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Somewhere on your saw, there should be a knob that allows you to tilt the blade. Loosen the knob, then set the angle for 45 degrees. Use a piece of scrap wood to run a test piece to make sure everything is adjusted the way you want before making any cuts on the pieces for your project. Next, I placed a piece of rigid foam insulation on my workbench. The insulation will protect my workbench when making the cuts. But the gold standard for building finger and arm strength for climbing are hangboards, also known as fingerboards. It simulates the types of holds you can find at a climbing gym, and you can build a lot of strength simply by hanging from them by your fingers.
My son was thrilled to try out his new hangboard mount as soon as he got home from school. He can just barely reach the bottom holds when he stands on his tiptoes, so he has plenty of room to grow! (Can I just brag for a minute about the fact that he's holding his entire body up by four fingers? I can't do that!) I made this box just deep enough for my skinny little boy to hang comfortably without hitting the wall. Feel free to change the 2x4 to a 2x6 if you need a bit more room. You could even use ¾" plywood for the sides to make it as deep as you want! Cut the wood PiecesSimple, stylish and endlessly practical, a French cleat system utilises near-flat vertical lengths of timber with a 45 degree angle cut. These angled cuts are used to hook on accessories that have a compatible 45 degree hook attached, allowing you to tidy your workspace and organise your tools. Since this hangboard will be installed right outside our guest room, I wanted it to look a little less ... rough. So I cut a scrap of ¼" plywood to fit on the top and bottom to cover up the mini studs and create a nice, neat box. The cleat system is designed to hold a number of accessories and storage utilities. If you feel that your wall needs additional support, insert wall plugs before screwing through the lengths. The term, French cleat, is not the correct answer to the question: What type of footwear does the French national soccer team wear? For your purposes here, French cleat refers to an ingeniously clever and easy way to securely hang items on walls.
As I mentioned earlier, I have to give credit where credit is due. In my review of the Straight Edge Guide, I said that I would use it again, but “there are a few tools that I might reach for first before using my Straight Edge Guide.” I'm starting with 5" wide strips of ¾" plywood. This gives me plenty of room to drill two countersink holes per stud later on. I like to mark the angle in the middle of the end of the board with a speed square , then transfer the mark to the top.Hanging bulky or heavy items on the wall can be a challenge. You want to do it safely, and you want it to look good and not cost a small fortune! A French cleat solves all these problems, and all you need is a few pieces of scrap wood! To get the most accurate cuts, I recommend making a circular saw jig, using a circular saw guide, or just clamp an extra board down to guide the saw in a straight line. These methods can work for a jig saw as well. A crooked cut will make your cleat hang crooked!
My son barely weighs 70 pounds, but I tested my own weight (which is significantly more than that) and it didn't budge! There's the tiniest bit of give, but that's the nature of wood. His pull up bar has way more flex than this thing! Once he got used to hanging closer to the wall, I installed the wall mount for his iPad right at eye level. It's really boring to just dangle while your arms and fingers are screaming at you to stop, so hopefully this will make it a little easier! 😉 I used my finger to feel both edges of the test piece and adjusted the fence until the pieces were the same width. Fasteners are not needed to join the cleats together. Because fasteners are not required, you can separate the cleats, and the item can easily be removed and reconfigured. French cleats are a popular way to store tools in a workshop because of the ability to remove and reconfigure them. I've used French cleats, both these wooden DIY versions and metal store-bought ones, for a variety of different projects over the years. Here's some ideas for how to use them around the home. HeadboardNext, I placed the Kreg Straight Edge Guide on my workpiece. I positioned the cut line indicators on my marks, clamped the guide, and pushed the cut line indicators towards the guide. Cut the plywood to fit your hangboard first (mine is 6" x 24"). Then cut the 2x4 into four pieces that match the narrow width of the plywood (6"), and two pieces that match the longer length of the plywood (24"). The beauty of the French cleat system is that it's super easy to switch out the hangboard for another style, or remove it entirely if you don't want a box on the wall all the time! Enjoy your Hangboard Workout! I’ve always made french cleats using my table saw. This was my first time making cleats with a circular saw and the Straight Edge Guide.
As I mentioned earlier, french cleats are forgiving, but there are some general recommendations regarding the size of the cleats. I wanted to make sure that the screws through the hangboard hit at least a couple of the short 2x4 "studs" inside the box. Place the ¾" plywood piece down first, then line up a 2x4 pieces along the length. There’s lots of room for flexibility with the scale of French cleat storage systems. They can be made in any length and size to suit your home. Calculate the dimensions of your space to work out the size and number of cleats you can accommodate. By installing multiple French cleats, parallel to each other and spaced a few inches apart, you can build a French cleat wall of any size and design that enhances your workspace needs. You can cover an entire wall with French cleats or install them only on the top half, leaving the bottom open for workbenches or rolling tool chests.French cleats are pretty forgiving. Cleats can be made with just about any type of wood. You could use solid wood like 1×4s and 1×6s. Or you could use ½” or ¾” plywood that has been ripped into strips. The width of the cleats is up to you. To get, for example, 2½-inch wide cleats, first “rip” the plywood into straight five-inch strips on the table saw (ripping refers to cutting the material lengthwise). After all the strips are ripped, adjust the saw blade to cut on a 45-degree angle and rip each board down the center to create two French cleats. Each narrower board will now have a 45-degree angle and can be installed as a cleat on the wall. 3. Keep It Level
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