Introduction: Newspaper Holder
I got sick of walking passed the pile of newspapers next to the fireplace and accidentally knocking them and having them fall all over the floor. So I decided to make something to hold them that will keep them neat and be a little feature to the room.
Step 1: The Design
I got out the paper and pencil and started drawing up some ideas. I also wanted to add my own little touch to the ends. I decided to make a dead tree out of round bar. An wanted to put some mini corrugated iron on it somewhere too.
Step 2: Tools and Materials.
You will need:
Tools:
Angle grinder
Cutting discs, flap disc/grinding disc
Ruler
Square
Tape measure
Vice
Hammer
Safety glasses
Gloves
Welder
Materials:
20x20x1.6mm shs
6mm round bar
Mini corrugated iron
20x3mm flat mild steel
Step 3: Cutting and Welding.
Cut all the bits to make the frame for the holder. Then make the 2 ends as one piece first. Join them together with 2 bits which will make the bottom. Then add on the 4 short side sections.(in the first few pics the tree isn't actually welded in yet)
Step 4: Making the Tree
Now the frame is almost done time to get started on making the tree. I got a few pieces of paper and made them the same size as the space it was going on the frame. Then free the tree on it to use as a template for bending the 6mm round bar.
To bend the round bar I put a little mark with a white marker and went to the vice and pull/pushed the round bar in the direction I needed. Keep doing that and after sometime you have a tree.
I tacked up the tree while it was still on the paper which wasn't the best idea because paper and hot molten balls of steel don't mix and ended up burning the paper, but manages to get both trees done from it.
Step 5: Last Few Bits to Add
I added in the bits of 20x3mm FMS into the 4 short sides to hold the mini corrugated iron. They will get riveted in once it's powder coated. Also added 3 bits of 20x20x1.6mm SHS to the bottom to keep the newspaper in the frame.
I also put a short piece of 20x20x1.6mm SHS under each corner as feet to keep it slightly off the ground.
Step 6: The Clean Up
I used a flap disc on the grinder to grind back all the welds on the outside to make it look nicer when it's finished. And cleaned off all the weld spatter with a scraper, hammer and chisel.
Now it's all ready to be sent to the sandblaster and powder coaters.
Step 7: Cutting the Mini Orb
Before I sent the frame to the powder coaters I cut out the pieces of mini orb (or mini corrugated iron) to go in the 4 small sides.
Once they were cut I had to notch out where the welds were so they could sit flat against the flat bar. I also pre drilled the holes so that I wouldn't scratch the frame when it was powder coated.
Step 8: The Finished Product
All nice and shiny! Keeps the newspapers nice and neat and don't have to worry about the falling all over the floor now!!
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