Clothes Tree (Fine Woodworking)..a very pleasing project and of intermediate skill level..even I can do it!

This is a lovely project and very useful..make one one for every room in the house.

Plans are in Fine Woodworking Magazine

Start with a piece of wood about 72 inches tall..or shorter ..or taller!

It needs to be about 3.5 inches wide and 2 3/4 inches thick ,  so 12/4 stock would be needed.
or else laminate three or four boards to  make this.

Measure up and draw a hexagon with equal sides on the end of the stock.
(Helps to draw one on paper and transfer it to the end of the stock)
The angle of each corner would be 60 degrees for a uniform hexagon.

To draw out a hexagon; scribe a circle on paper using your compass
Take the radius length with a compass ( ie same setting that you did for the circle-don't change  the compass setting) and then scribe arcs of this distance around the circumference.; Should get a six sided results when you joint up all the points
Make sure all the sides are of equal width

Tilt the saw  table  to 30 degrees and raise the blade (Ripping blade)  to just over half the thickness of the stock
( Use a rip blade , as the cut is hefty)
It is a bit tricky at the end of the cut because of the length of the piece..an outfeed support would help

Run the stock through to cut the first facet
Flip it end for end and do the second cut.

Reverse the stock and do the same on the other side.

Properly done , carefully measured, you should have a uniform hexagonal shape.
(At this stage you could cut a section off one end to become the finial and drill the holes through the top and finial to accept a dowel so as to fit the finial on correctly at the end of the project. This  might be easier than trying to make the finial separately after you have tapered the post)

At the bottom, cut three dovetail grooves centered on  alternating facets to accommodate three arc legs. They need to be 1/2 inch or so deep : otherwise when you try to slide the legs into place, you might split the sides of these grooves. Use a 3/8 dovetail bit for this groove. A 3/4 groove ends up too much and splitting as you slide the legs into the grooves is possible.

Then taper the stock starting about 1/3 the way up from the bottom; do this on the jointer or with a hand plane: mark the tapers on the end of the stock so that the final width of each facet is about 13/16 or whatever you desire.

Then make three arc legs..draw a design on paper, glue it to your wood and band saw it out. Then refines the cut using a wooden spokeshave or sander or whatever works.

Cut the dovetail on the ends (same height /depth  as you used for the grooves)
I used a router table for this step
Slide them into the grooves...take a skim off one side of your dovetail to make it fit right.
Be careful as it is easy to take off too much and then the fit is sloppy.
If the fit is too tight you run a risk of splitting the stem as you tap the legs into the dovetail grooves

Now you need to make a finial for the top.
Shape  a piece of wood and glue it onto the top using a dowel to center it.

Finally drill a few holes for the hanger pegs wherever you wish:  near the top works!
Now you can assemble it, finish it and start to brag about your skill!

Drill out the slots with a forstner bit first

Drill out the grooves with a Forstner 1/2 inch bit before going to the router table for the dovetail groove

Use a dovetail bit on the router table to complete the grooves

Completed stand less the finial top and  hanger pegs 

Stand by for updates!