How to Make a Baseball Cap Rack

Show off your cap collection with your own homemade rack.

Collecting baseball caps is a pastime that's nearly as all-American as baseball itself. As your collection grows, you'll need to find display options that are decorative as well as economical. If you can use basic power tools, you can make your own decorative baseball cap rack using materials from your local lumber yard -- at the fraction of the cost of store-bought options.



To make your own baseball cap rack, you need to be able to use a table saw and an electric sander.

Things You'll Need

• 4 pieces of lumber, 3/4 inch thick, 6 feet long, 1 foot wide
• Metal straight edge, 36 inches
• Table saw
• L-square, 12 inches
• Nails, 1 inch long
• Shop rags
• Clear wood finish
• Paintbrushes

Instructions

1. Put on your safety goggles. Cut three of the lumber pieces to a length of 5 feet on the table saw. Cut one of these pieces to a width of 8 1/2 inches. The 12-inch-wide pieces are the rack's sides, the remaining piece its back. Take two of the leftover 1-inch sections and cut them to a size of 8 inches by 12 inches. These are the rack's top and bottom. From the fourth piece of lumber cut nine pieces to a size of 7 inches by 12 inches. These are the shelves.

2. Place the side panels on your work surface. Using the L-square, draw nine equally spaced lines across the panels' width. Turn the panels over. Carry the lines over to this side.

3. Smear wood glue on the top and bottom edges of the side panels. Put the top and bottom panels in place. Use the L-square to check that the angles are right. Fasten the top and bottom panels to the sides with 1-inch nails.

4. Smear wood glue on the back edges of the rack's top, bottom and sides. Place the back panel onto the glued surfaces. Secure it with 1-inch nails.

5. Lay the baseball cap rack on its back. Using the pencil lines on the side panels as guides, slide the shelves into position. Check for accuracy with the L-square. Then secure each shelf with 1-inch-long nails.

6. Sand all surfaces with coarse, medium and fine grade paper until they are smooth to the touch. Wipe off all sawdust. Cover all surfaces with a thin coat of wood finish. Let the finish dry completely. Sand off all raised wood fibers using a fine grade paper. Apply a second coat of wood finish.

References

• "Woodworking Basics: Mastering the Essentials of Craftsmanship"; Peter Korn; 2003