How to build a coat rack using aluminum brazing

Learn how to make a simple DIY Metal Coat Rack using aluminum brazing. This is a great beginner-friendly tutorial and project to start working with metal.

Directions

1. Cut aluminum to size. Aluminum is a very soft metal and can be easily cut using woodworking blades and saws. Use a miter saw to cut the aluminum tubes and rods to size. The coat rack is 24" wide and 12" tall. Here is the cut list -
   • (2) 1" square tube cut at 12" (sides)
   • (2) 1" square tube cut at 22" (back supports)
   • (2) 1.5" flat bar cut at 24" (top bars)
2. Prepare the material. Wipe down all the aluminum tubes and bars with a rag dipped in acetone to remove any gunk and oils on the tubes. Then, file the edges of the joints to make a slanted end to create a channel for the brazing compound to sit in. Clean up the edges using a metal brush.
   
3. Layout the structure and clamp. Decide placement of the main structure. If possible, use scrap 2x4 to make sure the spacing from the top and bottom ends is 1.5" and clamp in place using a metal clamp. Be sure to use a speed square to make sure everything is square.
   
4. Braze! Use the Bernzomatic BZ8250 Hose Torch for Accessibility and Mobility hooked to a Bernzomatic MAP-PRO gas fuel cylinder to heat up the joints one by one and braze them. This takes a bit of patience. For a new joint, it took about 3-5 minutes to get the aluminum hot enough to melt the brazing rod.
5. Attach the top bars. Attach the flat bars to the front of the rack by brazing them from the back. To do this, elevate them on a few scrap 4x4 blocks and use face clamps to clamp the bar to the rack. Then, braze along the length of the bar and also on the corners and the front.
   
6. Add hooks. Measure and mark the location of the hooks. Pre-drill a hole for the screw and attach the hooks to the rack.
7. Paint the rack. Paint the entire rack with a few coats of oil rubbed bronze or desired color.
   
8. Hang it up! Add 3" long screws into the studs or anchors and hang up the coat rack.
   

Tips

The brazing rods should NOT be melted directly using the heat from the torch. This will not make a strong joint.