A basketball storage rack is a great place for kids to keep large sports equipment such as basketballs, soccer balls and baseball gloves. You can also add a storage tray for smaller items. Materials:
1" x 12" x 6' board
1/2" wooden dowels
Plastic dry-wall mudding tray
Hacksaw
Drill, with drill bits
Angle finder
Combination square
Wood glue
Sandpaper
Safety glasses
- Start by marking the dowel locations on the board. Use a combination square to mark straight lines across the board at the height you want the dowels. Mark the lines about 2" away from either edge.
- Use an angle finder (figure A) to determine the proper angle for the dowels. The angle should slope downward enough that balls won't fall off easily.
- Using the angle finder as a guide, drill holes at each mark. Start by drilling straight into the board, then angling the drill to match the angle finder.
- Use a hacksaw to cut enough dowels to fill the holes (figure B). The dowels should be 8" or 9" long. Sand off any rough edges.
- Put some wood glue on one end of each dowel, and set the dowels in place in the holes (figure C).
- Use a hacksaw to cut a groove in a 2" by 6" by 2" block of wood (figure D). The groove should be slightly shallower than the thickness of the lip on the mudding tray.
- Drill two holes in the block, about 1" from either edge. Loosely secure the block to the rack so the grooved side faces down. Fit the lip of the mudding tray under the groove, and continue tightening the block to clamp the tray in place (figure E).
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