thing 2" deeper to hold my jigsaw and brad nailer case. I added some poplar dowels to hold c-clamps, framing square and long levels on the sides.


Looks great well done.


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