From issue 55.
A magazine rack is ideal for keeping books and magazines tidy as well as being a perfect spot to stash laptops, chargers and similar mess-making items that creep into the lounge.
You will need:
· 220cm x 35cm of thick fabric such as thermal calico, canvas or soft vinyl.
· 8 x 15mm (1/2”) Copper Elbows (find these online or at plumbing supply stores)
· Lengths of 12mm wood dowel (2 x 24cm and 6 x 36cm)
· Gaffer tape
· Gorilla glue
· Turps
· Soft rag
· Scissors
· Iron
· Pencil
· Ruler
· Sewing machine (optional)
Step by step
1 Cut 1cm wide strips of gaffer tape and wind them around the ends of each stick till the dowel ends fit snugly into the copper elbows.
2 Lay the sticks out. Start with one short stick and one long stick. Glue a copper elbow to each end to make a U shape. Glue the connections together by squirting a little glue into the ends of the copper elbows and pushing the wooden dowels firmly into place. Use the cloth with a little turps to wipe away any excess glue and lay the U shape on a flat surface to dry. Check all corners are at right angles. If necessary, cut a few extra strips of gaffer tape and use them to hold the shape in the correct position. Repeat with a second U shape. Allow three hours for these to dry.
3 Glue the remaining two long sticks and four copper elbows in place to complete the frame. Stand the magazine rack up in position. Wipe away any excess glue and use extra strips of tape, as necessary, to hold the rack shape in position. Allow to fully dry.
3 If using a sewing machine fold the edge of the material over by 2cm, twice, on all sides and press flat using an iron. Stitch this hem flat. If don’t have a sewing machine, fold the fabric over by 4cm, once, on all sides and press flat. Lay the fabric out on a flat surface, run a thin bead of glue inside the fabric fold and press flat along all lengths. Allow to dry.
4 Stand the rack upright with the top bars running parallel with your body. Take one end of the rectangle of fabric and run a generous drizzle of glue along the inside edge. With the outside of the fabric facing towards you, fold the fabric over the closest top horizontal bar, creating a 5-8cm loop around the bar. Press the two pieces of fabric together till firm.
5 Drape the remaining fabric under and over the second horizontal bar and back to the first bar, so the fabric droops between the two bars but does not touch the ground. Mark with pencil on the inside of the fabric where it touches the second bar.
6 Unfold the fabric and drizzle two lines of glue on the inside 5-8cm either side of the pencil mark. Drape the fabric back as it was in Step 5. Press the fabric layers together to create a second loop. Continue gluing the top fabric layer down until you have two layers on one side and three layers on the other.
7 Mark the remaining length of fabric at the lowest point of the fabric drop. Turn the rack upside down. Trim the end of the fabric at the marked point plus 2cm. Fold the fabric end over by 2cm, run a bead of glue inside the fabric fold and press down. Press all glued layers together. Add more glue as necessary and place weights on the fabric so it drys flat.
8 After 30 minutes turn the rack upright. Wipe off any excess glue using a little turps or scrape dried glue from the bars with a knife.
