SBoaB- Simple Brackets on a Budget

Looking to hang some stuff on your workbench or wall? In need of some brackets? Well, look no further here is SBoaB - Simple Brackets on a Budget!

This project ended up costing me nothing since I was using leftover supplies that I had lying around. If you had to buy some materials, this should cost less than $15.

I was in need of some brackets to hold my new Drill/Impact Charger. In the past, I've created some brackets to hold my electric screwdriver and radio (shown in the photos). I figured this would be a fun and easy project to share with the Instructables Community. It's always exciting to do some banging, hammering, and bending in a project.

Materials (Will Vary by Project)

Metal - Steel or Aluminum

Screws

Nuts

Washers

Paint or Plastidip

Tools

Metal Vice

Hammer

Pliers

Ruler

Marker or Scorer

Here are some important questions to ask yourself when designing your bracket:

How would do I want the bracket to hold my item?

Will it require one or two bends to hold my item?

At which point in the metal does it need to be bent?

The first set of brackets that I created for my project did not up end working out, and I had to consign them to hold something else. So, in hindsight, double check your design and make sure it's how you want it to be. If you have several bends in your bracket, I suggest doing it in steps to ensure it will properly hold your item.

For example: I took the Drill/Impact Charger and placed it in the section where I wanted to hang it. This gave me a sense of how I wanted the bracket to hold the charger. Then, I took the bracket and measured it alongside the charger. Then, I scored the metal with a screwdriver (or marker) where I wanted the bends to be on the bracket.

This step requires a little brute force and effort (it's a great way to relieve some stress after a long day at work!). Please be careful when handling a hammer, because when used incorrectly it can create some serious harm.

1. Use a Metal Vice to hold your bracket in place, place your bracket in the correct position where you marked the brackets for the bends.

2. Take your handy hammer and bang away on the bracket to bend it. Make sure the bracket is going in the direction you want it to go. A word of caution: hammer away from your body!

3. Repeat Step 2 for the second bend in the bracket (if applicable).

4. Repeat Steps 1-3 if you need two or more brackets of the same design.

You're almost there!

In order to prevent the bracket from rusting, slipping, or scratching, I highly suggest painting the brackets with some metal paint or PlastiDip. I like PlastiDip because the rubberized coating helps prevent slipping and scratching of the item.

1. Shake spray can

2. Spray several light coats (allow 1-2 minutes of drying between coats)

3. Allow the paint to completely dry for 20-30 minutes

Hang the bracket with using screws, nuts, and washers. Depending on your project, nuts and washers may not be necessary. Here are some examples that can help you determine whether or not you need them.

For example:
-Hanging the bracket on a peg board requires screws and nuts

-Hanging the bracket on drywall requires drywall screws

-Hanging the bracket on a metal surface requires self-tapping screws

-Hanging the bracket on a wood surface requires wood screws

(Washers maybe be required depending on the size of the screw head)

Now you can finally use the bracket that you created to hang your tools, chargers, radio, etc...

Thank you for reading and looking through my Instructable! I hope it's a fun, easy project for you to do. Please share your own brackets in the comment section.

-Nate_o_bae