I made this project because I needed a place to keep my keys. I scoured the internet and there were a million and one complicated key holders / racks, but I wanted to make something simple. This is what I came up with.

There's also a build article and SketchUp model of this key holder on my website if you're interested.

Step 1: My Key Holder Video.

Here is the video I made showing how I made this key rack for my entry way.

Step 2: Rip Your Material to Rough Dimensions.

The first thing I did was rip some walnut to it's rough dimensions. I ended up with a piece that was 1" x 1-1/4" x 16" long.

Step 3: Prep the Four Sides of the Work Piece.

Then I hit all four sides of the key holder with a block plane. You can sand it if you don't have a plane. But a sharp plane does something magical to the grain that sanding just can't do. No matter how smooth a grit you work up to.

Step 4: Cut the Key Holder to Length.

Then I cut the key holder to length. I don't show it here, but there was some checking on the end of my workpiece. So I ended up cutting the key rack a little bit shorter. It ended up about 15" long. I sanded the end grain after I cut it to length.

Step 5: Cut the Key Groove.

Then I cut the groove for the keys. This is a standard 10" table saw blade kerf width, and I found that a key fit perfectly in it. It may be hard to see, but I did have the blade turned about 7 or 8 degrees. This makes the keys sit level once placed into the key holder because they want to fall with gravity and end up at a slight angle. You don't need to turn your blade, but I think it adds to the finished product.

Step 6: Set Up the Router Table for the Key Hole Bit.

This is the contraption I set up on the router table to put a keyhole in the back of the key holder. I'll show you the keyhole later on down if you're not quite sure what that is.

Step 7: Lower the Piece Down on the Keyhole Bit.

Here I'm plunging the key holder down onto the keyhole bit. Then I pull it from the front fence to the back fence. I used the scrap piece to reference the distance from the end of the key rack. I put the key hole in from the end at 2". And made sure the depth didn't interfere with the key slot.

Step 8: This Is What the Keyhole Looked Like.

This is what the keyhole bit does. It makes a larger hole, with a track up towards the smaller hole for a screw or nail head. This is how I attached the key rack / holder to the wall.

Step 9: It's Ready to Put Up!

After a quick coat of clear poly, the key holder is ready to go up! I put two screws into the wall where the keyholes were. And slid the holder onto the screws. You can see just how easy this is in the video.

And that's it. My simple wooden key holder.