Fast finishing

Brushing a clear finish onto these projects would be difficult. So we sprayed on two light coats of clear lacquer ($5 per aerosol can). Sand lightly with a fine-grit sanding sponge between coats. Lacquer dries very fast, so the whole process takes only about an hour.

Reader's Digest Learn how to make this knife rack.

Buying wood

We used contrasting woods—walnut and maple—for the knife rack and stool, and Philippine mahogany (aka “lauan”) for the DVD tree. Most home centers carry a small selection of hardwoods—like maple and oak—in 3/4-in. and 1/4-in. thicknesses. Some offer a wider selection that includes cherry or walnut. For a huge selection of wood species, shop online. Just search for “hardwood” or go to woodcraft.com.

Reader's Digest Knife rack pieces

Right-sized knife rack

Most of us use one or two knives more than all of our other cutlery combined. So it makes sense to keep our favorite knives handy in a small rack that doesn’t take up much counter space.

To build this knife rack, glue two 9-in.-long 1x4s together. Run this glued-up block across your table saw twice to even up the edges. Then measure the blade widths of your knives and set your table saw’s blade height 1/8 in. higher than the knife blade widths. Cut slots down the middle of the block (Photo 1). Next, glue 1/4-in.-thick strips to both edges of the block, covering the slots. You can cut the strips from larger stock or buy 1/4-in.-thick material.

Cut one end of the block at 30 degrees (Photo 2). Mount the block on the base with a fast-setting glue such as Super Glue (Photo 3). Use a gel rather than the liquid. Carefully position the screws so they don’t enter the knife slots.

Reader's Digest Mounting the block on the base

Cost: $15, if made from walnut and maple as shown. Less for other common wood species.

Materials: 2 ft. of walnut 1x4, 2 ft. of maple 1x4, wood glue, fast-setting glue,
1-5/8-in. screws, one can of spray lacquer.

1. Cut knife slots into the block. You have to remove your blade guard, so work carefully. A featherboard clamped to your table saw helps to keep the block tight against the fence.

2. Cut the block to length. If you’re cutting on a table saw, screw a fence to the miter gauge and clamp the block to the fence.

Reader's Digest Cutting the knife rack

Warning: Blade guard removed for photo clarity. Use yours!

3. Mark the block’s position with masking tape. Apply fast-setting glue and hold the block in place for a minute. Then add screws for extra strength.