7 | Building a French cleat router table holder & a tour of 7-in-1 tool cart | Polidact Woodworking
Stop Wasting Wood
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I have a Bosch benchtop router table. It is great, but it is bulky. It sat on my workbench, taking up 4 square feet of precious real estate even when I wasn't using it. I wanted to hang it on the French Cleat Wall.
Problem: It weighs 45 lbs. Can a French Cleat hold that?
Physics of the Cleat
Yes, it can. The shear strength of a 3/4" plywood cleat is hundreds of pounds. The weak point is the rotational force pulling the top away from the wall.
The Design
I built a shelf with massive triangular gussets underneath.
- Material: 3/4" Plywood scraps.
- The Cleat: I used a "Double Cleat" design. One cleat at the top, and a spacer block at the bottom resting against the wall. This distributes the load and prevents the shelf from swinging in.
- Locking: I drilled a hole through the cleat and inserted a pin. This ensures that even if I bump it from the bottom (uplift), it won't pop off the wall. Gravity holds it, the pin locks it.
Conclusion
Now, the router table lives on the wall. When I need it, I lift it down (it's a workout) and clamp it to the workbench. My assembly table remains clear.