making a rifle rack

[Whiterabbit]

I'm gonna make something similar to this





Got 90% of hte design down on paper. But the critical question is:

What angle should it be when fully open? I have no idea.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I would guess about 30 degrees.Robert

[Bazoo]

It appears to be about 15 degrees off vertical.

[Vinne]

That is a down right pro job. You should be proud!!

[leeggen]

You just want us to droul over the powder in the background. Nice looking rack.
CD

[Whiterabbit]

not my racks, or my shop. From another builder, I was impressed, and want to replicate.

If you want to drool over my powder, you can go ahead.

[paralaska]

Make the rack adjustable to 2 or 3 different angles . . Shouldn't be hard to do .

[Whiterabbit]

I could do that, but im on a "fit everything perfect" kick right now, so I wanna make the legs sit flat on the floor, make a full-engagement stop (and not use a chain), etc. I have it all drawn up and I like it. I just don't know what angle to plug in.

I'll see if I can mock up something at 30 degrees as recommended and see how that looks.

you guys think each leg should be equal? both 15 degrees off vertical? or if I go 30, should it be offset, like 20/10 or something similar?

(from a funtional standpoint, that might be overthinking it, but from an aesthetic perspective, the finer details really make the finished product...

[jmorris]

but from an aesthetic perspective, the finer details really make the finished product...

In that case you shouldn't be asking opinions and build it to the angle you want.

Aesthetics, or what some people find pleasing to the eye can vary widely. Look at the history of automobiles for example, then again a '75 Pacer owner might not post in a thread regarding aesthetics anyway...

[C.F.Plinker]

You might consider making it so that the legs are at 15 degrees from vertical but with the bottom rails high enough that you could change the angle to 10 degrees if you wanted to later.

[sdalcher]

Mock up the A frame body, attach the butt board by one screw at the desired height. Adjust the rear brace to desired angle, then attach the butt board with other fasteners at the desired angle. This will allow you to adjust all the angles to what pleases your eye.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

not my racks, or my shop. From another builder, I was impressed, and want to replicate.

If you want to drool over my powder, you can go ahead.

Is that a six pack of simpler times at the bottom? That's some good stuff for the price.

[Whiterabbit]

And another 18 pack in the beer fridge there. It's awful stuff, but for cigar night in the shop when buddies come over, it's either expensive scotch, very expensive beer, or nothing compliments a cigar and it overblows most flavors anyways, so cheap beer is acceptable. And I can't afford expensive scotch or expensive beer all the time.

Of course, the day after cigar night, the shop always smells better after scotch and cigars, than with beer and cigars. Go figure.

[Whiterabbit]

So, I bought the walnut yesterday. I was "torn", since this rack is a simple garage fixture. That implies it should be made of pine, doug fir, or plywood, with a machine screw and lock nut for a hinge. simple joinery. On the other hand, I've had a hankering for making something nice, as I just went through a bunch of "lowes" quality baltic birch for some shop fixtures. So I bought walnut, but I bought all the "unsellable" stuff from the store cause it was just a little too light, undesirable, etc. For this application, doesn't bother me.

It'll be walnut, with a nice machined brass hinge, but simple joinery. Also decided to simplify the parts profiles for utility. Got the walnut for a steal, I think the guy was happy to get rid of it, and I didn't haggle at all. He volunteered the nice price

I have a couple strips cut and have been playing with it. It looks like my plans are for a shorter rack with smaller legs. To get the same open base, I will end up needing 25 degrees from vertical. It should work....

Thanks for the inputs, everyone. very helpful commentary from everybody, and I appreciate it.

[montana_charlie]

I could do that, but im on a "fit everything perfect" kick right now, so I wanna make the legs sit flat on the floor.

I would cut all of the legs with a round end.
Then, any angle that you choose will 'fit perfectly',

[Whiterabbit]

There you go, telling me not to use my NASA developed space pen in zero gravity, and just use a graphite pencil. The Russian principle. I could have thought of that.

[montana_charlie]

There you go, telling me not to use my NASA developed space pen in zero gravity, and just use a graphite pencil. The Russian principle. I could have thought of that.

With graphite pencil, comrade can make changes ... if required.

[Greg S]

Pretty long thread for a simple solution, lean a gun up against a table edge ect the same height as your top bar on the rack and either measure the angle or 'drop' and finalize your doodling and get ta work, daylights a burning.

[Whiterabbit]

I felt like building something.