Saturday Morning Workshop: How To Build A Key Hanger With Reclaimed Wood

True Up the Edges

Many times, reclaimed wood will be far from square. Fix this by truing up the boards on the table saw. Take off as little as possible from the edges.

Rip Boards to Size

Use a table saw to rip all of the boards except one to 2 in. Rip the last board to 3 in. for the front of the hanger.

Cut Boards to Length

Crosscut two of the 2 in. boards to 11-1/2 in. and two more to 13 in. on the miter saw. Cut the rest of the boards to random lengths between 17 in. and 20 in.

Scribe & Cut the Front Board

Mock up the key hanger and lay the 3 in. board on the assembly where it will be mounted. Scribe the board for an accurate measurement. Cut the 3 in. board on the miter saw to that length (about 14 in. for the key hanger shown).

Assemble the Front of the Hanger

Assemble the front of the hanger using glue and 18-gauge 1-1/2 in. brad nails. The top shelf is 2-1/2 in. from the top of the vertical boards. If you don’t have an 18-gauge brad nail gun, you can easily make this project with 1-1/2 in. construction screws, pilot holes and a drill.

Plane the Back Boards

Plane one side of the random length boards to create a flat back. If you don’t have a planer, sand the boards with a low-grit sandpaper to get the boards flat.

Glue Up the Back Boards

Glue and clamp the eight random-length boards in whatever arrangement you like; however, don’t offset the boards more than 1 in. or the front assembly wont fit correctly.

Finish Assembly

Glue and nail the front assembly to the back with a 1 in. relief on either side of the assembly. Use a drill and screws if you don’t have a brad nail gun.

If you want to try another project that involves gluing up boards, check out this chessboard.