I Invented a New DIY Storage System! Better than Pegboard or French Cleats?

[@derphyn]

Lady, what you share is totally brilliant! Not only that, but you communicate it clearly and quickly without a syllable wasted. Thank you for doing what you do!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy my Channel. Thanks for watching.

[@ryanrasor2422]

Awesome idea! To save time on cutting the full sheet of plywood you could place the cut every 4-6" and on the back of tool holder have multiple 1" slots that could give you the same adjustments in space. Fewer cuts with the large heavy plywood and a lot easier to do with the smaller manageable pieces. I've been thinking of doing a French Cleat wall, but I like this better!

[@junny11211]

Apa lah macam tu kata nyaaaaa

[@garrydye2394]

Yes, that makes perfect sense. Thanks for the comment.

[@Wewilllearn-x2g]

Makes no sense, you lose all the added storage adjustments having it on the pieces instead of built into your actual storage system “the wall”.

[@Sn0wZer0]

I like the general idea but you don't want too many cuts on your holders either (otherwise they get too large and/or weak). Maybe a good sweet spot is 2" spacing on the wall, and two cuts on the holder 1" apart. You can't glue the metal spline to the holder anymore so there's a slight loss of convenience (you'll need to keep pliers handy if they stick in the wall), but realistically you don't spend that much time constantly rearranging things, and in the rare cases something needs to move a lot get a thinner bar and live with 2" spacing options.

[@jeremyspecce]

Great idea

[@robertperry7484]

As a would-be-woodworker, I have been impressed with your many creative and useful projects posted on KZbin over the years. You again have struck gold with this simple, inexpensive, small-space, readily-accessible tool storage solution. I fear that your obvious genius for problem solving has made me intellectually lazy, but I am certainly not shy about emulating your many successes. Also, you are a great teacher… Your ability to break down each project (big or small) into palatable pieces that affords even the rankest novice the confidence to not only attempt, but complete similar projects is truly a gift. Millions of KZbinrs are very happy you traded your baton for a tool belt!

[@waynejudo9308]

Q

[@SubtlyAggressive]

"Wood Bee Woodworker" 😏

[@davebaker1325]

Interesting idea! My primary concern would be longevity, since the only thing that appears to be holding weight is the lamination between the plys. I worry that those might separate over time of repeated use and stress. Hope I'm wrong! Awesome seeing folks trying new ideas.

[@tconiam]

Agree, one thing to do would be to add a second hanger bar lower down to help distribute the weight and add a measure of safety if the top begins to fail.

[@TNRonin]

Good point. Probably not partical wall friendly. I'm sure high load would be an issue, as with anything. Keep it within the built parameters.

[@everistusolumese9350]

I wonder if I can do this with other lumber apart from plywood. I typically work with reclaimed wood and pallets. Could I do something like this with pallets?

[@lyndonmansell351]

One inch spacing is easy compared to the precision rewuired to get any 2 perfectly parallel ​@@tconiam

[@CullenJWebb]

​@@everistusolumese9350Not really, plywood is uniquely suited for a task like this because it has strength in all axis. Normal timber boards will be weak along the grain and are going to warp and twist with humidity and temperature changes, and that's especially true of pallet wood which has been made from the lowest cost wood possible and then abused through use.

[@Iskelderon]

Glad I'm not the only one who uses PVC pipe like that. You can even cut a slot in it and widen it with heat gun if you need modifications for something like a handle.

[@mikeizzano172]

Great idea ! I’ve followed you from the start and found out you were impressed with J Diresta as much as I am . Your fold down work station with piano hinge fit perfectly in my third stall garage . And the dry pour concrete is a trick I’ve done for a long time . Although I’m upstate N Y I wasn’t sure with the freeze thaw cycle we have I haven’t used it for a structural pour such as a garage slab but had great results with pads or piece of sidewalk . I did frame a 20 x10 three sided by sinking 6x6 below frost line , layed dry filled block for a 4 ft footing + I filled all the block holes with dry mix , nothing has moved or been any problem . I did lock it all in with a wet pour floor that was 10 years ago , alls good ! Keep up the great work ,it’s a pleasure to watch you work . (Retired mixer driver, learned a ton by watching the pro,s for all those years ) 🇺🇸…

[@AprilWilkerson]

Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for Sharing and for watching.

[@bobledger7951]

April, Thank you for all that you give! All this time and you still let your joy shine for us!!

[@AprilWilkerson]

You are so welcome! I'm glad you enjoy my Channel. Thanks for staying along for the ride.

[@petenelson8136]

I just built a new house with a 14'x32' woodworking shop. I've been struggling to decide what I wanted to use for organization on the walls, and I think I just found it. Simple design, easy to construct and very easy to make the attachment system. Thanks for sharing.

[@awls7393]

Here's an idea for those without a table saw, for groving large sheets. Make a foot plate for your circular saw that has a hanger bar (the 1/8" bar) installed in it ,at the grove distance you want away from a 1/8" saw blade (often called a demo blade). After the first cut the"hanger" bar will auto space the consecutive cuts. Some adjustments may be needed to make the"hanger" bar slide smoothly in the grove.

[@JordanNiks]

This is the way.

[@coppulor6500]

@@JordanNiks lol

[@coppulor6500]

killer idea. I was thinking something like that would be the way to go but your idea is the best! circular saw would be much faster and easier.

[@JeffMooredotcom]

I see you holding on to the boxes when pulling up. You might consider every other slat being 90 degree so you can insert a locking peice. Cool idea! Really dig the final results.

[@SuperFly1414]

seems like a good system, but I might space out your cuts more. Being 1 inch apart, and how the plywood grain is oriented, I would be worried about the weight causing it to crack down the grain to your next cut. You are much more dependent on the strength of the wood in your system than the strength of the wood in a french cleat system. This is just my own thought on it. When it comes to the french cleat, and your worry about it spacing away from the wall, the good thing is that the wood it's self is not splitting, but separating away from the wall. So I would use longer screws or more screws to prevent that from happening. If you would use your system, to add some shear strength, and to strengthen the joints between cuts, I would add brad nails down each row, but I really like the idea and concept! Always great to see your ingenuity!

[@richardscott9797]

Really good points here. I've pondered this system for a couple of days and, for the most part, I like it better than the French cleat, primarily for the riding-up issue it solves and also because it essentially turns the entire wall into half the cleat. That said, grain orientation is important. Obviously with metal inserts there will be potentially more damage to the wall, so my thoughts are to run the surface grain of the ply horizontally, and then brush in a runny epoxy mix to toughen up the slot and surrounding timber. And with, as you suggest, slightly more generous spacing and more fastening, this system could be a winner.

[@kaferrat]

This new storage method is so great. The tip on using screws to install plywood instead of nails for later upgrades is also a great tip.

[@werewolf74]

you could even do those thumb screw knob things .... they have a grippy body and are used in advertising sometimes.

[@joshportelli]

Always use Screws for ease of disassembly or repair. Once screws were invented there is no reason to use nails unless its skinny trim nails to hide them. But good luck taking off trim without breaking it.

[@jack002tuber]

With the two tons of things on the wall, no nail will hold all that anyway

[@werewolf74]

@@jack002tuber thats not how that works. a small peg / nail can hold a LOT in this configuration.

[@davidward1259]

Nice idea! And those lines make plain old plywood look upscale. When I saw the first part of the video, I thought it was Baltic birch, and was surprised to see it was common plywood. So a double win - functional and upgrades the looks for just a little time investment. I'm finishing a workshop in my basement soon, and had been thinking of using plywood. Now I'm thinking of using this cleat idea, even for the panels that will be left plain. Improved looks, and easy future changes to tool and supply hanging locations. Being retired, the time to make cuts is not an issue.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thank you very much! Enjoy the build. Thanks for watching.

[@chipdayton1625]

Great idea, seems like 2" spacing would be flexible enough.

[@jeremyspecce]

And half the time👍 even 3” would probably be flexible enough in general

[@danieldean8953]

And cutting the curfs all the way to the floor is unnecessary… what are you gonna store at 1” from the ground?

[@brucea550]

@@danieldean8953 Exactly what I was wondering and hoped she would mention.

[@political_zen]

@@danieldean8953 For asthetics.

[@penitanielu4074]

@@danieldean8953 Except for the look is uniform throughout and therefore aesthetically pleasing.

[@MichaelMetcalf-xw3xm]

Can you cut a second slot on the tool holder so you have two areas of support for heaver items or just to keep it from pulling up from the bottom when taking the tool down. Just a thought. 😄

[@RyanCrossOfficial]

you could, but (1) you're more likely to have difficulties getting exact matching on two rows/cuts on the wall for the holder and (2) the physics of the holder is unlikely to be significantly higher than with a single point, plus anything heavy enough to put that much stress on the interface is probably too heavy for a quick changing by a single person/arm anyways and would deserve a fully supported surface so that it doesn't deform under the weight.

[@HighRPMCreations]

In cases like that, I would consider hanging precut blocks in the appropriate slots, then gluing and screwing your holder to the blocks. In theory, so long as your slot spacing on the wall board is consistent, you could move it to other locations, but that’s in theory!!

[@jimginnyohio]

I really like this idea....but wonder if using a Krep Rip-Cut with a circular saw would have been easier to use than wrestling with that whole sheet of plywood on the table saw??

[@angellas.1314]

Would have been murderous on the lower back!

[@robwallis1277]

As someone that was about to French cleat two workshops, this is definitely the direction I'm going to go, when I'm back on my feet

[@Gametris]

Seems like a jig with a track saw would be more simple and easier than wrangling the 4x8….

[@SteveinJersey1234]

LOL. Came here to post the same thing.

[@eideticgoone7035]

And make a couple of spacers that slide into a previous cut slot and move the track over by the desired increment between slots.

[@axebob730]

Same thought. You might even be able to leave it on the wall while cutting the slots with a track saw.

[@joem6859]

@@eideticgoone7035 yep, index it over like cutting finger joints, but with the trek/festo saw, should be pretty easy and repeatable. i had the same thought.

[@fasdm]

Also thought of the track saw, but why not just make a plunge cut with the tracksaw whereever you want to mount something. If you make custom placed grooves, you can hang something up on the spur of the moment. But then you could just use screws or nails. Also how secure is a wall made up of hoizontal slats that are held on with 1/8" of plywood. I can't agree with scoring a whole sheet of plywood.

[@sawdustandsplinters3465]

OMG... I was using this design about 10 years ago, I was given some boards with 45 degree slot in every 50mm ( 2inches ) and the first thing I did was to put my steel rules in the slots... then, I hooked things on them, then cut slots in boards to hand stull... well you get the idea, I binned it all 6 years ago and went back to French cleat :-)

[@kmbbmj5857]

What made you decide to bin it and go back?

[@angellas.1314]

Same question exactly!

[@HighRPMCreations]

Why did you go back?

[@SolarMillUSA]

the people wanna know!

[@leroystoltzfus]

Same question

[@inspiringbuilds]

Nice work and innovated, everyone loves shop organization. I'm curious how it will hold up long term with CA glue. I would also try a jig to avoid having to work with a 4'x8' sheet of plywood on a table saw.

[@kevincrinklaw7422]

That 1" looks so clean and sharp on that big panel. It's a bit decorative, AND utilitarian :) NICE!!!!

[@4dthinker582]

Thanks April! Not a new idea but a good one to show. I showed that idea (with 3mm Baltic Birch instead of metal strips) to the builders of a new fab lab being built at our college. They went with pegboard wall sections though as it was "ready made" and assorted hooks were cheap bought in bulk. If the 45 degree slots could've been cut on their CNC they might have used it.

[@hockeydeemon]

you are right, we have been doing this in Australia for years and I have also seen this in Europe.

[@raymondrobinson5251]

That is a totally cool idea! Only one issue i see is you may need to space screws to counter possible bowing of the panel itself! You totally understand my concern!

[@tylerpestell]

I really like the look of this! Way better than pegboard or french cleats. When I finally get a shop will probably go this route. Actually, this could even look good in a kitchen. We have a small kitchen and something like this above the stove to hold various items would be nice…..

[@johnsimon7822]

This is what I LOVE to see! People trying new things and coming up with ways to improve their lives and then sharing it so others can improve themselves as well. Awesome work here! Please keep the posts coming.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

Using screws for panels is a no brainer. I think 1.5" or 2" or 3" spacing, and certainly not the entire panel height. I can see 'Slot-45' (great term) is much better than french cleat, and MUCH better than slat wall. I would use smaller panels like 2' x 4', which could be screwed to the wall, so you could move them later. Great review of the idea, and yes, would like more shop organization vids.

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

I could see this being a thing for retail fixtures, and even mass-produced injection molded plastic bins, as a standard.

[@FieldGuidetoDIY]

April, I have a french cleat system in my shop but there is a lot of wasted space. I like the look of the slot wall, especially with the grain of the plywood along with the grooves on the plywood. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Great! Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@kinderdm]

Would love to see how this holds up over time. I would have some concern with the weight of an entire tool and holder being held in place by only the plywood glue of a 1" strip. Plywood gets a lot of its strength from the fact that its glued together and layered over such a large area, and that's why you see small sections chip and come apart pretty easily. But that's just in theory, and I would love to know how it lasts long term, or if some parts come unglued/break. It really does look good though, and I would almost want to score a sheet not very deeply just for the aesthetic look of it and hang nothing on it. I also love the versatility of it compared to a french cleat and the look compared to pegboard.

[@ympsky8424]

I have it on my wall 4-5 years and its still great. Anyway she isnt 1st with this system

[@SawdustmakerLori]

Great idea!!! I think it looks so much nicer than a french cleat wall or slot wall. It would only be a fraction of the cost of a slot wall since you have to buy all the pieces to hang on slot walls. Thanks for sharing April! I've watched your video's since you were in tiny shop garage if I remember right. You've come a long way since those days!!!

[@AgCWby90CS]

My concern is that all the weight is bearing on the integrity of the ply’s adhearing to each other. Any voids in the plywood at that kerf could be an issue. Would need to consider the quality of the plywood. What is the shear value? How much weight before it fails? I can see using scrap strips cut with the 45 and adhered to a substrate with construction adhesive. Scrap strips would be much easier than cutting kerfs on a full sheet of plywood and really make use of waste.

[@simony2801]

Professional whinger

[@richardscott9797]

You know, I've always wondered about the French cleat system and it's tendency for attachments to "ride up", as they do. What I like about this system is that in essence, the wall becomes half of the cleat, keep weight and cost down. It does mean working with metal, not my favourite material, but it's just cutting bits to length I suppose. Great idea and thanks for the vid. Richard

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks! I'm glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@Rob-Hannon]

I really like it. Any issues/concerns with the plywood layers delaminating at the bottom of the groove?

[@Peds013]

This was my concern too, especially with 1 inch spacing. Don't think it'll last as long as a French cleat system.

[@HadeusRVS]

I thought the same. I'm thinking of implementing it in my shop, but I'll be doing 4cm, which is over 1,5 inch. Or doing double hangers with heavier shelves, second one right under the first, which should not only spread the load, but strenghten or even reinforce the upper hanger.

[@orbitalair2103]

the weak spot would be the hangers, as the wall spreads the loads over the length, but the hanger is narrow. This would make a pretty interesting test of the laminate strength, and where to end the cut, the glue layer is probably the strongest point, but difficult to consistently get the cut there. the simple answer is just use larger or more hang points for heavy items.

[@HighRPMCreations]

In addition to using the full thickness of the material, French cleats are more likely to have more attachments to studs, while it could be tempting to use fewer connection points with this approach. I like it, just wonder how strong it would be?

[@WSallai]

April, I think what you devised is an absolute game changer as you aren’t relying on the availability of items at your hardware store, it is completely customisable, looks great, is easy to create, and it is cheap. Nicely done, Dudette!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@cowbizzle100]

It’s crazy to see your old shop and realize how long people have been following your channel! Keep making!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Yes, I love the old footage. Brings back great memories. Thanks for staying along for the ride.

[@Bobtheslob-bi9ng]

I don't get it. What's crazy about following a KZbin channel?

[@williambuckley1185]

@@Bobtheslob-bi9ng You have to watch what makes you happy, I follow many wood working youtube channels.

[@runfromnuke]

​@@Bobtheslob-bi9ngI think what they're pointing out is hold longstanding many of Ms. Wilkerson's subscribers have been.

[@StumpyNubs]

Sorry we couldn't connect at IWF in Atlanta. I'll probably be at AWFS in Las Vegas next year. Maybe I'll see you there.

[@bucyrus5000]

I love this idea, April. It does seem to have the theoretical drawback French Cleats have, being knocked off by a human standing up, knocking it up. French cleats have a way to manage this (with a small block to lock it in. Maybe a single screw placed near the bottom of a holder, such that it goes in a slot on the wall to hide the mar, but maybe see how much force it takes to knock a holder up and out first? I imagine it is more force than it takes to knock out a French Cleat holder without the lock block.

[@HadeusRVS]

I think it'd take significantly more force to knock them off by hitting from the bottom. French cleats, unless secured like you've described, just sit on top of the rail, held only by gravity. Here, the hanger is kind of jammed in a slot, so if you hit it from the bottom, you'd press it against the top of the cut, then you'd fight the friction of the fit to push it out at an disadvantageous angle. Add the fact that you'd most likely hit the part farthest from the wall and you'd pretty much create a lever jamming the holder even more, creating a prying force, like you were trying to rip the groove with a crowbar. But that's just my theory, I can be very wrong here :)

[@jimweisgram9185]

French cleats don't have to hang by 1 cleat. You can add a piece on the bottom that fits into the slot between the next cleats down. I do the trick where you put a "key" into the space above the hanger. I make sure that my cleats are spaced the same and my space between the hanger and the clear above is always the same. Yes, it is an extra step but if you plan ahead, it is really almost no work. Just cut some stock with the right dimensions and cut a piece of that stock for each hanger.

[@harveyalan788]

Nice work! I've never had much success cutting large sheets on a table saw, so I think I would a) cut strips of 1" board at 45° and nail them to the or b) cut the plywood down to pieces I could manage.

[@JenkinsBoatWorks]

dang April! good idea! I have french cleats but they seem to allow for less usable space. my peg board is a constant frustration. it sits behind my chop saw bench and the little metal hanger thingys come out of the holes and fall behind the bench as do some tools. the pliers holders are especially worthless and upsetting. lol

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

Agreed, pegboard works, but is a fail.

[@pawpawstew]

That's a pretty cool system. I suppose one could also cut strips of 3/4" ply, beveled both sides, and keep them on hand. Then when you need this type of cleat in a certain area, just cut the strips to length and screw them to the wall using the metal pieces as spacers. Hope you are well. 👍

[@alanpecherer5705]

Technically, you should call the drilling you do through the PVC pipe "countersinking" not counterboring. Counterboring leaves a flat bottom on the dug-out area to sink an allen-head sometimes called a "cap screw", or fillister screw under the surface. Fillister heads are pretty rare outside of oldish electronic stuff.

[@TheBikerDodge]

Pedantic

[@frankcostanzo8391]

Nerd alert!!!

[@KC9UDX]

I got in trouble for specifying fillister head screws in mechanical drawing class. For some reason I'll never forget that.

[@alanpecherer5705]

@@KC9UDX I've never encountered fillister heads except for WW2/Korean era electronics stuff that for some reason or other had thick steel parts. But I played around with that kind of stuff as a kid a fair amount, so it was more often than once in a blue moon.

[@KC9UDX]

@@alanpecherer5705 I've seen them, a lot. But don't recall where. I do have an assortment of them; probably the same ones I had back then.

[@michaelalfonso1070]

Genius! As an architectural designer by profession, but a Hobby Industrial Designer, woodworker, guitar and surfboard designer builder, arborist, vintage Porsche restorer, I enjoy your videos and learn al lot! I have reservations of the plywood piece the metal flat bar is attached to. The weight of the tool may cause the plywood to delaminate. Maybe move the the cut lower on the plywood or use a solid piece of hardwood?

[@tomchristensen8619]

Wow! "Back in 2016" ? I remember when you built that. I remember when you were in you first little tiny garage/shop. And how big and amazing your next shop was. Funny how time flies!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Yes, it certainly does! It has been quite the journey. Thanks for staying along for the ride. :)

[@jasonbodenheimer4017]

I love the texture that the 1" cut adds to the plywood panel. I've been thinking of doing a french-cleat system and you've convinced me otherwise! Thank you! Wonderful explanation, wonderful presentation. This one is bookmarked for sure!

[@pefu512]

What about Sawdust filling up the panel slots over time? I believe this might become a problem in the future.

[@HighRPMCreations]

You could just blow it out where you’re planning to place a new holder.

[@ArkansasPilgrim]

Before I even watched the video, I can see that this system is superior to French cleats (unless, maybe you are hanging REALLY heavy narrow stuff). Something I didn't realize about French cleats is that the part that hangs has to have some support added to it, either a piece added that contacts the wall below the cleat that it's hanging on, or it has to be long enough to cotact the cleat below the one it's hanging on. Otherwise, it ends up wobbling and maybe falling off. Good show!

[@WillysPerformanceCycleCtr]

April, this is really nice and too simple! Thanks for sharing this ingenious idea of yours! Have a wonderful weekend!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks!

[@richardwadsworth4259]

It does look good even if you don't have tool holders on the sheet . And a much cleaner look in between the tool holders. Love the things you come up with. Keep it up!!!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thank you! Yes, I love the finished look. I'm glad you enjoy my Channel. Thanks for watching.

[@fernandodonoso1575]

Easy and uses less material and space! Brilliant🎉

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks!

[@ioscaleb]

I had basically the same idea a while ago. I like the name you came up with! Henceforth, I’ll call it Slot 45. I spaced my slots 1 1/2” apart thinking that I don’t need them closer, and keeping them spread out should increase the maximum load. I used an Incra TS-LS for really accurate spacing, which is only important if you want to further increase the possible load by putting tabs in multiple slots: there’s no room for error if you want more than one tab per attachment. (I really haven’t needed that yet, but I’m thinking of shelves to hold heavy items like canned goods in the future.) I’ve also designed a number of 3D-printable hooks and holders that work really well for lighter stuff; I’ll post those soon and if it’s OK with you I’ll include the Slot 45 name so they’re easy to find. You’re 100% right that this system is far better than pegboard, slatwall, or French cleats. Connections are strong and secure, dust doesn’t settle in the slots, it’s completely flexible… The aluminum bar stock works great and is just the right size, but there are lots of other suitable options, like 1/8” plywood, scrap plexiglass, or even just hardwood as long as the grain runs across the joint, as you’d do for a spline.

[@graveworks1130]

Caleb where can I find your 3d files? I just uploaded some of my own to Thingiverse tagged Slot 45 tag

[@graveworks1130]

Please Upload, I've done a few of my own but I could really use a good hook design

[@louisscott3874]

i moved 10 or 12 years ago from Texas & lost your site this one is the 1st i`ve seen I`m back thanks

[@AprilWilkerson]

Glad you found it again. Hope you enjoy my Channel. Thanks for watching.

[@aquatus1]

The sheer simplicity born of experience is astounding.

[@derekjp6043]

My first vid of yours! I love it. Couldn't respect your setup and ingenuity any more. !!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love the finished look. Thanks for watching.

[@mattgeroski9641]

I want to see a load test. Curiosity engaged

[@AndreasHontzia]

The lines alone look very modern. They don't reveal, what they are for. And then you see the attached holders, which just float at the right spot. Very nice!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thank you! Yes, I love the finished look. Thanks for watching.

[@mattheweubanks6163]

You are probably the most organized DIYer on KZbin

[@ScottPassmore-u7g]

She is not exactly a DIY’er…

[@angellas.1314]

She is a professional carpenter!

[@davidmerchen6097]

This is great!! I love how much more versatile this can be with the tighter spacing on the wall cuts. And…I agree, it looks really nice actually! Ready to redo my system!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Awesome! I'm glad you found it useful!

[@edschneider3]

April, I'm a longtime viewer and tried to enter the SENCO Tool give away. I'm very disappointed that the link would not allow me to enter. Message was "I" created to may entries. As this was my only entry, ??? It appears this was a fake chance to win. I would at least like a CHANCE to win. Best to you Ed Schneider.

[@DesignCutters]

I could not even find a contest on the Senco site and the link here does not go to a contest. Perhaps it ended or was cancelled?

[@imkennyG2]

Well I was just about to put a French cleat panel on my wall but now I'm doing this! Great idea, thanks.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Great! I'm glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@johnwalton3850]

U R a genius, SMART LADY

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks!

[@ramonagarciabryant9051]

That looks so good. I think I may try this, it looks nicer than the French cleat system, which I have and am currently using. Awesome job

[@AprilWilkerson]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love the finished look. Thanks for watching.

[@thomaszaccone3960]

This is ingenious. I have to try it.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@michaellindsay955]

I love that setup April. I am getting ready to organize my shop and have been thinking about a French Cleat system however, given that I too finished my shop with plywood and screws so that I could pull them off if needed, I think your idea of the slots is much better and, in the long run, will be less time consuming that creating multiple cleats and base space pieces. It also appears to be much sturdier. Thanks for the great idea!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.

[@Snapset1]

That's a great idea. If you interrupt the cut every 24" or so, the sheet goods will stay a lot stonger.

[@CoCoSWISS1]

Do you think a row of screws every 24" would be comparable?

[@bc-guy852]

I think this is a genius level idea April! As you've mentioned, it's totally customizable; you could have saved yourself a ton of time a number of ways but I agree the look and the flexibility are great! I also agree that screwing plywood to a wall IS a huge extra task - but it's great to have access.

[@russellaltizer6944]

My very first April Wilkerson video was you organizing with french cleats. We've finally come full circle!

[@JustMine4now]

I really want to be you when I grow up! Lol, I'm 46, but anyway, I just got into woodworking (ironic since my ex-husband owned a wood shop and was a master carpenter). Now I love it, and I am trying to learn everything I can, so thank you for doing all these videos.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks for watching. I'm glad you enjoy the videos, and I'm sure you'll be a fantastic woodworker!

[@daveparrish8851]

Deamination is a real concern for me. Im a big fan, but this video does not address the fact that some layers of plywood are just compressed saw dust with a very small amount of glue or resin.

[@KC9UDX]

I hate it when things stop moving 😁

[@gabrielo8922]

This is true, but it’s the same concern for French cleats. It is best to avoid plywood from the big box stores (for the concerns you highlight). Instead, many woodworkers opt for “Baltic Birch” over plywood for building French cleats. It is similar to plywood but has 13 layers/plys on a 3/4” thick sheet, rather than 5 or so on plywood. The layers are also higher quality. I would definitely use Baltic birch for this method as well.

[@gabrielo8922]

*Delamination (typo correction)

[@MakerBoyOldBoy]

Excellent innovation!! Unfortunately you can't patent it. The comments are accurate. Plywood has little sheer strength which makes the holders relatively short lived compared to commercial systems. A possible solution is to soak all of the exposed plywood edges with epoxy thinner with acetone for deep penetration. Time consuming with repeated soakings. Same process used for rot weakened old wood. For greater strength use a stronger catalytic resin.

[@melikebatgirl8312]

​@@gabrielo8922Baltic birch is getting increasingly harder to find and is *crazy" expensive. Easy enough to find 'big box' plywood that is perfectly adequate, esp since a typical, effective French cleat system requires quite a bit of material

[@mwaynem]

Very nice. I'm currently re-organizing my shop and can see many areas where I can use it. I've watched a lot of KZbin channels where they are customizing or building a new shop and don't use plywood on at least the lower 6 to 8 feet of their walls. I've never understood that. Especially if it is a working shop, plywood is very durable and will hold a lot of weight, so it can be used for hanging storage. If you need drywall for the fire code, just put the plywood over the drywall.

[@barrylitchfield8357]

Dang, is it already Sunday morning?

[@AprilWilkerson]

Nah, I snuck one in! Stay tuned for Sunday's video. :) Thanks for watching.

[@3d-cnc245]

Very nice design. I would cut off the French cleat on the back and attach the new style so you don't have to remake them. Great job

[@jimpomac]

What a great idea ! Might I suggest ripping the sheets into smaller widths for easier handling when cutting the 45 slots ! Love this channel btw.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks! And thanks for watching.

[@clinthall8555]

I love the whole idea of this. I wanted to do French cleats but now, that is in the past. Just got back from Lowes with all the stuff that is needed and going to be setting it all up this weekend. Thank you for posting this, can't wait to try it out.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Awesome! I'm glad you found it useful. Enjoy the build. Thanks for watching.

[@vaxjoaberg]

I built a cleat wall in my living room last year (mostly to mount cat shelves on), and have a variety of tool holders screwed to the wall in my shop. But I love the idea of this slat45 system and I have the perfect wall in my shop to put it on. I think I'll cut some 45s today and see how it goes. Thanks!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Awesome! I'm glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@williamdavis4542]

I really like your design and I'm about to use it in my new shop. I think it looks better than a French cleat wall, though they're not too shabby either. My only comment is to caution everyone about cutting PVC, especially ROUND PVC (pipe) on ANY powered saw. I've even had some real excitement on a bandsaw making just this kind of cut. PVC is very soft, making it easy for saw teeth to dig in and spin the part in your hand. I noticed April started the cut (where the maximum spin potential probably exists) very slowly and I bet she has a death-grip on the pipe as well. Some kind of support beyond just the miter-saw fence would be a good idea. If you have the correct size hole-saw and a two-by cutoff, you could make it very quickly. Position it close to the blade and tight against the fence for the best support.

[@luckyluciano56]

love your Ideas and that shop has come a long way from when I started following you. Just wanted to mention the difference between a counter bore and a counter sink. counter bore has a flat bottom as a counter sink is tapered. keep that content coming!!!!!!

[@kaoticmind09]

Nice. I've seen these cleats made completely from metal but that's obviously hard to diy. This is brilliant. Thanks.

[@DiannainSoCal]

This system looks amazing!!! It’s now at the top of my list for workshop redesign! Thank you!!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Awesome! Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@heffatheanimal2200]

These are the sort of April vids I've missed 👍 I really like this idea, and for much the same reasons. And for heavier items it would be easy to have 2 metal strip hooks. Only concern is it wouldn't work as well for very small workshops, where you have use every scrap of wall space and tetris items together

[@billparrish4385]

I really like the adaptability of this idea! I currently have 1/4" and 1/2" scrap to use for this, not so much 3/4", but I can see how this could easily be done with these sizes. Just rip a few 1" strips of each size, having a 45-degree bevel, and brad nail/glue the 1/2" strips to a 1/4" backer sheet, using a 1/4" strip as a spacer (maybe with a layer of blue painter's tape on each side of the spacer, so the gap isn't too tight). Then use the 1/4" strips as the hangers instead of flat bar stock.

[@HighRPMCreations]

Sounds like a good (and possibly stronger) use of your scrap, although more time and effort.

[@kenj8558]

I have just started building out my shop and have looked at French cleats as a storage option. I like your version better. Where are those organization videos you mentioned towards the end of this video? Truth is, I have never organized a shop and the prospect is a bit overwhelming at this point. Thank you! Please keep posting: they help teach newbies!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks! You can go to my Channel Home Page, look at Playlists. Find Shop Projects and Tips and Tricks. Those will have ideas you may find useful. Remember, learn from any mistakes and don't give up. Enjoy the Process. Thanks for watching.

[@evelynpasqua6968]

It looks really good. I had no idea that you made the previous panel back in 2016. Now, it looks so clean and easy to find the equipment off the wall.

[@AprilWilkerson]

It does! Thanks for watching.

[@doug8718]

Nice idea! A few observations: This is trivial, but when you drilled holes in the PVC pipe to attach to the plywood, I suspect you actually used a countersink bit and not a counterbore. The two are different. Depending on what you plan to hang, you might make the cuts farther apart than an inch. If the "tray" happens to stick out from the wall significantly and something heavy is put in, there might be a chance of the 1 inch piece coming apart, and the item crashing to the floor. Since you used high-layer expensive plywood, maybe that won't happen. The other thought: rather than having to manhandle full sheets of plywood, would it be easier to use a circular saw to make the cuts, and move the straight-edge guide each time? You could come up with a jig to allow the guide a fixed amount (holes/pegs). If you have to cut a lot of sheets, it might be worth the effort.

[@SteveKelem]

Or, better yet, use a track saw to cut the slots in the full sheet of plywood.

[@greatgrandpaswoodworking]

Great Idea. I was having problems with my french cleats so I was all set to get pegboards but this is much better. Thank you.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Awesome! Glad you found it useful! Thanks for watching.

[@theidlehandsworkshop3884]

LOVE IT MA'AM !!!! I remember when you built those french cleats and even modeled my shop in a similar fashion but ended up disliking them over the years and your new system looks so sleek and easy to do. Thanks for sharing and I'm definitely going to give it a try in the very near future.

[@AprilWilkerson]

That is awesome! Thanks for Sharing and for watching.

[@cogoman7723]

I have seen a few promising ways to organize, and I've wanted a way to hang stuff on my bare cement block walls in my basement, but I like your solution the best! I expect to hang the plywood from the joists, and put some form of small spacers on the back so that the walls getting damp during a heavy rain won't weaken the plywood. I have 2 suggestions for using your system: 1 After cutting the slots applying a very thin epoxy (or poly if you don't have epoxy) that soaks in can make the plywood just that little more tough (though I doubt if it's needed). 2 After cutting my first 2 angled slots in my first 4 by 8 board, I plan to cut off the first slot and use it as a fence for my circular saw. There's about 1" between the edge and the blade, so that should space my slots about 1.5" apart. I'll just put a few short lengths of 1/8" metal along the thin strip used as a fence and place it on top of the 4 by 8 plywood and move it over one slot at a time.

[@dogface6040]

Very nice concept. For the stresses involved here, aluminum bar would be more than strong enough, and much easier to mill.

[@robertmccorkle9656]

You are obviously an expert because you make everything look so easy to do.

[@bikedad57]

What a cool idea! This is great and will definitely be the way I organize my new shop at the farm we are restoring. I will be looking up your other plans for shop organizing as well! Than you, April.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Awesome! I'm glad you found it useful. I hope you enjoy my Channel. Thanks for watching.

[@fcschoenthal]

Outstanding idea, well done! As you say, the 1" spacing probably is a pain to initially do, but you only have to do it once (for each sheet). Then you have infinitely wider options for moving things around and looks a whole lot better. I'll have to test this out and replace my probably 4' x 40' worth of cleats. - Chris

[@TimBottema]

Hey April, smart idea!! Thanks for sharing. I love the esthetic of the wall with all its lines. Beautiful even without the cubbies / machines 😊

[@johnh3337]

I like the look of the plywood on the wall after you cut the grooves in it, definitely something I will look into for my walls.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Yes, I love the sleek look. Thanks for watching.

[@RJB_FixinStuff]

This is brilliant April thank you! And I has the ability to weld so I will be making some similar hooks and other specialty hangers! Again, brilliant! You should April wall!😁

[@AprilWilkerson]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.

[@thoughtful-gibberish]

This is my first time on your channel, and I subscribed. 😃 (Also, this is probably only the 3rd KZbin comment I’ve ever written.) This video and idea are both incredible. Your desire for the form and function of your space to be flexible and easily changeable makes me feel like I've found a kindred spirit. 🥰 Sadly, I am not a woodworker. Given that there might be other non-woodworkers in your audience, I thought I’d ask: Do you foresee yourself ever making and selling boards like this? If not, how might someone commission something like this? (I immediately searched online to see if anyone was selling something like this. No luck. You are a true inventor.) Any information from you-or your wonderful community-would be appreciated. Thanks! 💙

[@AprilWilkerson]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the Sub. If you find a Woodworker in your area, show them the video, they should be able to create this for you. Thanks for watching.

[@dawnforman34]

This is EXCELLENT!! I have been looking and checking out french cleat and slatwall, but this is the best DIY affordable and space saving idea to date!! I'm looking forward to making mine on the 3/4" plywood walls that I did screw in too! Yahooooo! Love your channel, April!!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@FredMcIntyre]

Awesome system April! ... I remember watching you make that first French Cleat wall, and it was really good, but this seems so much more flexible, and it looks much more sleek, streamlined, and more low profile than a traditional French Cleat system, great design! 😃👍🏼👊🏼

[@AprilWilkerson]

Yes! Thank you!

[@fishingpervert]

"Slot 45"! I can see this being the new way of shiftable storage for uncountable hobbyist and DYIers. Thank you for the very cool design!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@ohiohobbies]

I was just about to build a French cleat system. Now i am thinking this may be better. Nice idea!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Great! Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@Lady_of_Ishpeming]

Just the added slot lines gave that wall 🧱 an upgrade! Love this idea 💡 ❤

[@AprilWilkerson]

Yes! I love the finished look. Thanks for watching.

[@BearCreekWoodworking]

I definitely like your new system April! It seems to work great. Plus, it simply looks awesome with the 1” spacing. It’s attractive and functional! Fantastic Job April! 😃👍👏

[@AprilWilkerson]

Awesome! Thank you! Yes, I love the look. Thanks for watching.

[@tagp]

Sweet! I'm about to set up a new shop space. It hasn't happened yet because I didn't know which way i want to go with the storage system. Now I have the Slat 45! Can't wait to start.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Great! Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.