So I got sick of using this poorly designed coat rack we've had for a while and decided to go to Lowes. Coat racks there range from about $16.00 for very small low quality ones to about $100.00. I was able to make something comparable to the high end ones for about 1/4 the cost.
I picked up 5 of these hooks in the area of Lowers with cabinet handles and hinges. I also had a long piece of wood left over from an old project which I cut to 2' long.
I got my router out and chose a bit I thought would go well on a coat rack and went around the sides.
A little sanding makes a huge different after routing.
Next I measured a section of the wood and divided by 5 to get equal lengths for the hooks and took a pencil to mark the holes before putting it on my drill press. I also drilled two countersink holes so I could screw it into the wall after the 1st and 4th hangers.
After that I clamped it down and used my orbital sander to smooth the sides and face.
Next step to stain and varnish it. I've learned by being cheap and using the same can of varnish, all the furniture you build ends up matching. I use a disposable paint brush to apply the stain, and then wipe it off with a paper towel after a few hours. You'll find a lot of different opinions on staining methods but this works fine for me and it's a lot faster than what many people will suggest. I put varnish on later that day and let it sit overnight. I have a piece of particle board I lay over my table whenever I stain, varnish or paint anything so I don't mess up my shop.
Now there wasn't anything to do but screw the hooks into the board and the board into the wall. I'm pretty happy with the result. Not only did I save money but I had everything measured to fit perfectly in the space it was going.
