While unpacking I came across a pack of 100 or so sheets of 4" x 6" photopaper that someone have me a long time ago. I have no need for printed photos(I already have enough of them floating around not in albums anyway). So the task of what to do with it began. I figured I could make use of this by making it into a grid for a paintbrush organizer
I started by cutting what would be the horizontal pieces to length.
For the space I had, I chose a pattern of 3/4" squares. I marked the sheet so I could cut slots.
Now you can't simply take scissors and cut along the lines. When you go to slide the horizontal and vertical pieces together, they won't sit perpendicular. They will want to slide all chaotically and annoyingly. So you have to cut a slit that is the width of your material thickness. This is paper. That's a thin little slot. I could have tried to freehand it with scissors, but that would be a major pain. So I made a nifty little tool by taping two X-Acto blades together.
The distance between the cutting surfaces was the perfect width for the slot.
I used a steel ruler to make sure the blades stayed straight and started the tedious process of cutting the slots, but they came out pretty good.
Once all the slots were cut, I slid the pieces together to form a grid pattern.
Since the slots were cut to the proper thickness, everything went together perfectly. I dabbed a little superglue into all the corners to give it some rigidity and set it in place.
Fits like a glove.
And the brushes have their own little spots and the bristles won't get all squished and messed up. Eventually I will actually organize them on this little rack, but for now this works.
Hopefully in the next couple of days I'll be able to get back to my Mustang and will be able to post some more blog entries soon. Stay posted
Nice trick with the taped blades. I will have to try this with an appropriate spacer for cutting custom widths of masking tape.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this trick with the x-acto blades using a modified handle and have used it myself for cutting narrow strips of masking tape,stripping tape and from stripes from solid color decal sheets.
DeleteSimply file the slot where the blade mounts wide enough to accommodate two blades. One could experiment with blade mounts modified to accommodate two blades and various spacers as well.
I tried doing it with a standard X-Acto blade handle, but couldn't get them to fit. Later I might modify one for this purpose, but good ol' masking tape did the same job
DeleteBTW I also like the idea for the brush organizer. I might adapt the idea to a vertical brush holder and prisma-color pencil holder as well.
ReplyDelete