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Joe Eberhardt

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Have you ever gone to a party with your favorite homebrew in tow in a flimsy, cardboard 6-pack holder only to have them break from getting wet or tear from multiple times of use?
Well, you're out of excuses. I have designed and made dozens of these wooden six packs. All for free!
hbt-six-1-1305.jpg

Completed Wooden Six Pack Holder with Mounted Bulldog Bottle Opener.
I have found that many companies are willing to give away their used pallets if you just ask. Most pallets have a couple of boards that are 5 1/2" wide. All you need is one length. I have detailed below how to use one board to make a handy wooden 6-pack holder in just under an hour. You can finish them however you want. Paint them your favorite school or team colors, stain them, or just leave them unfinished. You can burn your brewery logo on the side, attach a bottle opener, add a
rope handle or anything else you can think of. There is no wrong way to finish them.
Any species of wood can be used as well with the more exotic woods making for some pretty nice holders. Whatever you do, please read the below instructions completely before attempting to make a DIY Six Pack Holder.
Materials
  • Circular saw
  • Hammer
  • Drill
  • 3/4" wood drill bit (Not paddle bit)
  • Belt sander (optional)
  • Speed square
  • 1 1/2" finishing nails
  • Nail set
  • Clear gorilla glue
  • Board clamps
  • Pencil
  • 3/4" x 10" wooden dowel
  • 5 1/2" x 36" board (pallet board)
  • 1/4" x 2" hobby board
  • 1/4" plywood
  • Paint or stain
Procedure
1. If you want a smoother board you can use your belt sander to knock that off on the flat surfaces. Boards reclaimed from the pallet will be rough.
2. Mark off your first cut at 10" and make that cut. Then mark off two lines, both at 11" (you can see that I sanded my board down to be smooth and the nail holes.
hbt-six-2-1293.jpg

3. On the two 11" pieces mark off your side shape. I just wanted it to be tapered so I measured 6" up from the bottom on both sides and made a mark and then found center at the top of the board and measured out 1" in each direction.
hbt-six-3-1294.jpg

4. Then cut both boards to be identical.
hbt-six-4-1295.jpg

5. Measure and cut 4 pieces of the hobby board at 10" length each.
hbt-six-5-1296.jpg

6. On the two side pieces, measure 1.5" down from the middle and drill a " hole approximately " deep on the interior facing side.
hbt-six-6-1297.jpg

hbt-six-7-1298.jpg

7. Cut your wooden dowel to length.
hbt-six-8-1299.jpg

8. Test fit the dowel into the side pieces and make any adjustments for a snug, not loose, fit.
hbt-six-9-1300.jpg

9. All pieces are cut, tested and ready for final assembly.
hbt-six-10-1301.jpg

10. Next you want to cut your " plywood to make the internal divider so your bottles do not bang together.
  • 1 piece cut at 8 5/8" x 4" for the middle slat.
  • 2 pieces cut at 5 " x 4" for the cross slats.
  • Measure 2 7/8" in from each end of the 8 5/8" Piece and mark 2" down and on the 5 " at 2 " x 2" down. This is for the cuts to slide the holder together.
11.If you want to paint them, like I did here, my suggestion is to do that prior to assembly.
hbt-six-11-1302.jpg

12. Now it's time for assembly. I like to use Gorilla glue as it holds the best. I put a drop of glue in each of the dowel holes and then insert the dowel and use a single nail for each side.
hbt-six-12-1303.jpg

13. Now would be a good time to attach the bottom piece. Again a couple dots of the Gorilla glue, some nails from the bottom piece, and some clamps will hold it in place (This picture was before I glued and nailed the bottom piece on so it does not look straight.).
14. Next attach the side slats positioning them at the bottom and the top of the side pieces (on the blue boards). I used a drop of Gorilla glue and two pre-drilled holes on each board.
15. Then assemble the internal dividers and slide it inside the slats. I did not attach the slats to anything as they just sits there and separate the bottles preventing them from hitting each other.
hbt-six-13-1304.jpg

That's it! In less than an hour and with only a few dollars in supplies you have a custom crafted six pack holder to carry your custom crafted homebrew in.
hbt-six-1-1305.jpg
 
nice, I like it. You could fill the nail holes by mixing some sawdust from sanding with some white glue to mix your own wood filler. They use that technique for refinishing hardwood floors. I have always wondered if there are good things to make with old pellets which you get for free everywhere. I have seen the two fence picked beer box, that might be something that would work with these pellets as well.
 
... also i have been using the slats from an old section of lattice i had left over from a porch project.
they work well as the sides, and base of the carrycase. i have used them as center dividers too.
 
@leftcontact sorry I guess there was some loss there. Both " should be 1/4". You want to drill 1/4" deep for the dowel holes and also use 1/4" plywood, if your staining, or I found luan to be a good alternative. It's pressed board and may even hold up better.
Thanks for pointing that out!
 
I was planning on doing something like this, as I have a ton of pallet wood at the moment. Awesome idea, you beat me to it. haha
 
Well done write up - thanks for making the effort.
Love the simple design and execution. Last thing you want to do is have something that looks too precious.
I will definitely make a few of these. [add to errands list: stop by the industrial park and ask if I can have some of those pallets that are sitting around everywhere]
 
Really nice right up. I'm going to make some of these for Christmas gifts.
To anyone who has used this design, will these fit the short Lagunitas/Sierra Nevada bottles?
 

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