Introduction: Swimsuit Dryer

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About: I am a former English teacher turned Interactive Media Instructor turned STEM teacher turned computer science teacher. I like to make, fix, and take apart. Few things are more fun than taking something apart t…

My sister-in-law shared with my about the swimsuit dryers they used on their trip to Hawaii. I was intrigued because my family often goes swimming at the pool and carrying bags of soaking wet swimsuits can be a smelly. Having a way to speed up the drying process would be great. Then I remembers a fan left over from a previous project and decided to hack it to become a swimsuit dryer.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

Tools

  1. Miter Saw
  2. Drill
  3. Scissors
  4. Paint Brush
  5. Drill Bit
  6. Orbital Sander
  7. Dremel

Materials

  1. Fan
  2. Plastic Planter
  3. Scrap Wood
  4. Coat Hanger
  5. Screws
  6. Paint
  7. Duct Tape

Step 2: Making the Basket

I used an old plastic planter that a small tree had come in. I chose it for its light weight and size. When selecting your basket I recommend you use the same criteria.

First use a smaller drill bit to make pilot holes. Then use a larger bit to make the holes. These will be the holes the water will fly out of when it spins. I used a utility knife to clean up the rough spots. Then cut the basket to the height you want it.

Step 3: Mounting the Motor

The fan I selected was from a standing fan. I used the stand to mount a lamp. I kept the fan and now it has found new life.

Because it was a standing fan it had a handy bolt that I used to mount it to a piece of wood from a pallet I had broken down. Then I screwed it to a foot to keep it upright and give it a place for attaching it to a base.

Step 4: Assembling the Box

You will need to assemble an open box to go around the basket. This keeps people from hurting themselves while it is spinning. Use a sturdy piece of plywood for the base and make sure it accommodates the basket. It should be wide enough so the basket won't hit the sides of the basket. The weight of the plywood will give it stability. Then secure two boards on the left side and two on the right. These boards should be taller than your basket. The boards should be placed at the corners. I used a corner clamp to help me hold them in place while I drilled and screwed.

Once the four boards are in place you can attach them with four more boards along the top. These four boards will secure the top and give you somewhere to put the lid.

Step 5: Sanding

I used an orbital sander to clean up the rough edges. I used and 60 to round the edge, then a 120 to smooth them out ,and finally a 240 to clean it all up. You can do this part by hand , but it will take longer. I forgot to grab any pictures of this part of the process, but hopefully you can imagine how it went.

Step 6: Painting

I decided to label the dryer to help others know what this thing does. I put a stip of duct tape on one of the boards and wrote out the words in permanent marker. Then I used an exacto knife to cut out the letters. After that I put on two layers of black paint. Once it had dried for a few hours I carefully pulled the tape off.

Step 7: Dry Some Swimsuits

It works well with the kids swimsuit. It has helped with keeping the suits from smelling as much and is fun to run. Be careful when operating because of the high speed there is danger.

Improvements

It needs a sturdier basket, a motor with more torque, a better enclosure. I would like to put it in a bucket, but the basket kept hitting the sides and slowing down. I will continue to work on the design. Thanks for your votes.

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