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Hanging out Handsome enough to live in plain sight even when not in use, we’re loving this DIY drying rack project
Safety tip Before drilling into walls or ceiling, use a studfinder to check for wiring and pipework. Turn off the power while working
Secure the ceiling hooks into a stable joist or rafter and leave a minimum clearance of 350mm to raise and lower the rack
D
rying racks are the bee’s knees when it comes to clearing your laundry pile, while having a lighter impact on the environment (and your power bills) than a tumble dryer. But if your home’s small footprint makes standard drying racks a pain, a hanging rack could be the answer. Mounted on a pulley system, it can be lowered to hang your clothes, then raised back up to take advantage of the warm air wafting around at ceiling height. If you can’t get hold of 30-40mm wide leather, use 25mm-wide jute or polyester webbing instead, or even recycle some old leather belts!
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TOOLS & MATERIALS
Safety equipment Measuring tape and pencil Handsaw Drill with driver bit 3.2mm, 3.5mm and 6.5mm drill bits Philips head screwdriver bit Quick-grip clamps 8G countersink bit Combination square 180- and 240-grit abrasive paper Clean cloth Synthetic narrow paintbrush Utility knife 1.2m length 43mm-diameter Tasmanian oak dowel* T hree 2.4m lengths 25mmdiameter Tasmanian oak dowel* 600mm pine batten or similar (we used 89mm x 19mm DAR pine)*
bunnings
Two 32mm saddle clips 50mm black countersunk timber screws Clear water-based satin-finish varnish Two 30mm x 700mm leather strips (available at craft stores) 7mm tarpaulin eyelets 40mm black countersunk timber screws Two 6mm quick-link triangles Two 89mm x 7.6mm ceiling hooks 25mm Zenith brass single pulley 25mm Zenith brass double pulley 4mm para cord in Black (we used about 9m) Timber adhesive
STEPS To cut the side pieces, mark halfway along the 43mm dowel, cutting with a handsaw for two equal lengths of 600mm. To cut the rails, mark the 25mm dowel lengths in half and cut with a handsaw to make five 1.2m lengths (the sixth length is a spare). Alternatively, have the dowel cut in store but double-check the lengths are exact. Sand all dowel with 180-grit abrasive paper. Tip: To sand, wrap a piece of sandpaper once around the dowel, hold gently with one hand and push the dowel back and forth through the sandpaper with the other hand.
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