# Building a wall-mounted wine-glass rack



## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

*Beginning with the end in mind.*

My lady deserves better.

At least that's what I told myself when I rationalized what was taking me so long to tackle something as straightforward as a wine-glass rack. First it was, "I want more practice dovetailing," then it was "I need to come up with a cooler design," and then…oh well you know the lemming march of excuses.

We had outgrown our little prefab rack. Eight glasses just don't cut it in this wine-drinking household.










And the vibration from our furnace had a bad habit of rattling glasses clean off the metal rails to shatter on the buffet beneath. That's what the makeshift cork "stopper" was for in the pic below.










Two glasses gave their lives before we started to look around at rack designs. Last winter (it's fall now) we saw one in a wine store. It showed promise. That rack led to a half-sized mockup, which I dubbed-Prototype No. 1. Isn't that cheapo pine attractive?










*Sigh* I wasn't satisfied. It looked rickety and frankly was about as pleasing to the eye as coagulated ice cream on a picnic table.










But, since we're not talking about inventing the light bulb, and since I'm no Einstein, it was time to move off the dime and get something affixed to the wall. No doubt, Gail was thinking that I just wasn't interested, "It's only a wine rack, why can't you just finish it?" I can hear her saying in the secret recesses of her mind.

It was time to put pencil to paper and flesh out the dimensions.

*What should the basic wine-glass rack dimensions be?*
To that point, my lady had shared one measurement-the length to match the honey-stained buffet it will rest above. That's' 64".

Something that long needed to be strong. We have a lot of glasses, around 30. So my design had to be sturdy enough to prevent the sweet serenade of breaking glass at 1:00 a.m. The strength consideration alone caused me to abandon Prototype No. 1.

By the way, calling out the demise of Prototype No. 1 is referred to in the movies as "foreshadowing"…a hint that Prototype No. 2 is coming into the picture. It would help me answer other questions. Such as, how deep should the shelf be? I didn't want to guess and end up with retaining slats that were perfect for holding 3 ½ glasses. Either go three-deep or four darn it.

Other questions loomed.

How should the glass retaining slats be shaped? Slanted at 45 degrees or straight across in rabbet fashion?

How deep should the rabbets be to allow glasses to be smoothly seated? How far apart should the slat edges be from each other? Too far apart and a glass might work itself out. Too close together and some glasses wouldn't fit. You can see the Goldilocks conundrum that kept me up till all hours watching Gretta Van Sustern reruns.

And then, how could I affix the slats to the top shelf (another "need to have" so that we could stack useful things like tequila bottles and decanters)? Sure I could bolt those puppies on but they wouldn't be pretty. And if I used 1.25" screws, would that be enough to secure the pieces when they were loaded with the family crystal?

Finally, there were a couple of other items to work out. How should all the parts be joined? And second, what design details could I add to enhance the visual interest of the rack?

The answers to these questions-and more-are the subject of the next post.

###


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

planepassion said:


> *Beginning with the end in mind.*
> 
> My lady deserves better.
> 
> ...


Wow, the after pics from your project post are much improved


----------



## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

*Two prototypes serve as a design roadmap*

In the last post I talked about why we needed a new wine-glass rack. I also discussed many of the questions I had about the design and joinery. Building two prototypes helped me answer all these questions.

I was able to experiment with slat rabbet depths and spacing to determine the optimal specifications. Moreover, I was able to try out various joinery options to flesh out the best way to put the rack together.

The prototypes also provided fertile ground to experiment on finishing details. For example, I tried side beads on the original full slats, but abandoned that because I thought it didn't look good.










In the end, I just beaded the face of the half-slats that fit against the shelf brackets. I like that solution a lot because it breaks up the blockiness of the slats without going berserk with the beading plane.

To pick up the wine theme, I tried staining the wood with merlot (item 2 above)…but abandoned that as too hokey. Or more accurately, my lady frowned when I showed it to her.

Item 3 above shows Prototype No. 1's 45 degree slat angle. My tests with glasses felt ok, but to be honest, the length of the cut was too long to use the router table. And planing down the 45 degree slat edges was laborious beyond belief.

The prototype slat fronts looked too blocky, so I tested roundover options.










I really like how that softened the front edge of the rack.

I also beaded the top of the shelf support rail to hide a slight gap as well as break up the monolithicness of the merged seams.



















Still more details begged for attention.

Since the winerack will sit over the buffet, I scanned it for details that I could mirror in the rack. The buffet's top edge was half-rounded over from the underside.










In retrospect, I should have rounded the bottom lip of the front edge of the rack shelf. But it was all assembled before the thought occurred to me. Instead, I did a half round over of the insides of the outermost shelf brackets. And I did a full roundover of the center shelf brackets.

On the original prototype, I experimented by covering the shelf bracket edge with wine corks cut in half. This looked ok I thought but my lady nixed the idea. No matter, Prototype No 1 got chucked in the scrap pile.

And there my project languished for a few months, as I noodled over various details.

*When the going gets tough, the tough go to San Antonio*
My first clue was that I was hyperventilating. That's what happens when you stick a claustrophobic guy in the window seat in the last row of one of those Smart-Car-sized jets bound for Southern Texas. Fortunately, a guy traded me for an aisle seat. So after finishing some work, I pulled out my coffee-stained hand-drawn rack plans and doodled out all the dimensions. Anything to prevent my mind from thinking about how small the air was in the cabin.




























The plan was the basis of Prototype No. 2.










It was here I settled on joinery details.




























After a few more tweaks to the plans (for example, I shortened the length of the rack because shorter boards were more affordable), I developed a cut list.



















Then it was off to the big-box store to secure some aspen lumber.

In my next post, I'll talk about the build.

###


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

planepassion said:


> *Two prototypes serve as a design roadmap*
> 
> In the last post I talked about why we needed a new wine-glass rack. I also discussed many of the questions I had about the design and joinery. Building two prototypes helped me answer all these questions.
> 
> ...


seems I missed the first post. Nice detail. Nice impreovement over the old one. I'm looking forward to the build.


----------



## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

planepassion said:


> *Two prototypes serve as a design roadmap*
> 
> In the last post I talked about why we needed a new wine-glass rack. I also discussed many of the questions I had about the design and joinery. Building two prototypes helped me answer all these questions.
> 
> ...


The planning is very detailed. Nice post.
Well done.


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

planepassion said:


> *Two prototypes serve as a design roadmap*
> 
> In the last post I talked about why we needed a new wine-glass rack. I also discussed many of the questions I had about the design and joinery. Building two prototypes helped me answer all these questions.
> 
> ...


Great blog Brad! I love the beading plane. I've got to get me one of those.


----------



## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

planepassion said:


> *Two prototypes serve as a design roadmap*
> 
> In the last post I talked about why we needed a new wine-glass rack. I also discussed many of the questions I had about the design and joinery. Building two prototypes helped me answer all these questions.
> 
> ...


Mauricio, I think I paid like $21.00 for my 3/8" side-bead plane on ebay. It took some tuning and I had to repair some loose boxing but it's performed like a champ since then. And it's a lot of fun to use.


----------



## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

*Joinery*

As I mentioned before, building two prototypes helped me work out the joinery details on this project.



















I chose dovetails for the end support brackets. The rear bottom edge of the shelf rests on a 1" x 4" as detailed in End-bracket rail joinery detail above. To secure the rail, I used half lap joints into the backs of the end support brackets. My SB #71 router plane served well to flatten the bottom of each surface to a consistent depth.










I also cut a rabbet at the back of the interior brackets to fit on the support rail (see Center-bracket rail joinery detail above).

For the glass support slats, I merely screwed them to the top shelf using 1 ¼" #8 screws. I chose these after testing them on Prototype #2. Two screws, one at each end of the slat, held it firmly. By screwing them in from above, the hardware is out of view leaving nothing but wood for onlookers to marvel at.

*The shelf rack*
After edge-gluing the 8' boards to make the rack shelf, I used my new (to me) SB #6 to flatten both sides.



















Edge jointing the boards to get the butt-joint tight put the glued shelf a little out of square. In fact, there was a taper from one edge to the other that started 3/16" too wide down to just right. To remove this much material quickly-and safely-I reached for my scrub plane.










Then I cut off two 1-foot long sections. Eventually, I would cut each of these 1' sections along a diagonal from opposing edges to form four, triangular shelf support brackets.

But before I did this, I cut the dovetails to affix the shelf to the one-foot end brackets. It's easier to cut dovetails working with a square than a triangle. Starting with the end brackets, I cut the tails, then scribed them onto the shelf ends to layout the pins.

Cutting the pins wasn't so easy. The shelf was so long that I had to stand it on end and secure it on my front vice, and stand on a stool to make the cuts.










Then I finished removing the waste.










After I was satisfied with the fit of the dovetail joints, I made the diagonal cuts in each of the 1' squares to get the four triangular shelf support brackets.

*Slat-tery*
For the glass retention slats, I cut 1" x 4" to about 26 ½" lengths, which was long enough for two. The longer length was easier to work when rabbetting the slots that the glasses slide along. But before I could begin, I built a sticking board appliance to properly secure the boards for rabbetting.

I ended up rabbetting about 16 board feet on both edges, going 1 1/8" wide by 3/8" deep, with my Stanley #78.










You can read about that experience in my sticking board build post above. Let's just say that it was the woodworking equivalent of "sweating to the oldies".

*First assembly glue up*
After dry-fitting the pieces, it was time to glue up the end brackets to the shelf. The rear shelf support rail was next, being glued to its mating half-lap at each end.

The two center shelf support brackets came next. This included notching a rabbet to seat the bracket against the rear rail shelf support. Then I spaced the inner brackets according to my design and screwed them into place from the other side of the support rail and again at about the center from the top of the shelf. I took care to ensure the brackets were square to the shelf and to the support rail.










Then I drilled and countersunk pilot holes for the screws.










After the shelf, rear shelf-support rail and all four support brackets dried, I used a block plane to trim the dovetails flat. To secure the assembled rack, I hung it over my front vise at one end of my bench and over a dowel support at the other end.










Then I cut and sized the slats with the aid of a shooting board.



















I made the edge half-slats by cutting a full slat right down the middle. And then added a bead detail to the inside edges of the half-slats that abut to the shelf support brackets.










While everything was accessible, I sanded and finished all the pieces before affixing the slats. And that is the subject of my next post.

###


----------



## lysdexic (Mar 21, 2011)

planepassion said:


> *Joinery*
> 
> As I mentioned before, building two prototypes helped me work out the joinery details on this project.
> 
> ...


Great blog entry as usual Brad. Very thorough. Let me ask you kind of odd ball question. I understand the utility of building a prototype. But what do you do with it after the exercise? Scrap it, toss it, give it to a second tier friend?


----------



## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

planepassion said:


> *Joinery*
> 
> As I mentioned before, building two prototypes helped me work out the joinery details on this project.
> 
> ...


Ah yes. The ever more clutter issue. I usually break down the prototype then toss the too-beat-up to use parts and keep the rest for use later on a different project. The prototype backsaw till I built I now use to hold my full-sized handsaws.


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

planepassion said:


> *Joinery*
> 
> As I mentioned before, building two prototypes helped me work out the joinery details on this project.
> 
> ...


The Galoot is strong with you Brad. Great pics, thanks for sharing.


----------



## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

planepassion said:


> *Joinery*
> 
> As I mentioned before, building two prototypes helped me work out the joinery details on this project.
> 
> ...


Nice to see the hand tools getting a workout Brad. I like the beading detail.


----------



## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

*Finishing*

In my last post, I completed the first subassembly, cut the glass-retention slats to size and beaded the half-slats. Before affixing them to the shelf, it was time to put some finish on everything.

On my first prototype, I used wine to stain the exposed end grain of one of the slats. It really didn't appeal to me, but more importantly, it didn't appeal to my client (my lady).

For the final stain, I created a five-sample splotch so that she could decide among the options.










And the winner is…










After one coat of stain, the aspen looked a bit reddish in the light of my garage workshop. When I took it inside by the buffet, it picked up the amber hues of the buffet and the room's wood trim. Alongside those elements, it looks amberish, which was exactly what I wanted. An added benefit is that the lighter stain brings out the grain nicely.

After the stain dried, each piece received a hand-rubbed coating of satin polyurethane. A 400 grit, very light, sanding between coats left a smooth finish.

After three coats, I signed and dated the back with a green permanent marker. Then encased it in a coat of polyurethane finish.

*Final Assembly*
I installed the half slats first, flush against each of the shelf support brackets.










After that, I evenly spaced the two full slats in between the outer half slats.










When I sized each slat, I made them about 1/16" short along the width of the shelf to allow for wood movement. I used playing cards as spacers to bring the front edge of each slat flush with the front edge of the shelf. Some required three cards, others four.



















Once I had them flush, I clamped them to the shelf, measured in 2.5 inches and drilled a hole center mass.










From the initial hole, I dropped a plumb, measuring up from the bottom about 2.5" and drilling a second hole.










Drilling the hole left some tearout to make the slat sit proud of the shelf, so I unclamped the slat and used a chisel to remove the waste for a flush fit.










In order for the top shelf to be one continuous, non-catching surface, it was necessary to countersink the mounting screws so they sit flush. My restored 6" Skinner brace was perfect to countersink the holes from the top so that the screws would not show once the rack was mounted.










Once this was complete, the completed rack dried in my shop for a week while I traveled to Toronto and St. Louis on business.

In my next post, I'll mount the rack and load it up with pretty glassware.

###


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

planepassion said:


> *Finishing*
> 
> In my last post, I completed the first subassembly, cut the glass-retention slats to size and beaded the half-slats. Before affixing them to the shelf, it was time to put some finish on everything.
> 
> ...


Another great, detailed blog.

I never had any luck with that Minwax stuff. I mostly have tried it on oak and birch ply and it doesnt absorb into the denser wood, only the porus parts.


----------



## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

planepassion said:


> *Finishing*
> 
> In my last post, I completed the first subassembly, cut the glass-retention slats to size and beaded the half-slats. Before affixing them to the shelf, it was time to put some finish on everything.
> 
> ...


Indeed Mauricio, that was my experience on this project too. The finish came out a bit blotchy.


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

planepassion said:


> *Finishing*
> 
> In my last post, I completed the first subassembly, cut the glass-retention slats to size and beaded the half-slats. Before affixing them to the shelf, it was time to put some finish on everything.
> 
> ...


Check out transtint dye, works like a champ, my favorite stuff for staining.


----------



## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

planepassion said:


> *Finishing*
> 
> In my last post, I completed the first subassembly, cut the glass-retention slats to size and beaded the half-slats. Before affixing them to the shelf, it was time to put some finish on everything.
> 
> ...


Brad you're lucky your good lady picked a winner from your swatch board. I've done a few swatch boards in my time for my wife to choose a winner and she usually says something like "What if you mixed 1 with 4" and then I have to do another swatch board. Then she'll pick one, I'll apply the stain and then she'll say she doesn't like it. LOL.

Nice to see the Skinner earning its keep.


----------



## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

planepassion said:


> *Finishing*
> 
> In my last post, I completed the first subassembly, cut the glass-retention slats to size and beaded the half-slats. Before affixing them to the shelf, it was time to put some finish on everything.
> 
> ...


Mauricio, I look forward to giving the transtint dye a shot.

Andy, my lady doesn't have the "move the couch over there so I can see how it looks….no wait, now move it over there…hmmmm…how would it look over there" gene, thank goodness. While the stain I used looked reddish in the shop, next to the other wood in the area I mounted it, it looks golden. I also suggested, and she accepted, that we use a lighter stain so as not to have the rack predominate over the other wooden elements in the area.

I use, and enjoy the Skinners all the time. The 6" one is my dedicated counterbore brace. I love how she gleams  Thanks for your role in helping them find their way into my appreciative hands brother.


----------



## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

*Mounting and loading with fine crystal*

In my last post, the rack was assembled, finished and drying in my workshop.










After a busy workweek, I finally had the time to put up rack and start enjoy its space-liberating bounty.

*Mounting*
This sucker is heavy. And the last thing I want is to wake up to the sound of breaking glass late one night. To prevent this, I used a stud finder to mark where I would screw through the shelf support rail directly into the studs. I chose 4" screws to affix the rack.

By screwing the support rail to the studs, I had some latitude to move the rack left or right along the length above the buffet to suit my lady's preference. After she gave me the thumbs up, I drilled a hole on one end and put in a screw to hold it in place. Then I leveled the shelf top and drilled a hole for the opposite end. Once this was in place, it was a simple matter of drilling holes and inserting the two other screws.

Finally, after many weeks, lots of sweat and a drop or two of blood, the rack was ready to serve its intended purpose. It was time to fill my snifter with a snort of brandy.



















*Loaded and ready for libations*
The fun part of the whole project, was clearing out some cabinet space formerly dedicated to glassware. Each slat holds three glasses comfortably and 28 out of our 30 glasses are easily accommodated. Our two bulbous pinot noir glasses have a greater depth where the stem meets the base. Fortunately, due to variations in the depth of the rabbets I cut for the slats, I found one row that accepts even these glasses.

Here's what she looks like loaded up.










But the best part of the whole project was the smile it put on my lady's face.










There were many potential pitfalls that could have wrecked this project. Though it took many more months to get done, I sidestepped many of these by taking the time to build and test prototypes while polishing my design. It didn't hurt to run design details by my lady either.

###


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

planepassion said:


> *Mounting and loading with fine crystal*
> 
> In my last post, the rack was assembled, finished and drying in my workshop.
> 
> ...


Ahhh, now for the fun part, the drinking.

Nice project Brad. Thanks for sharing the journey.


----------



## inchanga (Aug 13, 2012)

planepassion said:


> *Mounting and loading with fine crystal*
> 
> In my last post, the rack was assembled, finished and drying in my workshop.
> 
> ...


I always think that after a day in the shop nothing is nicer than to relax with a glass or two (or bottle or two) of vino collapso. Really nicely made and very useful project. Where do you keep the plonk….

*If you are fit you don't need exercise and if you are not fit you shouldn't be doing it….*


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

planepassion said:


> *Mounting and loading with fine crystal*
> 
> In my last post, the rack was assembled, finished and drying in my workshop.
> 
> ...


Congrats Brad, great happy ending pics! The rack looks great!


----------



## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

planepassion said:


> *Mounting and loading with fine crystal*
> 
> In my last post, the rack was assembled, finished and drying in my workshop.
> 
> ...


Nothing better than standing back with a drop of the good stuff, admiring a job well done and earning some points with your better half in the process. Nice blog Brad, thanks for sharing the process.


----------



## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

planepassion said:


> *Mounting and loading with fine crystal*
> 
> In my last post, the rack was assembled, finished and drying in my workshop.
> 
> ...


Now that is one nice setup.
Great work and then enjoying the fruits of your labor.
Looks as the wife likes it as well.


----------

