How to Make Horizontal Wooden Fishing Rod Holders

A wooden fishing rod holder can be a simple functional item for hanging rods in a garage. It can also be made and finished to look like a part of the house décor. It is up to you how elaborate you want the holder to be. Simple pine can be finished in a wide variety of stains and finishes, or exotic wood can be turned into a sportsman’s conversation piece in your den. All materials can be purchased from a home store or woodworker specialty shop.

Things You'll Need

  • 1-by-4-inch board, 6 feet long
  • 2-by-2-inch board, 6 feet long
  • Tape measure
  • Pencil
  • Miter box with saw
  • C-clamps
  • Wood glue
  • Sandpaper, medium and fine grits
  • 10 wooden shaker pegs, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches long
  • Power drill
  • Drill bit, diameter of the peg foot
  • 2 picture hanger rings
  • Wood stain
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut the 1-by-4-inch board into two 3-foot-long pieces. Cut the 2-by-2-inch board into two 3-foot-long pieces. Use a miter box so the ends will be square.

    • 2

      Lay the 1-by-4 pieces on a flat surface, 4-inch sides up, so they are one above the other and horizontal to you.

    • 3

      Position one of the 2-by-2 boards vertical to you and on top of the 1-by-4 boards. Adjust the 2-by-2 so the end is at the upper right corner of the top 1-by-4. Square the two boards together at the corner.

    • 4

      Set all four corners so the 2-by-2 boards are on top of the 1-by-4 boards and the corners are squared together.

    • 5

      Lift up one 2-by-2 at a corner and apply wood glue between it and the 1-by-4. Set the 2-by-2 back down on the 1-by-4 and square the corners together. Clamp the two boards together in place with a C-clamp.

    • 6

      Glue all four corners in this same manner. Leave the clamped frame to dry for 24 hours.

    • 7

      Remove the clamps after 24 hours. Sand the square frame smooth with medium-grit sandpaper. Finish sanding the frame with fine-grit sandpaper.

    • 8

      Measure from the top of one 2-by-2 side down to the bottom, making a pencil mark every 6 inches directly in the center of the 2-by-2. Repeat the same measurements on the opposite 2-by-2 for a total of 10 marks, five marks per side.

    • 9

      Drill a hole straight down into each of the pencil marks. The depth of the hole should be slightly deeper than the length of the shaker peg’s foot. Attach the picture hangers to the back side of the top 1-by-4; place each one directly behind the two 2-by-2 sides.

    • 10

      Apply glue into a drilled hole and push the foot end of a shaker peg into it. Repeat this procedure for each peg. Leave the glued pegs for 24 hours to dry.

    • 11

      Stain the frame any color desired after the glued pegs have dried. The stain can be covered with clear poly finish or waxed to a high shine.