Assistance in Building a Pipe Rack

Brothers of Briar

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Hello ladies and gentlemen,

So, I've been looking around and I've come to the conclusion that my life lacks a pipe rack to hold my pipes (and an excuse to buy more to fill it with). I recently finished my basement and have a good bit of red oak left over from building some wainscoting and a matching coffered ceiling. I'm very into crafts and some DIY stuff so I believe I have my materials on hand.

I have various pieces of red oak that are 1.5", 3.5" and 5.5". Sorry metric users! I'd like to build a 3 tier two shelf system using a 1.5" piece for the very top where the pipe stems would rest. The second shelf would be a 3.5 piece where the bowls would rest and more cuts for the pipe stems. The base would be a 5.5 and hold more pipe bowls. I plan having the 5.5 base as one solid piece with another 5.5" piece standing up in the middle that will have a carved design. Then two pieces of 3.5" and 1.5" on either side of it. I'd like to hold seven pipes on each side, 14 in total.

Here's where I need your help, folks:

I'm really not sure on how much distance should be between each of the shelves. So that the bowls and stems can rest comfortably.

Next, I'm intending to use a drill to bore holes where the pipe stems and pipe bowls rest. What's a good size for the holes for where the pipe bowls rest and where the pipe stem rests.

Then, a good recommended distance between the stem rests and a good distance between the bowl rests?

Lastly, any advice you might wanna throw at me to help me avoid problems I could run into, that'd be awesome.

Thanks so much in advance, folks.


 
I've made a few pipe stands in the past and I used a router with a bowl bit to do the bowl rests and drilled the through holes for the stems at about a 45 degree angle with a forstner bit to allow bent pipes to ease in and out, the top stem rest I used the same bit and just cut them through to the outside of the front of it so the holes became slots for easy removal of pipes.
Although the sizes of wood your using is a bit confusing, all mine were the same length, otherwise the count of pipes in each row will be less the farther you go up. Here's a few photos of mine, maybe they'll give you a better idea. Oh, and I didn't use wood spindles in the front and top, I use preformed stems screwed and epoxied together . Of course I had to sand and polish them first but, they were cheaper in the long run then custom made spindles and better looking then just straight dowels in my opinion.
Oh, and I had to make a jig to do the bowl rests with the bowl bit so they's be oblong instead of just round.
Lot a work sir but, when you're done it's worth it.







 
Ron, you out did yourself on that pipe rack. I would say it's very well thought out, it shows in your design and craftsmanship. 



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!
 
Boy, well Howdy Ron, that's a great rack!

As I tend toward long stemmed pipes, I just drilled out holes 2 inches apart on center and then hang my pipes bowl up... Sounds like your set up is more what InkedHarleyGuy is after...
 
Hmmmm....come to think of it I never told a guy he had a nice rack. But in this case probably the best I've seen.


KEEP ON PUFFING!!! 
 
I made 3 of these racks using Black Walnut and just linseed oiled'em.
Thanks guys and I think you might be right to think of it OW about the type he maybe thinking of, never occurred to me.
Well maybe he can get a few ideas from mine.
 
Simplest rack in the world right here
All you need is a piece of 1/4" plywood two pieces of 1/4"x1 1/4" pine lath and 3 pieces of 5/15" dowel rods.cutting every thing to meet space you have available drilling 6 holes in th lath strips and gluing then staining to th color you want. In an afternoon you have a nice new pipe rack. In my case I ended up with space for 33 pipes. Sadly I now need another one the same size. Boy they do fill up fast.LOL
 
Eric Furgeson":31wmy2s0 said:
Simplest rack in the world right here
All you need is a piece of 1/4" plywood two pieces of 1/4"x1 1/4" pine lath and 3 pieces of 5/15" dowel rods.cutting every thing to meet space you have available drilling 6 holes in th lath strips and gluing then staining to th color you want. In an afternoon you have a nice new pipe rack. In my case I ended up with space for 33 pipes. Sadly I now need another one the same size. Boy they do fill up fast.LOL
Sorry the photo is up side down. The pipes hang stem down from the dowels.
 
Hi guys,

Thank you all kindly for your replies but I guess I wasn't entirely clear about what I want. I've tried uploading some concepts of my pipe rack. I hope thus helps a bit more. I'm really gunning for a table top one. Maybe a foot and a half.

Sorry also about those dimensions. The 1.5", 3.5" and 5.5" are all widths of the boards. Not the lengths lol. I'm hoping the stand will accommodate 7 pipes on each side, 14 in total.

Here are the concept photos. I hope they help you guys help me.
 
Maybe this style would be more in line with your thinking. I did this one from reclaimed pellet wood but oak would also work. This is a 7 pipe version but you could adjust it to fit you space and pipe count. It aslo has a celler space below that makes for convenient tobacco storage.
 
Eric Furgeson":uuml3yu1 said:
Maybe this style would be more in line with your thinking. I did this one from reclaimed pellet wood but oak would also work. This is a 7 pipe version but you could adjust it to fit you space and pipe count. It aslo has a celler space below that makes for convenient tobacco storage.
Hi Eric and Bosun both,

You both are definitely on track for what I want, yes!

The left one here would be really what I'm gunning for,



02.11.2017
 
So, Bosun and Eric,

If I could please ask you these questions:

Bosun, how big are the holes where your pipes rest? I'd like to know a good bit-size to pick up drill them.

Eric, how big are those holes you've got the stems resting in and how far apart is the shelf that holds the pipe bowls and the shelf they holds the pipe stems?

Thank you both!
 
I set my stem rests 1 1/2 inches apart the holes are about 3/4 of an inch. As i used the largest sanding cylinder on my dermal tool. I can not give an exact size. I just sanded it out till a good sized stem fit in each. Th stem rest seti about 3 to 3.5 inches above the bowl shelf. There again i used the pipes I was going to place in the rack as my guide. Setting it at a hight that they would all fit in.
 
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