How to Build a Wood Shelf for Shot Glasses
Building your own wooden shot glass display shelf is the best way to assure that each of the shot glasses in your collection is displayed in a place of honor. It doesn't matter if you collect based on glass shape, color design or manufacturer, every shot glass has some special meaning to you. You don't have to be a master woodworker to build a wood shelf for shot glasses. With a basic tools, lumber and a few other inexpensive items, you can build the perfect shelf for your shot glass collection.
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Things You'll Need
- 2 x 4-inch pine board
- Jig saw
- 1 x 3-inch pine board
- 1 3/4-inch half round trim
- 1/4-inch pine plywood
- Miter saw
- Router
- 120-grit sandpaper
- Tack cloth
- Wood stain
- Paintbrush
- Cloth
- Wood glue
- 1 1/2-inch finishing nails
- Hammer
- 23-inch by 23-inch sheet of Plexiglas
- Multi-purpose household glue
- 2 bi-fold hinges, 1-inch
- 1-inch latch
- 2 picture hangers, 1/2-inch
- Safety glasses
Instructions
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1
Cut two 24-inch and two 20 1/2-inch lengths of 2 x 4-inch pine board with a jig saw. This will be the outer shot glass shelf frame.
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2
Cut four 20 1/2-inch lengths of 1 x 3-inch pine board with the jig saw for the shelves.
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3
Cut two 24-inch and two 20 1/2-inch lengths of 1 3/4-inch half round trim with the jig saw for the frame trim pieces.
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4
Cut one 23-inch by 23-inch piece of 1/4-inch pine plywood with a jig saw for the shelf backing board.
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5
Cut 45 degree corresponding miter cuts on each end of the four frame trim pieces with a miter saw.
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6
Cut four horizontal 2 1/2-inch deep dadoes (a rectangular groove cut to make a joint) on the 4-inch face of each of the 20 1/2-inch lengths of the outer shot glass shelf frame. Cut one at 4 1/2 inches, one at 8 inches, one at 11 inches and one at 15 inches from the bottom edge, for the shelves, with a 3/4-inch bit on a router.
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Sand all of the wooden shelf components with 120-grit sandpaper. Wipe the pieces with a tack cloth to remove the sanding dust.
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8
Stain the pieces by applying a consistent layer of wood stain with a paint brush, waiting five minutes and them wiping the excess stain off with a clean cloth. Allow the pieces to dry for two hours.
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9
Assemble the outer shot glass frame by attaching the two 20 1/2-inch lengths (with the dado cuts at the back and facing inwards toward the front of the frame) flush within the two 24-inch lengths edges with wood glue and two 1 1/2-inch finishing nails at each joint. The 2-inch faces should be up, creating the shadow box for the shot glasses.
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10
Turn the assembled outer frame upside down, place a small amount of wood glue in the dadoes and slide the shelves in, one at a time.
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11
Turn the shot glass shelf over and glue a 23 x 23-inch sheet of Plexiglas centered on the front of the frame with multi-purpose household glue.
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12
Glue the half round trim pieces flush to the outside frame edges (over the Plexiglas) with multi-purpose household glue.
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13
Attach the shelf backing board to the back of the frame with two 1-inch bi-fold hinges on the right hand side, at 1 1/2-inch from the top and bottom edges, and one 1-inch latch centered on the left-hand side.
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14
Attach two 1/2-inch picture hangers 18 inches apart to the top frame on the back of the shelf with the nails included with the hangers.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a carpenter's square often while you are assembling the frame to assure that it stays square.
The small bi-fold hinges and latch can be found at a large craft supply store.
This shot glass shelf will hold 50 glasses with standard glasses on the three center shelves and double shot glasses on the top and bottom shelves, but the size can easily be adjusted to fit any collection.
Wear safety glasses while using power tools.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
