The base and sides are cut from a sheet of hoop-pine plywood and they're joined by brushed aluminium tubing.

You'll need:
600mm x 1200mm sheet of 3mm hoop-pine plywood (ask the timber supplier to cut it into halves or quarters)
1050mm of 6mm hollow aluminium tubing
13 x 5/6 multi-grip aluminium pop rivets

Tools
Pop rivet gun (manual or automatic)
Tracing paper
Pencil
Clear varnish
Soft varnish brush
Bandsaw or jigsaw
Tenon saw
Hacksaw
Drill
4.5 or 5mm drill bit and 30mm hole saw
Sanding block
Orbital sander
Metal file

Here's how:
1. Use a grid to enlarge the pattern for the sides; ours measure 630mm x 260mm. Trace the outline of the shapes onto the 3mm plywood.

2. Mark the centres of the six holes for the end bars and one hole for the base bar on each of the sides by lightly tapping a nail into the timber - this will create a guide port for the drill. Mark the centre point of the top central hole on the side pieces in the same way.

3. Using a 4.5mm or 5mm drill bit, drill the end and base bar at the positions you have marked (support the underside of the sheet on a block of timber to avoid the timber splitting and breaking out). Using a 30mm hole saw, drill the top central holes (again, support the underside of the timber).

4. Cut out the side pieces using either a bandsaw or a jigsaw with a fine-toothed blade. Use a sanding block to round off the corners and sand the edges until smooth. Cut a 494mm x 118mm rectangle of ply for the base using a tenon saw - this will give a straighter cut than the jigsaw. Make sure the grain is running in the direction of the short axis, as this lets the timber bend. Use a sanding block to sand the edges. Sand all flat surfaces with an orbital sander.

5. Apply varnish to all surfaces and let it dry. Lightly sand the surfaces, then apply a second coat.

6. Rub the aluminium with a light-grade sandpaper to give it a 'brushed' look. Use a hacksaw to cut the aluminium into two sets of end bars measuring 180mm, 150mm and 120mm. You'll end up with six bars. Now cut one 116mm length for the central base bar. Use a metal file to make 10 degree angles on the ends of all the bars.

7. To put the magazine rack together, use a rivet gun and rivet all the aluminium end bars and base bar to one side section, then rivet to the other side section.

8. Place the assembly on a flat surface and adjust the shape by gently applying pressure until it sits flat and square to the surface.

9. Fit the base by sliding the base under one end bar, over the central base bar and under the opposite end bar.