Neat Cleat Nests

Say goodbye to rummaging through drawers for the small stuff. Neat Cleat Nests are modular French cleat holders designed to keep your most-used tools and consumables—pencils, blades, cotton buds, glue sticks, zip ties, and more—neatly organized and always within reach.

This bundle includes 3 Nest holders (single, double, and triple width) and 4 different Nest heights, giving you endless combinations to suit your storage needs.

Each Nest holder slots seamlessly into your existing Neat French Cleat wall system, working in perfect harmony with your shelves, boards, and tool holders. At 282mm high, they’re ideal for positioning above your workbench or stacking vertically to make the most of every inch of wall space.

But here’s where it gets clever: each holder supports multiple Nest sizes, so you can customize the layout to suit your exact needs. With 84 combinations available, your setup can evolve as your tools and workflow change.

These aren’t just holders — they’re flexible storage zones that grow with you. With a clean, consistent format, your cleat wall becomes more than organized — it becomes eye candy with a purpose.

Neat Cleat Nests are perfect for:

• Keeping small tools and consumables visible and accessible
• Freeing up horizontal surfaces and clearing workspace clutter
• Creating a modular system that adapts to how you work

Once you’ve used one, you’ll want a dozen.

What’s Included

What You’ll Get

Design Files Included:
This download includes all the files you need to create 3 types of French cleat holders — each with 4 nest sizes that fit neatly inside. But it doesn’t stop there — with multiple layout options per holder, you can configure up to 84 different combinations to store tools, parts, and consumables exactly how you want them.

File Formats:

• DXF file(s) for 6mm plywood and a tiny piece of 3mm ply
• SVG file(s) for 6mm plywood and a tiny piece of 3mm ply
• LightBurn file(s) (.lbrn2) for 6mm plywood and a tiny piece of 3mm ply
• Assembly notes (if required)

Good to Know

• This is a digital product — no physical item will be shipped.
• Designed for laser cutting from 6mm plywood (or similar material).

Materials Needed for these French Cleat Neat Cleat Nests

• 6mm or 1/4″ plywood and a small piece of 3mm or 1/8″ plywood
• Wood glue or CA glue
• Spray varnish (optional for finish)

Assembly Notes:

Instructions are provided to accommodate laser beds smaller than the design size, ensuring compatibility with various equipment.

What you’ll get

You’ll get the following,
Files
DXF file(s) (.dxf) for 6mm plywood
LightBurn File(s) (.lbrn2) for 6mm plywood
SVG file(s) for 6mm plywood
Notes
Assembly notes/instructions if required
Video guides on laser cutting and Neat French Cleat assembly

About the designer

Hi, my name is Alan Egan and I’m a trained mechanical engineer. I used to design jigs, fixtures, progression tools, and manufacturing robots. These days, I spend a lot of time in my workshop and I love making stuff and I love French cleats as they keep my space organized.But, like everyone else, when I needed a cleat I grabbed a few pieces of scrap wood and made a cleat, ad-hock with no thought about spacings, or size, or the cleats that I’d made before. Then I came up with the idea for a French cleat system and the Neat French Cleat System was born. I then started prototyping, and what you see here is the result of a ton of tried and tested ideas.

My workshop

How It All Started

I built my workshop during the first lockdown in 2020. Before that, it was just a brick-walled outbuilding that used to house pigs! While the workshop isn’t very large—roughly the size of a double garage—it’s a space that works hard. One unique challenge is the chimney right in the middle, which limits the layout. Although I considered removing it, the chimney is essential for the wood burner, which is the only source of heating in the workshop.

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The Tools I Use

My workshop is equipped with two lasers:

• Sculpfun S9: A diode laser with 10W power, perfect for smaller projects.
• Gweike Cloud: A 50W CO2 laser that I use to create my French cleats. (I started with the Sculpfun, but it takes much longer compared to the Gweike.)

I also rely on:

• Festool CMS Table Saw for precision cutting.
• Bosch GCM Mitre Saw for accurate angles.
• An old pillar drill, which still gets the job done!
• A Creality Ender 3 3D Printer, which I use for smaller custom parts and prototypes.

For creating my plans and models, I use Shapr3D on an iPad Pro. To control the lasers, I work with Lightburn, which offers precision and flexibility for my designs.

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Let’s Collaborate

If you have any questions, special requests, or ideas, feel free to leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you and explore ways to improve or expand the Neat French Cleat System.

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Why Choose the Neat French Cleat System?

With the Neat French Cleat System, you’re investing in more than just storage—you’re choosing quality, efficiency, and a tidy workspace. It’s the perfect solution for tool enthusiasts looking to elevate their organization and productivity.

More French Cleat Essentials for Your Workshop

Take your workspace to the next level with our innovative range of French cleats and versatile shelving solutions.

From unique tool holders to durable storage options, every design is built for efficiency and style.

Find the perfect additions to customize your modular system and keep your tools and supplies within easy reach.

Custom French Cleats

French Cleat Shelves

My Laser

A Gweike Cloud 50W

I rely on my Gweike Cloud 50W laser, a powerful and versatile tool that’s perfect for precision cutting and engraving. With its user-friendly design, this laser effortlessly handles everything from intricate tool holders to larger cleat systems. Its speed, accuracy, and ability to work with various materials make it an essential part of my workshop, ensuring that every custom French cleat and component is perfectly cut.