Make a Spice Rack

What you will need:

• SA pine:
  • 12x144x3.6m;
  • 3mm ply backing – 600×600;
• 10×600 meranti dowel (cut to 200mm lengths);
• 32mm panel pins;
• finish of your choice – paint or sealer – I chose the latter.

*All materials are available at Selected Mica Stores. To find your nearest Mica and to enquire about availability, please go to www.mica.co.za, to use our store locator. If your local Mica does not stock exactly what you need they will be able to order or suggest an alternative product or a reputable source.

Project guide:

Difficulty: Novice
Estimated time: 12-18 hours
Cost: R200

Method:

1. A spice/condiments rack for the kitchen keeps everything where you need it – neatly and within reach. This one was designed for a kitchen that has an open area with no overhead cupboards and so fits neatly into the corner or where you want to place it. This project is an ideal starter for the novice woodworker as there are no complex joints, and if you make the odd mistake or three, you are not going to break the bank sorting them out. This rack is 600mm wide by 600mm high and 144 (plus the 3mm backing) deep. There is nothing quite like completing a project and discovering that what it was designed to hold… will not fit. So get the largest /tallest examples of what you are going to store, and use them to size the spacing between shelves. In this case, arrange the spacing for the spices side of the rack – and spaced the shelves 160mm, surface to surface.



2. Cut the sides to 600mm and centrepiece to 588mm (as it sits on the base while the sides sit on the outside of the base), rounded off the upper front corner of each – Use the can of varnish as the guide for the curve. Cut the curve using a jigsaw and sand to a smooth finish.



3. Now cut the three shelves for the spice section; each is 160mm long.



4. Due to the length of the bin, add a crossbeam at the centre; go wild with the screws. At this stage, flip the base over and apply a couple of coats of waterproof sealer, followed by marine varnish. To protect the underside of the bin from moisture.



5. This is how the shelf positions line up – notice the centrepiece is 12mm shorter than the side as it will be attached to the upper surface of the base.



6. Mark off the positions of the dowels – these are to stop spice bottles being knocked off the shelves when you are reaching for the one at the back. Position each dowel 44mm up from the shelf surface (a piece of 44×22 SA pine made a handy marker) and position it 10mm in from the edge.



7. Attach a piece of tape 10mm up from the broad bit’s centre-point; this will produce a hole about 5-6mm deep, and carefully drill each hole so that the tip of the bit just penetrates the lower surface.



8. This shows the hole and the reverse… the pinhole on what was the lower surface is very easy to fill and hide with filler as it is so tiny.



9. Apply glue to the surfaces and dowel holes and attach the dowels and shelves to the inner surface of the side; use 32mm panel pins to attach the shelves firmly in position.



10. Then flip the assembly over and attach the centrepiece to the dowels and shelves. Countersink the panel pins a couple of millimetres and fill. Make sure the filler is left raised off the surrounding surface so that you can sand it down absolutely flat with the surface. Naturally, allow ample time for the filler to set before sanding it down; Use a 120 grit sandpaper on a sanding block to achieve a very neat finish – sand with the grain, not across it.



11. With the spices side of the rack complete, apply glue to the surfaces, clamp the centrepiece, middle shelf and second side together, plus the base, and use panel pins secure the joins.



12. This shows clearly how the sides are used to hide the ends of the base, and the centrepiece rests on the upper surface of the base.



13. Use glue and staples – a tacker is one of the most useful tools you can have in a workshop – to attach the backing to the unit.



14. Once the glue has cured and filler has dried – ensure you countersink and fill all the panel pins you use – sand down the surfaces and apply the finish of your choice. Use a clear gloss sealer that enhances the grain of the wood and is easily wiped clean. Job done… for a spicier kitchen. Each shelf for the spices takes about nine bottles, so there is sufficient storage space to really spice up your life.