Quick Christmas Gift - Key Holder / Rack

glenn bradley

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SoCal
Circumstances mean there will not be the usual number of gifts coming out of the workshop this year. The exception is a long awaited Key rack for my MIL. She's been hinting since summer that this is all she wants for Christmas. I feared I would have to miss the date but, the wife ran interference and I got a few hours in the shop.

It is basically a small frame jointed with sliding dovetails with a cross member that has pegs sticking out to hang keys on. I use sliding through-dovetails and let the joinery become a design element. The scrap bin yielded some bubinga and some cherry pieces that were adequate for the job so, that's what it is made from ;-) The finish is just shellac.

I use packing tape to "gang" the different thickness top and bottom for milling the dovetail. I use the tenon jig for the mating joinery.

Key Rack (3).jpg . Key Rack (4).jpg . Key Rack (5).jpg

A shop made coping sled details the top and bottom. I use a small block plane to smooth the end grain and a LA Jack to smooth the other parts. This really saves time on surface prep.

Key Rack (8).jpg . Key Rack (9).jpg . Key Rack (10).jpg

I will use keyhole slots to hand the unit on the wall. The tilting table on my DP comes in handy for drilling the peg holes.

Key Rack (11).jpg . Key Rack (12).jpg . Key Rack (15).jpg

And here's the general idea.

Key Rack (17).jpg

Really moves pretty quick if you can get a few hours of uninterrupted time in the shop.
 
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