My wife uses old wooden pallets to make a variety of items. While helping her with a recent project, it occurred to me that a pallet lends itself nicely to a rack for my bows and arrows. If practical function at a low cost is all you need in a rack, you’ll find it in a pallet.

The beauty in a pallet rack is not aesthetics, but in the simplicity of its production. First, shorten the height of the pallet by cutting off a section from one end. The longer section will become your rack. When determining how much to cut off, a good rule of thumb is that the height of the rack should be about 75% of the length of finished arrows. A little shorter or taller won’t matter; precise measurements are not required!

Next, remove one crosswise board from the longer section and one from the shorter section that was removed. These two cross-boards will be used for the top and bottom of your rack. The unused portion of the shorter section may then be discarded or recycled.

Nail or otherwise affix one of the cross-boards to the bottom of the rack to hold the point-end of your arrows. The other cross-board will be used to hold the nock-end of your arrows.

To prepare the other cross-board for the top section of your rack, split it lengthwise into two pieces. Then, attach one half of the split board to the top of your rack towards the rear. This will allow arrows to stand at a slight rearward angle to help prevent their falling. The other half of the split board may be discarded.

The cross-board attached to the top of your rack needs to be notched to cradle your arrow shafts. A drill and jig saw work well for notching. Remember that ease and simplicity are the beauty of the pallet rack; so, be willing to live with some inconsistency in your notching depth and spacing. Finish the rack by screwing pairs of plastic-coated gun/bow holders to support your bows.

Pallets come in a variety of styles, so some styles may be better suited for a rack than others. You’ll have several options for mounting your rack. When selecting your mounting hardware, keep in mind that your pallet rack will be heavier than typical production racks.

The rustic character of your pallet rack may not lend itself to prominent display in your home (my two are inside a closet), but would be perfectly suited to grace the walls of any hunting cabin.