Father's day tie rack

A perfect project for Dad, this rack holds 14 ties-more if you double them up! Compact in design, this tie rack can hang right in the closet among the dress shirts or on a wall peg.

Start by selecting some 3/4" hardwood or softwood for the body and top. The species doesn't matter, just choose something Dad might like. Use a handsaw or jigsaw to trim the wood to size, with a point at the bottom end so it looks like a tie. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble if you buy wood that's precut to the correct width for the body and top. That way you only have to cut these parts to length. Even if you need to use wood that's slightly different in width from the materials list, that's OK. A friend with a tablesaw would help you get the correct width of wood if you can't find a species you like on store shelves in the right size.

Sand both the body and the top until they are nice and smooth, using 120-grit paper, either by hand or with a hand-held finishing or random-orbit sander.

Next, get out your measuring tape and mark locations for the pegs, starting 1 1/2" down from the top of each edge of the body. Continue marking 1 1/2" spacings to get the seven peg locations you'll need on each side.

To make the peg holes, use a 1/4"-dia. drill bit to bore 1/2"-deep holes for the pegs. A piece of masking tape wrapped around the bit makes an excellent visual gauge for hole depth. You'll get the best possible results with a brad-point bit mounted in a drillpress, but a handheld drill spinning an ordinary twist bit also does a good job if you take care. Cut the 14 pieces of three-inch dowel you'll need for the tie pegs, then apply glue and tap them home into the holes.

Centre the top piece on the top end of the body, then secure it with two screws driven down into 1/8"-dia. pre- drilled holes. If you want to hide these screws, drill a 3/8"-dia. hole 3/8" deep into the top piece before continuing with the 1/8" drill bit to make room for the screw shaft. This oversized hole allows you to fit tapered wooden plugs in place after screw installation. You'll find these plugs at most hardware stores.

Finally, paint or stain the project, then predrill another pilot hole into the centre of the top piece to ease installation of a screw-on coat-hook top. Now wrap up your gift and give it to Dad!