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Our Utensil Rack and Knife Block/Cutting Board Will Make Great Additions For Your Kitchen
The Utensil Rack
Most modern kitchens are small, so space must be used wisely. Here’s a great space-saving idea — a utensil rack to hang pots, pans, spoons, etc. so they’re out of the way, yet convenient when needed.
LIST OF MATERIALS – Utensil Rack(finished dimensions in inches)
Hardware
#10 x 3/4″ Roundhead Wood Screws & Washers (2 each) To attach Plexiglass
1/8″ dia. Steel or Aluminum Rods (selected number) To make hooks
Moly Anchors or other Hanging Hardware (4)
LIST OF MATERIALS – Knife Block/Cutting Board(finished dimensions in inches)
Start by cutting all the required Rail and Batten pieces to size from 3/4″ thick stock using your Table Saw. Make then whatever length you desire. Next, cut your dowels to length from 3/8″ and 3/4″ dowel rod.
Switch to Drill Press mode and use a 3/4″ diameter bit to bore the dowel rod holes 2″ in from each end of your horizontal Rails. Clamp a block of wood to your Rip Fence or use our Flip-Up Rip Fence Stop to ensure the exact same positioning for each hole.
Helpful Items
The Knife Block/Cutting Board
Whether you’re slicing, cutting, carving or chopping, you’ll be using a knife and a cutting surface of some sort. And since these two items are such an essential combination, we decided to put the two together into a single, universal project.
Start by using your Bandsaw with a 5/8″ Resbladeor wing Blade to re-saw your stock to a 1/2″ thickness, then glue up the wider panels you’ll need for the Back and Bottom pieces.
NOTE: If you prefer, you can also make these pieces from 3/4″ thick stock.
However, the finished project will be heavier for wall-hanging. While you’re at it, glue-up the stock for the Knife Block and Cutting Board. Be sure to use waterproof glue when assembling the components of this project. Allow your glue-ups to dry thoroughly, then cut all pieces to final dimension and sand smooth.
Using a Router set-up or Dado Blades, cut the required joinery in the Sides and the Knife Block. If you decide to use your Dado Blades, you’ll have to do some hand work with a chisel where the 3/4″ groove meets the 1/2″ dado on the side (see exploded view). With a sander, round the corners on the Back, Sides and Cutting Board. Cut knife slots in the Knife Block with either a Bandsaw or a handsaw.
Assemble the Knife Holder with waterproof glue and set it aside. Using a 3-In-1 or core box router bit, rout a juice trough around the perimeter of the Cutting Board, as shown in the drawing. You can taper the depth of this trough by tacking or double-stick taping a 1″ wide x 1/8″ thick strip of scrap wood to the bottom side of the Cutting Board…nearest the edge where you want the trough to be deepest. Using Shopsmith’s overhead Routing Set-Up, rout the trough as you normally would, then remove the thin piece of scrap wood. Your trough will be evenly tapered.
Slide the Cutting Board into the 3/4″ groove in the Knife Holder. If it sticks, sand or joint a little stock off the edges. Finish with Salad Bowl Finish.
Next, tilt your Worktable 15-degrees and use a 3/8″ Bit to drill the angled holes for your 3/8″ diameter Dowel Pegs.
Lay the Rails on top of the Battens with a removable, 3/4″ scrap wood spacer block between each Rail. Mark and bore the mating 3/4″ dia. dowel holes in the Battens. Also, bore the screw holes in the back of the bottom Rail – and countersunk holes in the Plexiglas panel for assembly.
Sand all pieces. Assemble the Rails to the Battens with dowels and glue. Glue your Dowel Pegs into your angled holes. Finish the Rack with an oil and water-resistant finish such as polyurethane or tung oil. Attach the plexiglass panel to the back of the Battens to keep pans from marring your walls. Bolt the finished Utensil Rack to the kitchen wall.
The utensils hang from the Wire Hooks, which in turn, hang from the Rails. Make the Hooks by bending 1/8″ steel or aluminum rods. Use pliers to form square corners to fit over the Rails, and bend the opposite end around a 1″ diameter pipe to form the Hook.
