BatFeet - Space-Efficient Broom Hangers (Parametric)

You know those broom clips that mount on the wall? I've never liked them. Not just the fact that they often break, never seem to be the right size, and that you've got to drive screws through perfectly good drywall to mount them, but what really bugs me is that they're inefficient. 

To hang a broom on the wall, first you have to turn it sideways, flat to the wall. So if you have several tools to hang, you've got to space them out all across the back of your closet to make room. And worse, now the thing you need is always at the back of the closet, so every time you need one, you've got to yank it out through all the coats and aprons and whatever else you've got hanging on the rail.

So when I did a renovation recently and wanted to put the brooms and mops in the new cleaning closet, I got to thinking… Could we hang them at the front of the closet? Hey, what about on that rail designed specifically for hanging stuff from?

And you know what? It works! 

Now when I need to clean up the dog's muddy paw prints, or the grandkid's have dropped a bowl of cereal, all the tools are hanging right at hand. 

As an added bonus, I love how the clips look like bats just chilling in the closet by day, waiting for the party to start come nightfall.

Details

There are two parts: the batfoot clip that attaches firmly to the coat rail, and the broom hook (or clip) that will hold your tool. All parts print flat on the print bed, oriented to be strong in the plane of use, so you don't have to worry about layer-line cleaving. If your tool has a mounting hole at the end of the handle, you'll want the hook, and if not, you can use a clip instead.

I've included a few different bat-feet to match most standard coat rail diameters, and a few different sized c-clips to match the common broom handle sizes. But if you're rocking a different size handle or rail, or just having trouble getting a tight enough fit, you can generate a custom version by changing the appropriate diameter setting at the top of the OpenSCAD file.

Printing and Assembly 

I've made all of mine with PLA, at 0.3mm layer height, with 3 perimeters and 10% infill, and everything has been fine. (No supports needed.)

Before you print a bunch though, you should print a single batfoot and attachment so you can dial in the joint. They fit together with a simple mortise and tenon, which should be satisfyingly snug. If not, you can nudge the "mortise_slop" value in the OpenSCAD file. More slop makes a sloppier fit, less will make it tighter. 

You might as well also check that the batfoot clings nicely to your coat rail and that the attachment fits your broom. Again, adjustments can be made at the top of the OpenSCAD file if required.

Final Thoughts

In my experience, the hook attachments are more versatile than the c-clips, since they can hold a much wider variety of items. All you need is a hole at the end of the tool handle, which you can add with a drill if it doesn't already have one. By contrast, a c-clip only works for a narrow range of handle diameters, so if you have skinny and fat tools, you'll have to print different sizes to hold them properly and then your life will forever be more complicated by having to return them to the correct batfoot every time you use them.