Introduction: Magnetic Tool Holder for Gladiator Gear Wall

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Gladiator Gear Walls are great but the accessories can be limiting and expensive. This project was simple enough that I wasn't going to post but thought someone may benefit. With the use of a genuine Gladiator Bracket that is sold to hang cabinets, you can customize your Gear Wall or Gear Track while keeping the benefit of a completely secure and modular accessory.

I had several tools that did not lend themselves to a hanging on a small hook or loop. I also wanted the ability to quickly access the tools without a lot of effort. Since Gladiator really only sells hooks, shelves and baskets, I decided to make my own magnetic tool holder accessory I needed. Using the Gladiator Bracket, you can bring almost any customized Gear Wall accessory to life. Enjoy.

Parts I used:

1. One Gladiator GABK362PSS Ready-to-Assemble Cabinet Bracket. I cut mine in half to use the other half for another customized accessory (Its a Rags-in-a-Box, paper towel holder and I put a picture of it up at the last step). If you don't cut your's in half, you can eliminate the last two parts in the list (#4 and #5 below)

2. Two Master Magnetics 07578 tool holders

3. Four #8-32 screws and nuts

4. Four #10-24 countersunk screws and nuts

5. Rigid material for back plate. Here I used some aluminum I had laying around from an old stop sign. You could use almost anything here.

Step 1: Purchase the Gladiator GABK362PSS Cabinet Bracket

The part that makes all this possible is the Gladiator GABK362PSS Ready-to-Assemble Cabinet Bracket Kit for Large GearBox or Extra Large GearBox. This will serve as the backbone for anything you want to add to your Gladiator Gear Wall.

Step 2: Purchase a Magnetic Tool Holder

I used the Master Magnetics 07578 12" magnetic tool bar that has 2 screw holes. I bought two because I planned to hang heavy tools.

Step 3: Make/purchase a Mounting Plate

The mounting tool holder(s) could be secured directly to the Gladiator cabinet bracket but I cut my cabinet bracket in half to be used in another Gladiator Gear Wall creation. Therefore I needed a mounting plate. The magnetic tool holder would attach to the mounting plate and then the mounting plate would attach to the Gladiator cabinet bracket. Here I just used what I had lying around the house. I happened to have an old aluminum stop sign and just cut it to the dimensions I needed (which is about 1 cm smaller than the magnetic tool holders). You could really use anything here including wood, steel or any rigid material.

Step 4: Drill Holes in the Mounting Plate (or Uncut Gladiator Bracket) for Magnetic Tool Bar

This step is pretty straight-forward. Just mark the holes on the mounting plate (or directly on the Gladiator bracket) so they align with the holes on the magnetic tool bars. Figure out what size machine screws you will use ahead of time to make sure the holes are the right size for the hardware you have chosen. I used what I had lying around since the screws that come with these tool bars are wood screws.

I used #8-32 1" long screws to attach the magnetic tool bar to the mounting plate. These holes drill 5/32".

I used #10-24 3/4" long brass countersunk head screws to attach the mounting plate to the Gladiator Gear bracket. More on these holes in the next step.

Step 5: Drill the Holes to Secure the Mounting Plate to the Gladiator Gear Bracket

I used #10-24 3/4" long brass countersunk head screws to attach the mounting plate to the Gladiator Gear bracket. These drill 3/16" and then I went back back with a countersunk bit. Again, I just used what I had lying around. You could use a steel screw here and different size screw as long as it has a countersunk head. The countersunk head and countersunk hole is important to ensure the magnetic tool bars sit flush with the mounting bracket.

Mark where you want to drill the holes in the mounting plate. Drill the holes and then mark where they align on the Gladiator Gear bracket and drill them too. Then go back and counter sink the holes in the mounting plate. It probably doesn't matter much where the holes are on the plate. I just centered 4 holes as seen in the picture.

Step 6: Put Everything Together

First attach the mounting plate to the Gladiator Gear bracket with nuts and lock washers if you have them. Again, I used #10-24 brass screws I had lying around so I also used #10-24 nuts and #10 lock washers.

Then attach the magnetic tool bars to the mounting plate with nuts and lock washers if you have them. Here I used #8-32 steel screws I had lying around so I also used #8-32 nuts and #8 lock washers.

Step 7: Add Some Tools and Place on Your Gladiator Gear Wall

You now have a completely modular accessory for all the tools that don't fit well on a hook or loop. It is also completely secure to the wall but also can be moved like any other Gladiator accessory.