Over-the-Bench Tool Rack

Since my workbench is in the middle of the shop, there isn’t an electrical outlet nearby to plug my power tools into. And trailing an extension cord across the floor is a safety hazard. So I decided to hang a strip of outlets above the bench. With the cords running up, there is less of a chance of tripping on them or accidently cutting through them. And to make it even more useful, the outlet strip is attached to a plywood tool rack, so I can store tools and clamps near the workbench.

Over-the-Bench Tool Rack As you can see in the drawing at right, there’s not much to this tool rack. You just cut a piece of ¾″ plywood to shape and screw a power strip vertically in the middle of it.

Then to hang it from the ceiling, I drilled two holes in the long end and hung it from a pair of bicycle hooks that were screwed into a cleat attached to the ceiling. This way the power strip/tool rack can be easily removed if I need the extra space for working on a tall project.

Next, I made a couple of shelves and holders for the power tools I use most often at the bench: a sander, drill, and jig saw. All that’s left is to run an extension cord across the ceiling and plug in the outlet strip.

Have a nice weekend,

Phil Huber
Editor, ShopNotes

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Printer-Friendly Version Over-the-Bench Tool Rack Since my workbench is in the middle of the shop, there isn’t an electrical outlet nearby to plug my power tools into. And trailing an extension cord across the floor is a safety hazard. So I decided to hang a strip of outlets above the bench. With the cords running up, there is less of a chance of tripping on them or accidently cutting through them. And to make it even more useful, the outlet strip is attached to a plywood tool rack, so I can store tools and clamps near the workbench. As you can see in the drawing at right, there’s not much to this tool rack. You just cut a piece of ¾″ plywood to shape and screw a power strip vertically in the middle of it. Then to hang it from the ceiling, I drilled two holes in the long end and hung it from a pair of bicycle hooks that were screwed into a cleat attached to the ceiling. This way the power strip/tool rack can be easily removed if I need the extra space for working on a tall project. Next, I made a couple of shelves and holders for the power tools I use most often at the bench: a sander, drill, and jig saw. All that’s left is to run an extension cord across the ceiling and plug in the outlet strip. Have a nice weekend, Phil Huber Editor, ShopNotes Send for a preview issue of ShopNotes magazine More Tips & Techniques Index of Tips by E-mail More Tips & Techniques WoodNET, Woodworking on the Web Subscriber Links Update your Email Preferences Subscribe
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