A Birch Plywood Magazine Rack with Dowel Dividers
- Hands on
- 210 min
- Start to finish
- 26 hours
- Level
- moderate
- Makes
- one magazine rack, about 240mm wide, 260mm deep and 320mm tall
This rack is two shaped end panels joined by seven lengths of dowel rod, standing on a plywood base. The whole job comes off one small plywood panel and two lengths of dowel, and the only real joinery is a row of drilled holes that has to line up square across both ends. Get that row true and the rest goes together on its own.
What you need
Step by step
-
Mark the two end-panel blanks (260 x 320mm) and the base panel (240 x 260mm) on the plywood with the combination square, then cut them out with the jigsaw, backing the panel so the underside doesn't splinter.
25 min -
Draw the end-panel profile on one blank — a curved top shoulder and a hand-hole — then trace it through onto the second blank so both match, and cut both to shape with the jigsaw, clamping each panel to the bench edge so the waste falls clear as you cut.
35 min -
Mark seven hole centres spaced 35mm apart across each end panel's 260mm length, square and level with the combination square so the two rows match when the panels stand opposite each other.
15 min -
Drill the fourteen holes 10mm wide and 12mm deep with a brad-point bit, backing each panel with scrap underneath to stop the exit face blowing out.
25 min -
Crosscut the dowel rod into seven 240mm dividers, holding it in a V-cradle or jig clamped to the saw table so the round stock cannot roll into the blade.
20 min -
Dry-fit the seven dividers into one end panel, check they sit square to the face, then glue them into that panel's holes.
15 min -
Spread glue in the second end panel's holes and bring it down over the free ends of the dividers, check the whole frame for square before the glue grabs, then clamp across both ends until it sets.
20 min -
Glue and screw the base panel under the end panels, pilot and countersink each screw so the heads sit flush with the plywood.
20 min -
Sand the whole rack through 120 then 240 grit, easing the hand-hole and every cut edge so nothing is sharp to the hand.
25 min -
Apply the oil or wipe-on finish in thin coats, following the can's recoat time between coats, then leave it to cure fully before the rack goes into use.
10 min
Afterwards
Vacuum plywood dust rather than brushing it into the air, and wipe the rack down before finishing. Let the glue joints set for at least two hours, and the whole frame cure overnight, before loading it with magazines. Oil and wipe-on finishes typically need 24 to 48 hours to cure fully — check the can — so keep heavy items out of the rack until then, and stand it clear of damp floors so the base doesn't swell.
Questions
Can I use solid pine instead of plywood for the end panels?
Yes — 18mm pine works and takes a cleaner edge around the hand-hole, though watch the grain direction there so it doesn't run short and weak across the cutout.
What if my dowel doesn't quite fit the drilled holes?
Dowel rod varies a millimetre or so by supplier. Drill a test hole in an offcut first and size the bit to the dowel you actually bought, rather than trusting the stated diameter.
Does it need to be glued, or can I screw the dividers in instead?
Glue holds better here. Screwing into the end grain of a 10mm dowel from the side tends to split it, where a dry-fit and a clamped glue-up gives a stronger joint for less fuss.