Rustic Coat Hanger

Clanging of hammers, steam engines whistling, and dynamite exploding. i remember these whenever i use this simple, rustic coat rack. i fist got this idea while walking on a railroad, picking up scrap metal for another project. not only does this remind me of the older times, but it is also very practical. I am planning to make more of these to possibly sell them, but in the meantime, i will show you how its done. :)

Step 1: Materials Needed:

1. large tree branch or log (keep in mind when finding one, this will be the length)

2. railroad spikes! (this depends on the length, about one per half foot)

3. wood glue

4. screws (make sure they're not too big, but not too small)

5. strips of metal (about 1" in width (COMPLETELY OPTIONAL))

6. drill (with multi-sized bits)

7. hammer (sledge may be best)

8. Philips head drill bit

9. sand paper (sanding tools work best)

10. ax

11. sawzall (or angle grinder with chainsaw blade (or chainsaw!))

12. french cleat (you can build your own, if you have the right tools)

Step 2: Log-splitting

with the log you should have by now, (I recommend slightly smaller than your entire hand (be smart)) place the ax head at the middle of the top, (i used a railroad spike) gently pound it into place, before smashing it entirely in. along the way down, it will be harder to split, to avoid this, you may try a different approach. with the partially split log, place a railroad spike at the spit part, then pound it in, not all the way. this should open more of the log. repeat this, each time placing another one, but leave them in until the split is all the way down. once you have achieved this, the two halves may still be attached. take the ax and make sure they detach. you may need to sand them. while i did not use this wood for the actually rack, the photos should help get you started. once the logs are halved, use either of the tools listed for smoothing. (sawzall, angle grinder, sanding tool, or chainsaw)

Step 3: Preparing the Wood

once the log has been split, pick the best suiting half, best for your need. if you want to put on a furnish, now is not the time. mark where you want the hooks, either on the top middle area, or on the lower portion, so you will acquire a bonus shelfy thing. i did about a half foot. use the drill with a large bit (should be smaller than the spike) and drill on the marks. DO NOT drill all the way through. drill about 2 inches. if any cracks are present, you can use a sealer, which i did not do.

Step 4: Inserting the Spikes

in order to obtain a professional quality master piece, read this step carefully and be very precise. hold the spike vertically, align it with the others. (if this is the first one, MAKE SURE ITS PERFECTLY FLAT. gently pound it, and hold it so it will not rotate. once firmly in place, you may pound away. BE CAREFUL NOT TO SPLIT THE WOOD. after all are securely in, pound them so they'er at equal height, if your log is laying flat side down. once this is achieved, use the hammer, loosen them up, and pull them out! fill the hole with wood glue and pound the in again, wiping away all excess glue. Let the glue dry.

Step 5: Semi-final Touch

by now, you should have something similar to the image, or the image with the spikes to pointing downwards (if looking at the eyes of the images cameraman. now is the time to add varnish, sealant, or wood stain. unless you want no more than this, get the iron strips. I found mine at a railroad, a lot of it in coils. some was thinner, and some was wider. i used about 1 inch wide.

Step 6: French Cleat

French cleats are very practical, a simple model is this:

Cleat-/|-Wall, then Wall-|/-Cleat
You can build one as well, if purchasing is not available. Just follow the demonstration.

Step 7: Metal End

Metal strips are easily to find. I found mine at a railroad, a lot of it in coils. some was thinner, and some was wider. i used about 1 inch wide. Begin by taking the end of the strip, place it and hold it at the end of the log, VIA clamp, vice, etc. mark about 1/2-1" away from sides and end. Unclamp and drill a hole big enough for a screw. Use a nail or screw to hammer a hole first, so you don't break the bits. Screw the end in, put more screws in, about 1" from previous one, until you get to the other side, then cut off any remainder. Repeat on opposite end. If your screws are galvanized, sand them for a better look, but DO NOT breathe the dust.

Step 8: Congratulations! Your Done!

You are now done, you can do some extra sanding, but your done, so take pride in that. Show off your new coat rack, expirament with it, build more versions, or give me ideas.
Congratulations!