design advice

[Cooler]

I want to make a towel rack like this one: https://img0.etsystatic.com/032/0/650013...4_xmk1.jpg

I can probably come up with a reasonable width, but the distance between shelves needs to be rather specific. Does anyone have an idea what that dimension is.

This is for a gift and I suspect that the recipient's towels are just average to above average quality. Not the super-thick, over-size ones you sometimes see in better hotels.

[ed kerns]

Are you sure the holders aren't adjustable and maybe slide in a track?

[Cooler]

ed kerns said:

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Are you sure the holders aren't adjustable and maybe slide in a track?

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I looked at several photos and none seemed to have adjustability. And making it adjustable will increase the complexity of the gift. I think there must be a very workable dimension that is fixed.

[Bill Holt]

Best guess....just roll up some towels you think are similar to the recipient's.

[DaveR1]

I scaled the image in SketchUp and it looks like about 5-3/8 to 5-1/2 in. between the "shelves".

[Cooler]

DaveR1 said:

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I scaled the image in SketchUp and it looks like about 5-3/8 to 5-1/2 in. between the "shelves".

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How did you do that. I did not see a reference dimension to scale from. I looked at several on line photos and none seemed to have a reverence for me to scale from.

[DaveR1]

Cooler said:

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[blockquote]DaveR1 said:

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I scaled the image in SketchUp and it looks like about 5-3/8 to 5-1/2 in. between the "shelves".

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How did you do that. I did not see a reference dimension to scale from. I looked at several on line photos and none seemed to have a reverence for me to scale from.

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[/blockquote]

I found an Etsy site where someone is selling the thing. It had overall dimensions so it was easy enough to work out from the photo and overall height. The spacing is approximate because the image is too dark to easily see the shelves where they meet the back board.

[Cooler]

DaveR1 said:

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[blockquote]Cooler said:

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[blockquote]DaveR1 said:

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I scaled the image in SketchUp and it looks like about 5-3/8 to 5-1/2 in. between the "shelves".

---

How did you do that. I did not see a reference dimension to scale from. I looked at several on line photos and none seemed to have a reverence for me to scale from.

---

[/blockquote]

I found an Etsy site where someone is selling the thing. It had overall dimensions so it was easy enough to work out from the photo and overall height. The spacing is approximate because the image is too dark to easily see the shelves where they meet the back board.

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[/blockquote]

Thanks for all the effort you put into this. I will make a model from particle board to test the dimensions.

I was planning on adding a lip top and bottom of each shelf so the towel stays put. I think that will give me more leeway in dimensions.

I was thinking of cutting a dado to fit the shelf in a hand rail like this one: http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/m...KV4bDw.jpg

It should leave about a 1/2" swell top and bottom and finish off the edge. I'm not certain about the "look" though.

[DaveR1]

You're quite welcome. It was really quite simple to do.

It might look a little heavy with the hand rail but it could work. Have you got a scrap to try it with? Otherwise you could build one up from scrap pine or something and get it close enough.

As for testing the spacing, you could make a couple of easy shelves that are adjustable so you can try fitting a towel or two. For a prototype it would be handy.