Newbie Here - Question About Hangers for Ledge Shelves I'm Building

[Blackbeered]

Read through the archives and see where this issue raised but never fully answered.

My shelves [painted solid poplar] will be 1.5" thick, 6.5" deep, and up to 102" long ... a maximum weight of 15 lbs each before another 15 lbs maximum will be displayed atop.

The ideal hardware would be 1.25" diam round keyhole hangers, the pockets for which would be done w Forstner. But can't find them.

Alternatively, upright keyholes on a horizontal strap would work ... as a member asked many years ago ... he couldn't find them then and neither can I now.

I want them to "suck up" to the wall, so "proud" hangers are out.

I could rout the keyholes in the wood, but I think there would be too great a risk of them blowing out [plus be a lot of work].

Is my only recourse to make them from strap stock and a Dremel?

 

[Canuck]

These "Z-Clips" from Rockler may do the trick.

http://www.rockler.com/2-z-clips

I have used them in the past to hang 24" wide cabinets in my daughters laundry room and there hasn't been a problem.

Wayne

BTW. Welcome to best, most helpful and friendly woodworking site on the WWW!

 

[CrealBilly]

I have in the past used thin wood with matching 45 degree angles. One board gets screwed to the wall 45 up and the other to the back of the shelf 45 down. Then it's just a matter of leveling the wall board and slipping the shelf over top of the wall board. The matching 45's keep the shelf tight against the wall and prevent it from falling down. There is nothing to secure it from bumps sideways or up though and of course only as good as they are made. Just an idea for you to consider... the z-clips Wayne pointed you at are perhaps a better solution for you.

 

[Blackbeered]

Thanks, Canuck, for the quick response.

The height of those Z clips is 1.25" and I have only 1.5" shelf thickness with which to work. I'd have to break through the underside of the shelf with the 1/4" deep pocket [to make them suck up to the wall] ... and, since these shelves are being mounted above windows, that gap would be visible.

I hope I've made the issue clear.

Maybe Rube Goldberg'ing them is a possibility.

 

[Blackbeered]

Yes, CrealBilly, those french cleats might work. But, to be totally concealed and allow me room to slip the shelf "up and over" the mall-mounted cleat, we'd be talking about cleats ~ 5/8" tall [base to point] with a shallow angle, maybe 30 degrees [they don't have to be 45s to mate], so that the overlap wouldn't be that great ... leading to the possibility shelf load would rotate the shelf out of the cleat. That would be the concern ... heirlooms crashing to the floor! I'd need to work out the geometry in detail and probably build a prototype [I have 11 of these shelves to make] to convince myself it's foolproof.

[Addressing an uneven wall over a long-run shelf ... there's always shims and nothing says these cleats need to be continuous.]

Now, maybe, you can see why I'm searching for simple, off-the-self hardware.

Thanks.

 

[Mark Gottesman]

Make your own out of a brass. Go to a hobby shop or find a kick-plate for a door. Easy metal to work in a wood shop.

Also, check out Ready to Assemble (RTA) fittings. Something in that area might be an acceptable substitute.

 

[Dave Richards]

Some years ago my brother built a mantle and surround for his fireplace. He mounted the mantle much like you're thinking of for the shelf. He lagged a rail to the wall onto which the mantle slides. It is only an inch and a half thick. He drilled holes down through from the top with the holes in the rail offset so when he sticks pins in, it pulls the mantle up tight to the wall. He used common nails as the pins so he can get hold of the head and pull them out. This makes it easy to remove when the wall needs painting. The pins aren't noticeable when they are in place.

 

[Blackbeered]

Some years ago my brother built a mantle and surround for his fireplace. He mounted the mantle much like you're thinking of for the shelf. He lagged a rail to the wall onto which the mantle slides. It is only an inch and a half thick. He drilled holes down through from the top with the holes in the rail offset so when he sticks pins in, it pulls the mantle up tight to the wall. He used common nails as the pins so he can get hold of the head and pull them out. This makes it easy to remove when the wall needs painting. The pins aren't noticeable when they are in place.

Thanks.

I did get that brainfart but had forgotten about it [I guess because I though 'how hard can this hardware be to find?'] ... "tongues", say 1x2s, secured to studs onto which the shelf slides and "set screws" of some type from above.

 

[Blackbeered]

Those RTA fittings could work nicely ... but I see two possible issues ... [1] getting the posts screwed plumb into the studs and [2] the size of the hole left behind.

Something like 3/16" x 3" posts.

Thanks.