My version of this upright rifle rack does not have a turntable or “lazy
Suzan” on it. I need to be able to move my rifles around so I opted to put
casters on the bottom of the rack. With four casters, it also allows the rack
to spin. Not as easily or as cool as a turntable would, but then again you
can’t move a gun rack around with just a turntable.
If you wanted to build one with a turntable on it, you should increase the
size of the lower bottom piece to at least 5/8 if not a full ¾. The ¼ thick
plywood that I use works well for the caster set-up, but will not provide
enough wood to countersink the turntables screws.
STOCK
1) 24” square ¾” BC plywood
1) 24” square ¼" BC plywood
1) 16” square 5/8” BC plywood
4) 1 5/8 -1 ½” casters
20) #6 ¾” screws
8) #8 ¾” screws
1) 36” long ¾” iron pipe threaded on both ends.
2) ¾ iron pipe floor flanges
1) Small piece of poster board
Black spray paint
Black felt
Spray glue
TOOLS
2 ½” hole saw (a good sharp one. You’re going to make 36 holes.)
Sharp pencil
Yard stick
Compass
Protractor
Sandpaper
Rasp
Drill Motor
Jig Saw
Begin with the ¾” square. Working on the good side of the plywood, use
your straight edge to connect the corners with an “x”. The center of the “x”
is the center of your board.
We want to divide the circle in 12 even parts to hold 12 rifles. A circle is
360 degrees. So, 360/12=30. We need to layout lines every 30 degrees.
These lines will tell us where to locate the slots for the rifles.
Using the protector, we make a mark every 30 degrees and connect the
marks. Make sure they cross in the center of the board. It should look like
this.
Now that we have our radials, we need our circle. The base should be about
21 ½” in diameter. Notice I say about. I’m changing my dimensions on the
fly with the ones I’m building. I really don’t have anything cast in stone yet.
Since I don’t have a compass that goes to 10 3/4” I had to build one. I used
a wooden yardstick and cut it down to where I needed it. A nail in one end
provides the pivot. Drill a hole just large enough to hold a pencil in the
other end. Tap the nail into the center of the board and run your pencil
around the radials. You should wind up with a circle that is 21.5” in
diameter. This is your outside cut line.
You can see that I have a circle just inside the outer cut line. This circle is
½” away from the outside edge. You do not have to make this circle. This
is just to help you see the next step.
After making the outer cut line, measure ½” back from the outer cut line and
make a mark on each radial. This mark is where the outer edge of the slot is
going to be.
Set your compass for 1 ¼”. Place the compass pencil on the ½” mark you
just made and the pivot on the radial. Make a 2 ½” circle.
Next, move your compass pencil to the inner edge of the circle you just
made. Place the pivot on the radial and make another 2 ½” circle. The two
small circles should just touch.
Using your straightedge, connect the outside of the circles. You should
wind up with something like this.
Continue laying these out on all 12 radials.
What you will do is use your hole saw to cut the two small circles. Then use
your hand jig saw and cut down the two lines that connect the circle. This
leaves you with a 2 ½” x 5” slot. Use a wood rasp and sandpaper to
straighten out any mistakes you make.
After cutting out the slots, use your jigsaw to cut out the circle. Do not cut
on the line, but just outside it.
The ¼” plywood makes up the bottom of the lower piece.
To make it, simply lay the slotted piece on the ¼” plywood and trace around
it. When you cut the ¼” plywood circle out, cut on the line.
Fasten the lower and upper bottom pieces together with four #6 screws.
Using sandpaper or a wood rasp, sand the outer edges of the two circles
together.
The top is made exactly like the bottom. The only difference is that the
diameter of the circle is about 15 1/4”. That’s the size I made the last ones.
If you get much smaller than that, the holes are to close together. The other
change is that instead of 1/2”, the holes are only ¼” away from the outer
edge.
After the holes, slots, and circles are made, clean the cuts up with sandpaper.
I’ve found it looks best if you don’t try to sand every imperfection. The one
that I have has a nasty slip with the router. After finishing it, it doesn’t look
bad! If your plywood chips while you are cutting it, don’t worry about it.
After you finish it you’ll be amazed how it adds character!
You can finish your wood anyway you’d like. I’ve found that lighter colors
look best.
When you are satisfied with the wood, attach the casters to the base with the
#6 screws.
The bottom of the slots and the upper racks circles should be lined with felt.
Not only does it look nice, but it will protect the finish of the rifle.
Use your compass and draw the slot pattern on a piece of poster board. Cut
it out and use the pattern as a template when cutting out the felt.
Cut strips of felt 5/8” wide and 7 ½” long. Use these to line the holes at the
top of the rack.
To secure the felt, use spray adhesive. Lay the felt on a piece of newspaper
and spray it liberally with the glue. When putting the strips on the top of the
rack, work from the back of the wood so you don’t get any glue on the
finish. I wear disposable gloves when working with the glue.
Spray paint the floor flanges and the 36” pipe black. Attach the floor flanges
to the center of the circles with the #8 screws. Use the small hole that the
nail from the compass made as a guide.
Screw the top and bottom together and you are done!
I’ve been able to fit every rifle I own into this stand with the exception of
those that have attached bayos. The 59/66 will not fit unless you cut the
circle open and lower the barrel into the hole. I doubt an M44 would fit, but
I don’t have one right now to try it. I do know that the M39 with sling
attached will just make it.
To get most rifles into the rack, you have to spin the barrel in the hole. First
the front sight, then rotate the rifle and allow the cleaning rod to clear, then
rotate for the sling swivel, etc… It sounds like a pain, but it’s really quite
easy.