It’s spring, finally! And, one of the jobs which has to be addressed is cleaning out the coat closet. The parkas get cleaned and stored, the spring coats are brought out, and winter boots are traded for running shoes. It’s when digging out the boots that my wife starts to casually mention that we need a new shoe rack for the floor of the closet. Within a few days the comments become more of an ultimatum. So this is how you get this weeks blog. We’ll be building a shoe rack.
First we’ll measure the available space in the closet. Then it’s out to the shop to figure out what we’re going to do. There is a bunch of scrap oak left over from Rosemary’s Cupboard so we’ll use that. I want to avoid plywood, so the rack will have to be made of slats. A simple lap joint should hold the slats in place. Arbitrarily I chose 1.5″ as the width for all the pieces. And instead of being a single unit with two shelves, I’ll make two independent and stackable shelves, just in case we want to use them for something else. This is a one time job, so I’m not going to draw up a plan, just a quick sketch to help me visualize the finished product.
And here we go! The edges and slats for the tops are cut to length. In this case the edges are 43.5″ and 12″ long, and the slats are all 9.25″ long. Then a quick pass over the table saw to rip each piece down to 1.5″.
The Edges:
The edge pieces will need to be routered for the slats to overlap. Install a 5/8″ straight bit on the router, set 3/8″ high. Oak likes to splinter terribly, so to avoid problems make several shallow passes until the lap edge is 3/8″ deep. You probably already know this but set the fence for the first shallow pass, and cut all of the edge pieces. Then shift the fence back a bit and recut each edge piece, deepening the lap. Repeat this until the lap is deep enough on all the pieces. Switch out the router bit for a 1/4″ roundover bit, and rout all the corners except the lap.
The edge pieces then need a 45“ mitre at each end so we can make the frame out of them. To secure the corners, we drill pocket holes on the mitre and secure them with 1-1/2″ screws and glue.
The Slats:
Repeat the routering process with the straight bit as with the edge pieces, this time putting the lap on the ends of the slats. Use a piece of scrap as a push block to avoid tear out when the router exits the wood and as a way of maintaining the right angle as you move the slat across the bit. As before, do several shallow passes until the lap is 3/8″ deep. Switch the bits and roundover all other edges.
The Legs:
The legs are 5.5″ x 8″ pieces of oak. To make them look a little better, we cut a half circle out of the bottom with the band saw. We rounded over all edges which wouldn’t be in contact with the top or the ground. Then we added a couple of pocket holes which we will use to attach the legs to the top. As a final touch, we cut a couple small triangles which will be glued in place as a light brace.
Assembly:
Start with the top: Screw and glue the edge pieces together to create the top frame. To keep everything in place while setting the screws we use ratchet straps. These are just the ordinary webbed straps sold for cars, trailers, etc. and they are fantastic for clamping odd shapes or large pieces.
Evenly space the slats within the edge frame. I simply glued them down, but for a stronger joint you may want to secure them with a small brad or finishing nail.
Flip the top over. Position, screw and glue the legs in place on the short edges. Glue the light braces into place. Let the entire assembly dry up overnight.
Finishing:
Sand the entire piece and wipe clean with a cloth. Apply the stain of your choice and finish with a couple coats of Danish Oil.
Now you’re all set to shove your beautiful solid oak shoe rack into the deep recesses of your overstuffed closet where it will never be seen again, but you can be satisfied knowing that you produce a useful and beautiful object that will make your home a better place (if only subconsciously).
As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this post please share them with us. Thanks for visiting.
B.Howe & Family 