Wooden Bogu Rack

" I want to have a Bogu rack"
My family member was talking to me.
I felt a little strange to display Bogu in the room. because I don`t
know anyone who displays such things in my culture.
Bogu is not like Yoroi-Kabuto (Samurai armor) to display in the room. It`s rather stinky!!!
I think most people would feel the same way, in the sense that they would not wish to do so.
However, my family wanted to buy a Bogu rack from an online shop
and display them. I tried to understand their feelings on this issue, in that probably the reason is because they fantasize about displaying Yoroi-Kabuto as a art piece  some day (It`s very expensive).
Instead of buying a Bogu rack, I thought it would be better to match with our Japanese style room if I make one with a light color wood.

First I simply drew my idea on paper, then I scaled a few parts of Bogu and made a detailed craft plan. It was fortunate that the employee of Home depot helped me to cut out the lumber with the length I needed. 
I purchased a few screws and brackets with the sizes I needed along the plan. The total cost was about $40. The Brackets were costly but important. Since I grew up in a country area, I had lots of opportunities to make crafts like bookshelfs. I think that helped me with this project.

Well, I don`t study Kendo myself. So, the smell of wet Bogu is always making me feel uncomfortable. I really don`t know how other Kenshi are dealing with the smell. I asked my family to take care of their Bogu like this...

They come back from Dojo at 10:00pm in the practice day. That`s late night. So just take the Bogu and Keiko-gi out of the bag and...
---Just place the wet Keiko-gi in the washing machine. (Not wash)
---Spray antibacterial spray to Bogu.

Next morning.. Place Bogu at outside to dry. (we have mesh iron garden tables and chairs)

Then I put Keiko-gi in the laundry Net, then wash with the gentle
cycle (manually, short time, 1/3 of regular time),
We then Hang it with big special hanger to dry outside.

They take their own items in when they come back from work or
school.

I asked other Kendo Moms How they are taking care of Keiko-gi and Hakama. She said that she is taking them to dry cleaning!!

This rack is a very simple construction.
It's made from three kinds of lumber sizes.
Gold brass hook ups for Kote.
I set the Men rack  by actually placing the Men and I then adjusted the locations of two pieces of wood.

Using the drill before setting the screw is very important
to do a good job! I did not use
any nails. Because I can`t
replace the nails easily in case
I make mistake and the action
makes ugly marks on the wood surface.

This is a detail of Men rack
portion.
Two bars are holding Men. The lower one catches throat guard,
The other one at higher level holds the back of Men.

To holding"Tare" I attached a thin shoe string with a clothespin and adjusted and tied it to both side of bracket that holds the "Do" to the shelf. This is so it would not be so visible after the Tare is attached. The Clothespin should be strong enough to hold the Tare.
The Clothespin in this picture is plastic, but metal one looks better and stronger I think. I want to replace it if I find one.

*A thing on the shelf is just a incense pot for decor
for the picture. It is not in use.

However  It is nice to add incense aroma to our room
where the Bogu rack is located.
In that case I am placing the incense pot in another FIRE SAFE location. NOT near the Bogu.

What is the reason to decorate Yoroi-Kabuto (Samurai armor) or
Armed Dolls in May 5th, Boys Celebration?

The armor that protects them from injury was very important to Bu-ke
(Samurai Family, especially to Boys). Those are decorated to wish
Boys would grow up without illness or accidents. That tradition continues to modern day Japan.

Those are different from actual Yoroi design in the battle.
and more visually beautiful as ceremony formal wear
or art piece.

Thank you for looking at my
Too simple Bogu rack!!
I am just happy if you have been
willing to have one like this,
and use my project as a
"most easy to build Bogu rack"
example and add up your idea
to build one!!