Making My Own Gun Cleaning Rods & Stand

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Don't waste money on store-bought kits when you can make your own.

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Hello! I'm Mr. Ed

Blog Created: 12-27-2025

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Like many men, I have guns. I have several rifles and some handguns. I even have a few derringers. Most of my guns are historical...their old. I study the old west and many of my firearms collection are from that period.

I don't take my guns out and fire them too often as there are less and less places to go. Today there are shooting ranges but they are far away and have too many rules and regulations that seem to take a lot of the fun out of the sport of shooting. I remember when I was younger I knew people who had farms and would invite a bunch of us to come out on the weekends and shoot. I also knew an elderly man who owned a gravel pit and he would invite me to shoot there on Sundays when the pits were closed. Back in the 1960s my parents owned property that we could shoot on. My father was an avid gun collector and hunter.

With all of this said, it stands to reason that, as I own firearms, I would also take care of them and so I clean them after every shooting event and also every once in awhile as they are stored.

I have owned many gun cleaning kits over the years that were store-bought. I don't like them. For one reason parts are always getting broken or lost. Today most of the small tips and such are made of plastic. Plus, as I also collect and shoot black powder guns such as flintlocks, the regular cleaning rods are not long enough and I have to Jimmy-Rig pieces to get something that I can use.

Since I am a woodworker and have an extensive workshop and parts room, several years back I made a collection of my own cleaning rods. This was easy and I use them all of the time. They work far better than the "crappy" store cleaning rods because they are basically custom made for "my" guns. But as far as storing them, I have kept them in a long cardboard tube in my den closet. So, last weekend, I was looking for a project to do and decided it was time for a rack to keep my gun cleaning rods in. I wanted a small one that would stand in my closet and not take up too much area. So I got some wood together and came up with something.

Years ago, to make the actual cleaning rods, I simply took wooden dowel rods and cut them to the size of my different gun barrels. Then I had several wooden tool handles that I drilled out and glued on the ends of the dowel rods. To make the slits at the ends for the cleaning patch, I drilled holes in a row through the dowel rods and then carved out the slits. I stained the rods to help protect them from gun cleaning oil and gun barrel dirt such as Burt powder. Black powder is the worst.

To make the rack for the cleaning rods, I had some 1/2" wood squares left over from past projects. I needed a long round rod to come up the center and act as a handle plus a stabilizer. After years of collecting broom and mop handles once the item had worn out, I could not find a single one that was long enough to use for this. What I did find was an old window cleaning handle that was in three parts, which all screwed together. I really didn't want to use this rod but I didn't have anything else.

I used my router to create the edge on both pieces of flat wood and drilled a hole, --- through the center of them. Then I measured and drilled 10, --- holes around both pieces that are the same. Both the wood squares were positioned onto the center rod, one used as the bottom and the other used as the upper stand. These two pieces are held firmly in place only by wood glue. And they are very stable. I only have five cleaning rods and two accessories for the rack to hold right now. But I drilled 10 holes because I figured I just may make additional cleaning rods if I collect other sized guns or whatever.

As a small decoration, and as I had planned to paint the rack good old USA red, white and blue, I wanted to add stars to it. I cut out two stars, then got the idea for a 3-dementional effect and cut out two more middle sized and two more small sized stars. I glued the different sizes together to create the 3-dementional stars and glued them in place on the top shelf of the rack.

The paint colors were easy. A blue bottom shelf, a red top shelf and a white center rod support. Also, I painted the stars and the feet on the rack white.

The rack stands in the den closet very well and out of the way. Is it a great item? No! Is it not the best project that I have ever done? No! But I made something that I really needed and it didn't cost me a single cent to do. Yes, it could have tuned out better. But I'm satisfied with it. It works fine.

So, to you gun owners out there who keep fighting with your store-bought gun cleaning kits. If you fool with wood at all, and even if you don't, try making a rack to hold all of your cleaning rods. If your gun cabinet is large enough, make a removeable rack that can be hooked into your cabinet and then removed when your cleaning your guns. If you do come up with something that works, e-mail me some pictures. I would love to see them and maybe even post them on this blog as additional rack projects to check out. Don't worry, I will not include names, e-mails or even your pictures if you don't want me to. Good luck woodworking!

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First, I selected the dowl rods and cut then to the proper lengths.

The slits are cut into the ends of the rods.

I had a bunch of wooden raw tool handles to use.

I drilled holes into the handles, then I shaved the ends of the rods to fit into the handles. Then I used wood glue to attach them.

I made several rods long enough to fit my different length gun barrels.

I also made a short rod for pistols.

I added other accessories such as the small nipple wrench for cap and ball guns. (Top).

I used regular water-based craft paints in red, white and blue.

I also used Titebond II wood glue.

I cut two pieces and drilled ten holes into each. I also routered the edges just for some style.

I then cut and glued a piece of thin plywood under the bottom plate to keep the rods from going through.

The support center post is glued in place.

The upper plate is glued in place.

I used four carved pieces that I got at a craft store for the feet. They were simply glued on.

So far - so good!

All of the rods fit into the stand.

The stars are now cut out in three different sizes.

The stars are then glued together.

Next, the stars are glued to the upper plate.

After all the gluing dries, the rack is painted.

Then the rods are added.

Now I can clean my guns in my den. The stand fits into the back of my closet very well.

Me in 1957 shooting my first rifle, a .22 bolt action, in our back yard in Cook Forest, Pennsylvania.

1962. Me shooting my Winchester 25.20 at our house in Cook Forest, Pennsylvania.

Me shooting a black powder revolver at a friend's Poland, Ohio farm. July 14, 1979.

Me shooting my black powder Kentucky Long Rifle at the farm. This was one of several guns that I built myself.

One of the gun cabinets in my den.

Some of my handguns.

My set of dueling pistols. I built the guns and the case.

My stagecoach shotgun and Thompson Machine Gun.

In our Company Area this was our weapon's room. It was stocked full with M-16 rifles and ammo boxes. This was in late 1972 at Fort Dix, New Jersey.

A shelf in one of my den cabinets hold my trinkets from my Army days.

Two guns that I built myself. Both .44 caliber. Kentucky Long Rifle and Kentucky Pistol.

My left-handed Hawkin .45 caliber rifle.

Another den cabinet holds my Thompson.

My .44 Magnum Winchester John Wayne Special.

My Henry rifle.

My 1892 vintage 30.30 Winchester.

My .22 semi-automatic with scope.

My daughter and I at the firing range. Both our son and daughter are interested in guns along with one of our three grand daughters.

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So, there you have it! You can make your own gun cleaning rods and stand and bypass then store bought items. This project, for me, was free as i had everything that I needed. If buying the materials, this project should cost around $40 or less. That may be slightly more than a store bought kit, but you can custom make the rods to fit "your" guns much better. Have fun with it and good luck!