How to Turn a Wooden Coat Rack

Turn your wooden coat rack to find your favorite jacket.

While the wire coat hanger was invented by Albert J. Parkhouse in 1903, the history of the wooden coat rack remains unknown. Wooden coat racks provide a convenient way to hang your coats while saving precious closet space. Standard wooden coat racks do not turn, making it difficult to reach coats placed on the back of the rack. By adding a Lazy Susan turntable underneath the coat rack, you can turn it to get to those hard-to-reach items.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• 3/4-inch plywood sheet,16-by-16 inches
• 3/4-inch plywood sheet,14-by-14 inches
• Table saw
• Pencil
• Large compass
• Sandpaper
• Jig saw
• Screwdriver
• Mounting plate
• Bearing plate
• Pan head screws
• Power drill
• 1/2-inch drill bit

Instructions

1. Measure the base of the coat rack, using a tape measure. For example, the base of the coat rack is 12-by-12 inches.

2. Cut a 3/4-inch plywood sheet to the dimensions of 16-by-16 inches, which is the top base. Cut a 3/4-inch plywood sheet to the dimensions of 14-by-14 inches, which is the bottom base. Use a table saw to cut both sheets.

3. Draw a circle with a diameter of 12 inches on the top base, using a pencil and large compass. Cut along the circle outline, using a jig saw. Smooth the edges with sandpaper. Draw another circle 8 inches in diameter on the bottom base. Cut along the circle outline again and smooth the edges with sandpaper.

4. Locate and mark the center of the bottom base circle. Position the bearing plate on the bottom center of the base circle. Insert screws in the holes of the bearing plate and screw pan head screws into the holes, using a screwdriver. The bearing plate and mounting plate are connected. The bearing plate rotates on the mounting plate, or vice versa.

5. Rotate the mounting plate and insert a pencil through one of the holes of the mounting plate. Drill a 1/2-inch hole through the marked hole on the bottom base circle, using a power drill and 1/2-inch drill bit. The hole is the mounting hole finder.

6. Position the top base circle on a level surface. Place the bearing and mounting plate side of the bottom base circle on top of the top base circle. Rotate the bottom base circle. Look through the mounting hole finder until it lines up with a hole in the mounting plate. Insert a pan head screw through the mounting hole finder into the mounting hole. Screw the pan hand screw into the top base circle, using a screwdriver. Repeat until all mounting holes are screwed into the top base circle.

7. Invert the Lazy Susan, so the bottom base is level on the floor. Position the end of the legs of the coat rack on the edge of the top base circle. Drill 1/2-inch pilot holes through the legs of the coat rack into the top base circle. (See Reference 3)

8. Insert screws in the legs of the coat rack and screw them into the top base circle, using a screwdriver. Continue until all the legs are screwed onto the Lazy Susan. Turn the wooden coat rack and the Lazy Susan rotates the wooden coat rack in a circle.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear a protective mask, goggles and gloves when handling a table saw, jig saw and power drill.

References

• The Great Idea Finder: Wire Coat Hanger
• Ron Hazelton: How to Build a Lazy Susan
• Ace Hardware Washington D.C.: DIY How to Use a POWER DRILL