Spice Rack

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Peanut

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I've been needing a better way to store spices and herbal medicines that I keep in the kitchen. A relative with a cabinet shop happened to have some scrap maple laying around and made this for me. It needs doors, maybe plexiglass. It also needs staining. Anyone have suggestions for completing this project?
Spice Rack.jpg
 
Something had been bugging about this rack all afternoon. When my uncle called me about it I told him a spice bottle is about 4.5 inches tall. There needed to be extra room so about 5 inches between the shelves. He built it with exactly 4.5 inches between the shelves. It must have been the number that stuck in his head. :(

Plastic spice bottles will fit in the rack, glass spice bottles will not… Most of my spices are in glass bottles but not all. Spices tend to keep better in glass. My high use spices like garlic powder are in plastic bottles. My rarely used spices are in glass.

Well, he was kind enough to build this for me without asking. So I’ll make the best of it. :)

@Dani , I like the idea of antiquing it. I hadn’t considered it, thanks.
 
Something had been bugging about this rack all afternoon. When my uncle called me about it I told him a spice bottle is about 4.5 inches tall. There needed to be extra room so about 5 inches between the shelves. He built it with exactly 4.5 inches between the shelves. It must have been the number that stuck in his head. :(

Plastic spice bottles will fit in the rack, glass spice bottles will not… Most of my spices are in glass bottles but not all. Spices tend to keep better in glass. My high use spices like garlic powder are in plastic bottles. My rarely used spices are in glass.

Well, he was kind enough to build this for me without asking. So I’ll make the best of it. :)

@Dani , I like the idea of antiquing it. I hadn’t considered it, thanks.
What a shame. is it glued and screwed? I wonder how difficult it would be to move the shelves down a little so that your other bottles will work? If they are just screwed and not glued, you could move them just enough for the screw holes not to show.

I think Dani has a great idea. The other thing is to consider what else you have going on in the space where you will put this cabinet and try to match it up.

I have always found good a usable spice cabinets difficult to find. I built three shelves a couple years ago, one for my smaller bottles one for my large sized spice containers, and a third one for jars of beans and spices that came in bags that I wanted to protect more. I immediately filled them all up, and have extras for each that I don't have room for. I have a space where I have been considering another tall, narrow shelf with room for all the extras I have.

In addition to all of that, I have boxes of canning jars of spices I have repackaged.
 
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What a shame. is it glued and screwed? I wonder how difficult it would be to move the shelves down little so that your other bottles will work? If they are just screwed and not glued, you could move them just enough for the screw holes not to show.
I think Dani has a great idea.
I have always found good and usable spice cabinets difficult to find.

He builds quality cabinets for wealthy people. He used glue, nail guns and wood putty. Each shelf has 4 nails and 3 staples and is glued on the ends and down the back. He is very thorough. This spice rack was built to never come apart.

@Weedygarden You are right about buying a good spice rack. That’s what led to this… I couldn’t find anything in town or on line that would meet my needs. I had asked my uncle before the holidays about using his shop and building one (I knew I was welcome to do so). Last week he finished building cabinets for someone and had scrap wood left over. He called and said he was going to go ahead and build it. When he called I was unable to get down there and help that day. Had I been there I would have noticed the 4 1/2 inch and 5 inch issue.
 
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Offer to buy the wood an material and ask him to build you two more with larger space between the shelves. Tell him you loved his shelves but you need two more for the growing list of taller spice containers. Install his first rack between the next two. Small spice containers in the middle larger on the outside.
 
Offer to buy the wood an material and ask him to build you two more with larger space between the shelves.

Now that is a Great idea! I was going to buy my own materials anyway and trade out the use of his shop. He came and picked up 30lbs of pecans after thanksgiving but I can come up with something else to trade.

Making them look antique is also great, maple is so hard to stain or dye, painting is simpler. (been reading on staining all afternoon). Plus, this is cabinet grade maple, not furniture grade. Painting just makes sense or maybe oiled with varnish.

I think I see a plan coming together! :Thankyou:
 
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My wife brought out all the sizes of containers that would have to fit on the two shelves I built for her and she still came up with a few taller ones, those went on top of the shelf.
 
My spices are kept in the freezer. They keep better there and don't get exposed to UV or heat. Our home made spices and herbs are freeze dried at -20F to keep the essential oils where they belong.
 
View attachment 3545 View attachment 3546

My wife brought out all the sizes of containers that would have to fit on the two shelves I built for her and she still came up with a few taller ones, those went on top of the shelf.
Those are nice shelves. Those large spice bottles on top are the kind that I built a shelf for that has three rows of those kinds of bottles.

I also have lots of tea boxes. I have a crate from soda bottles that is hanging on the wall full of the herbal tea blends.

All of these things can get old and lose potency, but I would rather have old spices instead of no spices. I like having small bottles of spices, but I also like having a stock of them to refill my small bottles.
 
I'm still pondering exactly what I want to do with my spice rack, besides the weather has been crappy.

I remembered this morning I have a router. I bought it to do 1 specific job a few years ago. Truth is I really don't know how to use it. I even misplaced the manual, downloaded another one today. The problem with the spice rack is the shelves are a quarter inch to close together for glass spice bottles. They are 2 inches deep.

I was thinking I could take a quarter inch off the bottom of each shelf. I wouldn't need to go 2 inches. I only need to go just over halfway, just over an inch, and the glass bottles would fit.

My bit is 1 inch long. Can I get a bit that is a little longer? Do they make those? How best to make these cuts?Any tips or pointers would be appreciated from those of you with experience. :)

Here is the rack again and my router...

Spice Rack.jpg
Router_v1.jpg
 
I just checked my glass spice bottles. My Penzey's are round and 4 1/8" tall and the Trader Joe's brand ar square and the smae height. Buy enough bottles to fill your rack. You can get what you already have and have them labeled or you can buy what is least expensive, or on sale, and make your own labels. The Spice Islands were 4 1/4". Take your measuring tape to the store and see what is available locally. We use Beaver brand horseradish that is in a 4" tall glass bottle with a metal top that would work well for spices. Just a thought but a change of containers might be an answer.
 
I just checked my glass spice bottles. My Penzey's are round and 4 1/8" tall and the Trader Joe's brand ar square and the smae height. Buy enough bottles to fill your rack. You can get what you already have and have them labeled or you can buy what is least expensive, or on sale, and make your own labels. The Spice Islands were 4 1/4". Take your measuring tape to the store and see what is available locally. We use Beaver brand horseradish that is in a 4" tall glass bottle with a metal top that would work well for spices. Just a thought but a change of containers might be an answer.

That would be easier and less expensive than trying to find a 1"oal router bit. You can make a pass then extend your bit out to the end of the shaft and make another pass. Does your bit have a ball bearing pilot on the end of it?
 
The bit with the pilot on it will only remove so much material, according to the bit. They are a little pricey, specially for one use. I have to buy one to make a 3/8 lip on my 1x10's to use as lap siding. I'll probably go through 2 of them. Even using a carbide bit.
 
The bit with the pilot on it will only remove so much material, according to the bit. They are a little pricey, specially for one use. I have to buy one to make a 3/8 lip on my 1x10's to use as lap siding. I'll probably go through 2 of them. Even using a carbide bit.
Oh Gumpy, where art thou and how are you doing? Sure do miss seeing you here.
 
I've been needing a better way to store spices and herbal medicines that I keep in the kitchen. A relative with a cabinet shop happened to have some scrap maple laying around and made this for me. It needs doors, maybe plexiglass. It also needs staining. Anyone have suggestions for completing this project?
View attachment 3409
See how there is a little space at the bottom on the sides? The shelves could be moved down and spread out a little and your jars might fit.
 
Peanut, looks like I am in the minority on here. I love Maple and would leave it completely as is. The back piece with what looks to be spalting looks so good to me. Paint or paper would just cover that up.

I do think the idea of turning it sideways is a great idea. You could add in shelves at any height you want. The cable idea is good to. Not sure of the scale, but it doesn't look very big and I think doors would overwhelm the cabinet.
 
Peanut, looks like I am in the minority on here. I love Maple and would leave it completely as is. The back piece with what looks to be spalting looks so good to me. Paint or paper would just cover that up.

I do think the idea of turning it sideways is a great idea. You could add in shelves at any height you want. The cable idea is good to. Not sure of the scale, but it doesn't look very big and I think doors would overwhelm the cabinet.

I ended up leaving it just as it was... Using old spice racks my grandmother had used I was able to everything needed on the wall. :)

Kitchen rack_v1.png
 
Something had been bugging about this rack all afternoon. When my uncle called me about it I told him a spice bottle is about 4.5 inches tall. There needed to be extra room so about 5 inches between the shelves. He built it with exactly 4.5 inches between the shelves. It must have been the number that stuck in his head. :(

Plastic spice bottles will fit in the rack, glass spice bottles will not… Most of my spices are in glass bottles but not all. Spices tend to keep better in glass. My high use spices like garlic powder are in plastic bottles. My rarely used spices are in glass.

Well, he was kind enough to build this for me without asking. So I’ll make the best of it. :)

@Dani , I like the idea of antiquing it. I hadn’t considered it, thanks.
Buy shorter glass bottles.
 
My wife has 2 shelves full of spices. You have to just about take everything out to find what you want to use. Her system is a pile for everything and everything in a pile.
Drives me nuts but I do not mess up her system.
I just looked at the picture again. Where did you get the tetrode? I haven't seen one of those in 30 years. Very few people will even know what it is.
 
My wife has 2 shelves full of spices. You have to just about take everything out to find what you want to use. Her system is a pile for everything and everything in a pile.
Drives me nuts but I do not mess up her system.
I just looked at the picture again. Where did you get the tetrode? I haven't seen one of those in 30 years. Very few people will even know what it is.
I put mine in alphabetical order, at least on the shelf. I need more small spice space. I have many more spices that are not on either of these shelves.
large spices.jpg
small spices.jpg
 
mine are in 2 cabinet's. and on 2 shelves in each one.i keep the larger containers of spice in order of inportance.the ones i use most is in the front.the one's i use the least goes into the back.all else in the middle.
 
Do you want us (the collective of us being your wife etc) to make our own spice rack, out in your shop, with your tools? You might have to make your own food for a few weeks.
 
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