Skip to main content

Paper Towel (3-fold type) Dispenser

Completion date: March 23, 2019



I need a paper towel dispenser!  There seemed to be products out there that do the job, but my consideration are as follows:
1. They are usually adhesive types.  I don't like my walls taped.
2. They are big.
3. They are not that cheap on Taobao (RMB$70)
4. I don't see them around in local stores.  Most of them are the roll-type that are available.

My requirement:
1. Minimalist design, and more environmental-friendly
2. Paper level visible

Material:
If I had a choice I would make a plastic model, but plastic is not very accessible to me.  So, I decided to make one from carton.

Let me show you my first version of the dispenser.  It has been used, maybe for over half a year.  You just need to cut a slit and the bottom and clip the top to a hanger.  Well, the problems:
1. You cannot hang the pack when it is full, because there isn't space for the clips.
2. The plastic bag sags out of shape when you get to the last inch of the paper towels.



So, the new (my second version) 3-fold paper towel dispenser, is made out of carton.  The carton was the packing that came with my mirror (Full length mirror project).  The steps:


1. Printed and cut out the matchbox model on paper (generated from box template on website)



2. Put the paper towel and take the measure from the edges.  Top/Bottom 4cm, Sides 4+4.5cm.


3. Cut the carton similar to the paper model.

4. The carton had this cut pattern and I took it as a template and copied/transferred the cut pattern with a cutter.




5. Punched holes and put total 6 eyelets on top and bottom flap.



6. Cut a shape for towel pull-out.  Folded and glued the box together.

7. Took 3 pieces of packing twines (I choose this type, it looks rustic and goes really well with white carton box) and made knots from the inside.



8. Finally I put tape to the corners and the openings.





9. Took 3 key rings and looped them onto the twines.

10. Took 3 suction hooks, put them on the wall.  Hung up the dispenser.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Python script - pop-up reminder based on data from Excel

Completion date: December 17, 2018 Changes to the script (Dec 14 2018): 1. Used Date format to compare dates.  2. Show message for update AR if the date is overdue and due today. Changes to the script (Dec 17 2018): 1. Corrected the ws.max_row+1 to ws.max_row. 2. Changed to loop from bottom up (so the the newest records gets checked first) =========== The script =========== #! python3 -- Modified on Dec 17 2018 import openpyxl import tkinter.messagebox from datetime import date import os #Get the workbook, worksheet file = "AR.xlsx" wb  = openpyxl.load_workbook(file) ws  = wb['Sheet1'] #Iterate through the rows of column "Next update on" = Column D = 4, from bottom up (the newest record to oldest) for i in range(ws.max_row, 2, -1):     next_update_datetime = ws.cell(row=i, column=4).value     if (next_update_datetime is n...

Gear investigation: Banbao Lego crane

Completion date: May 16, 2020 1. Gear ratio: 8:24:40. The bottom wheel cranking the string at speed (8/24)*(24/40)=0.2x speed of the motor. 2. The top two wheels looks like pulley system to me, but I am not sure about the spinning speed of the top wheels, the first top wheel is slower than the bottom wheeler, that I observed. 3. The beginning of the bottom wheeling action is pulling less string because the circumference is small (less string winded).  So it pulls the string faster gradually as more string is added to the circumference. 4. Note I added the rewind crank on the other side of the motor. This is the final instruction of the Banbao booklet. All the builds have been fun for me, I got to know more about gears now (though still primitive). My thoughts towards the gear mechanism is that it is not as efficient as I thought it would be. - requires many gears to do 1 simple thing - gear design has to match the many requirements of the space, dist...

Fixing of retractable badge holder

Completion date: October 2, 2021 My retractable badge holder’s string is thinning and would be broken soon.   I cut it short.  Pull the rotten part out with a tweezer. Insert the string from this end.  Tie a knot.   Reinstall the silver triangle back.