Magazine Rack: Idea For Woodworking. Projects That Sell.

Here I decided to share with you a complete step by step guide on how to make an easy good-looking project that sells: a magazine rack. Built from solid cherry, this rack design accomplishes an airy, modern feeling without sacrificing the look of fine furniture. And with careful cutting, you can build it from only two cherry boards.

Before we dive in, here you can get a FREE book “The Art of Woodworking” with 40+ detailed plans and 440 full-color pages https://woodworking-plans-book.ck.page/c066870f5f

So, let’s start!

The parts for this magazine rack can all be cut from two 8-ft.-long cherry boards. We edge-glued three strips of 3/4-in. (after planning) cherry to make the side panels. The 1/2-in.-thick bottom panel is also made from edge-glued cherry.

1. Plane an 8-ft.-long, 4/4 cherry board that's at least 4 1/4 in. wide to 3/4 in. thick. Joint one edge of the board, then rip-cut it to 4 1/8 in. wide (4 1/16 in. is okay). Cross-cut six 15-in.-long sections, and edge-glue them into two panels that are roughly 12x15 in. For a good glue joint, joint both edges of the middle board in each glue-up.

2. Plane a 3/4 x 4 in. x 8 ft. board down to 1/2 in. thick. Rip-cut a 3-ft.-long section from one end of the board, joint one edge, then rip-cut to 3 1/8 in. wide. Cut the board into three 12-in.-long sections. Arrange the boards into a panel roughly 9 x 12 in. (joint both edges of the middle board) and glue up the panel to make the bottom of the. magazine rack.

3. On the remaining 5-ft. section of 1/2-in. stock, joint one edge, then rip-cut the jointed side to 1 1/2 in. wide. Rip-cut the waste strip to 1 1/2 in. wide as well, making sure to run the freshly cut edge against your table saw fence. Install a 1/8-in.-radius roundover bit in your router and ease all the edges of both strips. Reserve the strips to cut the rails and the handle.

4. Enlarge the Grid drawing to full size by photo-copying or by drawing a grid to scale and plotting out the pattern using the drawing as a reference. Secure the full-size drawing to a piece of 1/4-in.-thick hardboard or plywood. Cut out the shape along the lines with a band saw, scroll saw or jog saw to create a template. Smooth the sawn edges.

5. Place the template on a piece of scrap plywood to serve as a drilling backup board. Drill small holes (about a diameter of your awl or centerpunch) through the template at the dowel hole centerpoints shown on the grid.

6. Cross-cut one end of each glued-up panel for the sides so the end is straight and square to the sides of the panel. Lay the template on each glued-up panel with its bottom edge flush with the squared end. Trace around the template to transfer the cutting shape. Use an awl or centerpunch to mark the dowel-hole centers through the locator holes in the template.

7. Cut out the shapes of the sides using a jig saw, band saw or scroll saw. Cut carefully along the waste sides of the lines. sand the edges smooth.

8. Drill 1/4-in/-dia/ x 1/2-in.-deep dowel holes at the dowel-hole centers marked on each side panel. Use a portable drill guide and a bit stop.

9. Cross-cut the strips of 1/2 x 1 1/2 in. stock into 10, 11-in.-long strips to make the nine rails and the handle.

10. Choose one piece for the handle and draw a contour line for making the handle cutout. the arched cutout starts 2 1/2 in. from each end and is 3/4 high at the center. Cut out the arc along. the contour line and smooth the cut with a sander or file.

11. Assemble the magazine rack. It can get tricky, since it involves 46 dowel pins and 92 dowel holes. On the plus side, the scale of the project makes it easy to handle, so assembling the rack before the glue sets should be no problem. Start with the bottom panel and drill three 1/4.-in.-dia. x 1 1/16-in.-deep dowel holes in each end. The holes should align with the dowel holes you drilled into the bottoms of the side panels, using the template. To ensure that the holes do align, insert metal dowel points into the holes in the side panels. set the bottom panel in the correct position against the side panel, and press the two work-pieces together. The pointed spur at the end of each dowel point will make a clear center point for a corresponding dowel hole in the end of the bottom panel. use a drill press or a drilling guide to bore the dowel holes. If you use a drilling guide, sandwich each workpiece between scrap boards to provide more support for the guide.

12. Drill two 1/4-in.-dia. x 1 1/16-in.-deep dowel holes in the end of each slat and in each end of the handle. use a doweling jig to center the holes. Clamp a few parts at a time into your bench vise, aligning the ends straight across. This provides more bearing surface for the jig.

13. Sand all the parts to 220-grit. Ease all sharp edges except for the ends of the rails and handles.

14. Apply glue and lightly tap 1/4 x 1 1/2-in. lengths of hardwood doweling into the dowel holes in one end of each cross member.

15. Lay one side of the magazine rack on a worksurface so the dowel holes are facing up. Glue the joints and insert the cross members.

16. Immediately glue and tap dowels into the holes in the other side panel. Then lay that panel on top of the exposed ends of the cross members, aligning the dowels with the corresponding dowel holes. Once the dowels are aligned, seat them by pressing against the cross members. Clamp the project across its ends, using cauls to spread the clamping pressure.

17. Touch up any rough surfaces or edges with 220-grit sandpaper. Apply the finish.

Let this guide be both a teacher of skills and a source of ideas.

To Your Success!

P.S. Pictures borrowed from the book “The Art of Woodworking” by Ted Mcgrath.