Do your kids leave their clothes all over the room? Build them a custom-made coat rack to help them remember to hang things up. Materials:
1" x 4" finished boards
Circular saw
Jigsaw
Drill, with drill bits and driver bits
Wood glue
Hanger pegs
Belt sander
1" x 6" shelving board
2" x 2" board
Combination square
Hammer
Wood chisel
Safety glasses
Hearing protection
Dust mask
- Start by constructing the leg base. Cut two 12" pieces of finished 1" by 4" board. Center one of the boards across the other, and mark the lower board along the edges of the upper one. Repeat the procedure to mark the other board.
- Make a lap cut in each of the base pieces. Set your circular saw for half the thickness of the boards, and make kerf cuts (closely spaced parallel cuts) inside the marks on the board (figure A).
- Hit the kerf-cut area with a hammer to break out the remaining wood (figure B). Smooth the resulting lap cut with a wood chisel (figure C).
- Fit the lap joints together to create the base (figure D). Secure the two pieces with wood glue and screws.
- Cut four 3" pieces of the same type of board used for the base plate. Attach one piece on each end of the base plate to create "feet" (figure E).
- Round off the corners of the base plate with a belt sander (figure F).
- On top of the base plate, mark the outline where the post will be attached (figure G). Drill pilot holes from the top of the base plate, and countersink the holes from the bottom of the base plate (figure H).
- Cut a square piece of wood from a 1" by 6" shelving board. Draw 45-degree angle lines from corner to corner. This will mark the center. Drill a pilot hole for the post in the center of the plate (figure I). If you plan to attach a decorative figure on top, offset another pilot hole so you can attach the figure without obstructing the hole for attaching the plate to the post.
- Cut out a figure of your choice (figure J). You're limited only by your imagination.
- Attach the figure to the top plate, and paint it as desired.
- Cut a 2" by 2" board to the appropriate length for the coat rack. Mark peg holes at the desired heights (figure K).
- Drill a hole at each mark, using a bit with the same diameter as the bases for the coat pegs.
- Attach the post to the base plate with screws, and attach the top plate with a screw.
- Apply wood glue to the base of each peg, and insert the pegs into the holes in the post.
- Stain or paint the coat rack as desired.
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