Clamp Cart Project Plan

Keep your assembly tools organized and close at hand

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POSTED BY: Dan Cary; Photos by Tracy Walsh

September 30, 2010

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Are you tripping over clamps in your shop? Or worse yet, do you have to search for the right
one when you need it? This clamp cart will solve both problems by keeping all of your clamps
organized and improve your shop storage. You can buy the materials for about $100, but
before you spend any money, check your scrap bin. You might already have everything you
need.

The design is based on a common pyramid-style clamp cart that I built years ago. You can
complete the cart in a couple of hours, and you’ll be amazed at how much it holds. I loaded
mine up with the project-assembly tools I most often use: clamps, bottles of glue and a small
compressor.

Here’s how to build the cart:

1. Cut the legs 55 in. long. Make a mark 1/2 in. from each end. Draw a line from the mark to
the corner of each leg to establish the miter cut line at each end of the legs (see Detail A). Set
your miter saw blade to match the cut line angle (roughly 6 degrees). Miter cut both ends of
each leg.

2. The crosspieces fit into 1/4-in.-deep x 3/4-in.-wide dadoes that are cut in the inside faces of
each leg. Mark the dadoes (see Detail B). Then cut the dadoes with a router and 3/4-in.-dia.
straight bit (photo 1). I guided the router with an easy-to-make crosscut guide (photo 2).
Attach two approximately 2 x 12-in. straight scrap pieces together. The angle of the two
pieces should match the crosscut angle of the dado that you want to cut. In this case the
pieces are perpendicular (90 degrees).

3. Cut the crosspieces to length.

4. Assemble the side frames. Apply glue to the dadoes and clamp the crosspieces between the
legs. Secure the pieces with 2-in. wood screws (photo 3). Then attach the side panesl to the
bottom, inside edge of the side frames with glue and screws

5. Cut the plywood shelves and top edge pieces. Miter cut the ends of the top edge pieces to
45 degrees.

6. Attach the top edge pieces to the top with glue. Clamp the pieces in place until the glue has
dried.

7. Cut the angle iron pieces to length. I used a reciprocating saw and metal-cutting blade to
cut the angle iron. I used angle iron because it is very strong and rigid — and because I
happened to have a few pieces in my shop. If you don’t have any angle iron, you could
substitute pieces of 2x4 lumber for these parts.

8. Connect the sides to the angle iron with 1/4-in.-dia. x 1-in. machine screws (photo 4). If
you use 2x4s instead of angle iron, attach the 2x4s under the top and bottom shelf with glue
and 1-1/4-in. screws.

9. Attach the casters to the bottom with 1/4-in.-dia. x 1-in. machine screws. Bore a 5/16-in.-
dia. pilot hole through the bottom for each screw.

Shopping List
1x4 x 8-ft. pine boards (4)
1/2-in.-thick x 2x4-ft. plywood panel (2) OR 1/2-in.-thick x 4x4-ft. plywood panel (1)
12-ft. x 1-1/2 x 1-1/2-in. perforated angle iron
2-in. wood screws
1/4-dia. x 1-in. machine screws (50)
1/4-in.-dia. flat washers and nuts (50) (used in all connections with machine screws to attach
casters and angle iron)
Casters (4)
Glue
Materials and Cutting List
A 4 Legs 3/4 x 3-1/2 x 55 in.
B 6 Crosspieces 3/4 x 3-1/2 x 19 in.
C 2 Short top edge pieces 3/4 x 3/4 x 18 in.
D 2 Long top edge pieces 3/4 x 3/4 x 20 in.
E 1 Top, plywood 1/2 x 18 x 20 in.
F 1 Middle piece, plywood 1/2 x 18-1/2 x 20 in.
G 4 Bottom pieces, plywood 1/2 x 20 x 30 in.
H 2 Side Panels, plywood 1/2 x 11-1/2 x 20 in.