The best magazine
- 1). Measure 2 feet from the end of a 4 by 8-foot sheet of 7/8-inch plywood. Mark the measurement. Do the same for the other side. Lay a 4-foot level on the mark, and draw a straight line, by the bubble in the level, to the other side of the plywood to meet that mark. Check the piece, and every other piece of this assembly for square, by measuring the marked pieces diagonally from corner to corner in both directions. You will know they are square if both diagonal measurements are equal.
- 2
Circular saws can make ripping sheets of plywood much easierconstruction tools, saw image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
Use a circular saw and cut two feet from the sheet following the line you made. Do the same with another sheet of plywood of the same thickness. You now have two 4 foot by 6 foot pieces of plywood, the front and back of the case. - 3). Make the ends by marking and sawing off two feet on a third sheet of 7/8 plywood just like Step 1. Use a tape measure to find and mark the midpoint on the now 4 by 6 board. Make another mark at the midpoint on the other end. Use a 6-foot level to join the two marks along the straight edge of the level with a pencil.
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Thick plywood will make a sturdy rifle cabinetUnfinished Plywood Background image by Gary Chorpenning from Fotolia.com
Use a circular saw to cut this board down the middle length wise. Join the two marks by a straight line using a 6-foot level. Cut the sheet of plywood with a circular saw along the straight line. You now have two 2 by 6 pieces, two 4 by 6 pieces and two 2 by 4 pieces (actually 3, but you will use only 2 for now) the front, back, top, bottom and two sides of the cabinet. - 5). Choose the worst of the 4 by 6 pieces for the back of the cabinet. Stand one of the 2 by 6 pieces on edge and flush to the back piece. Attach these two pieces with wood screws placing a screw every four to six inches along the 6-foot edge. Do the same for the other side, the top and bottom. You now have a 3-sided box.
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Flat head wood screws give the wood glue supportwood screws image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
Cut two 6-inch by 4-foot pieces from the third 2 feet by four feet piece mentioned in Step 4. Glue one of the pieces to the back of the cabinet six inches from the bottom inside. Attach four flat head wood screws, from the back side, into the bottom shelf. - 7). Cut 1 inch by 1/2 notches, at marked intervals, into the remaining 6-inch by 4-foot piece. Glue it in at the top, with the notched edge facing out. Add screws from the back like you did with the bottom shelf. Sand and stain or paint your new open front rifle cabinet to your liking.
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