I’m focusing on small projects that I can do, here and there, until I get back to work on Calderwood. I recently put up a French cleat wall section in my workshop so I could put away some of the tools that don’t fit in my drawer storage. Then I built some storage for all my track saw tracks. I had them hanging up on my pegboard wall before I took that down. It was difficult to get the 8′ track on and off the little hanger because it was to high up. These hanging bracket hold all five of my tracks (with room to spare) in a fairly compact space of only 9″ in vertical height. The length of tracks you have will determine how much horizontal space you need. I used up 9″ across the whole 8′ section of French cleat wall.
French Cleat Storage for Track Saw Tracks
Materials and Supplies:
- 3/4″ thick plywood
- Six pieces at 1 1/2″ x 9″
- Four pieces at 3/4″ x 3/4″
- Wood glue
- Clamps
I rounded the ends of the arms using a belt sander. This step is not necessary but I am not a fan of sharp edges so I rounded them.
Very small pieces can be tricky to cut. I used a GRR-RIPPER 3D Pushblock and a piece of scrap wood behind the cut –to keep the small pieces moving forward until they were clear of the sawblade.
Glue the brackets together
To build the bracket, apply glue to the inside of one “side piece” and stagger the “arms” and spacers. The top piece is an arm, then a spacer…ending with a spacer. Apply glue generously to all sides of the pieces where they touch another wood surface. 
Next, apply glue to and place the remaining side piece.
There are no fasteners, just glue, holding this bracket together. I placed a scrap of paper between my bracket and another scrap of wood in order to lift the bracket up off the table and get better leverage for my clamps. Sometimes the pressure of clamps causes the pieces of wood you are glueing together to raise up on one edge or the other. In order for these brackets to work on the French cleat wall, they need to be flat. I placed another scrap of wood across the width of the bracket to keep both sides flat while the glue set/dried.
The French cleat wall is made up of plywood strips that were beveled at a 45º angle. Each storage device that will hang on the wall receives the opposite half of that cleat. The total width of the bracket is 3 3/4″ wide so I cut and beveled a piece of plywood to make that cleat. The height of this cleat is not important. What is important it that if you are making multiple brackets, the cleats are all exactly the same height. (So they all line up.)
I attached mine with just glue and clamped it together until dry.
Obviously, make sure you attach the cleat with the angle facing the correct way so it slides into place and holds the bracket on your French wall.
You could use these brackets even if you don’t have a French cleat wall system. You would just need to drive a screw through the side of the bracket and into a wall stud. Depending on your available space, that might be a good option too.
French cleat system or not, I LOVE having these tracks off the floor, not tilted against the wall, getting knocked into and falling over. I use my tracks everyday so I need easy access but out of the way when I’m not using them. I am very happy with this storage for my track saw tracks!
Elisabeth says
What a nifty idea! Gotta love a good cleat! Just a question, why do you have so many tracks? I don’t own a track saw (yet!!), and can usually get by with my circular saw or table saw, but there are times it’d be great to have one. I don’t know enough about them to know if I’d need different tracks. I’d be grateful for your ideas. Thanks. 🙂
Sandra says
A track saw is a game changer for me both in renovating and in my workshop. I got by with the tools you mentioned as well but wish I would have bought my track saw a few years earlier. No joke — game changer!
I bought the 8′ track along with the 5′ track when I bought my Festool 55REQ. You can put two shorter ones together to make an 8′ long track but I use them both too often to fiddle with that. I like to be able to alternate between them (quickly).
I have a 3′ track that can be used with a Festool MFT (multi function table) but I use it often without the MFT. I just purchased another 5′ track with holes for a nifty router jig I just bought as well. I haven’t used it yet but I have been wanting it forever and finally saved up for it. (The original short track I bought didn’t have holes so I had to get another.) So that’s 4 Festool tracks. Then I also have one DeWalt track for the cordless DeWalt track saw. I like both saws but primarily use the Festool for woodworking and cabinet making and the DeWalt for renovations.
Hope that helps!
Elisabeth Crowe says
I think I need to research track saws…. 🙂 I found the table saw a game changer, so if you’re telling me a track saw is a game changer… well, one thing leads to another. A girl’s gotta do what a gril’s gotta do, and all that…
Thanks Sandra. I’m missing your posts! Have you finished your own house now? I must scroll back through, but thought it was still a work in progress??
Sandra says
I have not finished my house. I’m just now installing some doors in the Jack and Jill bathroom that I started over a year ago. I’m very fractured with the flip house and half my tools being over there. We’ll finish that one up by September and then I’ll refocus on my house. Some day I’ll finish that too. LOL
bRAD LEE says
I’m in love. With the skilled labor shortage in the trades – more women need to realize the potential for great careers in the building/remodeling trades. Your site is an inspiration.
Bob says
I noticed you put the tracks up pretty high. I have tracks plus the wings for my miter saw I’d like to get up and out of the way. Do you need a stool to grab them? My “shop” turns back into a garage pretty often and I don’t want to risk the car hitting my valuable stuff!
Sandra says
I can get them without a stool. But my shop is just a shop. Never used as a garage. You have to customize your storage to suite your needs. That’s the great thing about the French cleat system, you can move things around, as needed.
Bob Fischer says
I ended up building one. A bit shorter since I only have 55″ tracks, which I hook together when I need a longer one. I made two wider slots for the FastCap Best Fence wings. Thank you for the idea! Now the miter saw fence is off of the wood rack, making room for wood. I added 3/8 plywood backing to each bracket, thinking a little more support might be needed for the fences, which are heavier than the track, and also put a screw through the back into the two fingers that are going to hold the fences.
Sandra says
I’d love to see pictures. Are you on Instagram? Can you post pics and tag me?
mic says
very interesting projects of a very attractive woman in every relationship … my compliment … i’m very impressed 😉
Rick Dawson says
What are the layout specifications for your French cleat wall. It looks very versatile. In my shop I hang a lot of tools using French cleat holders.
Sandra says
Do you mean, how much distance between my cleats? Or how wide are the cleats? I don’t actually remember the answer to either question. I’ve moved.