Shop paper towel holder-fix

A simple fix for paper towel holder. Really dumb and a waste of time but this was really annoying. I'm sure others have this. Paper towels when I have some usually sat on shelf or got stuck on pegboard hook. Never had a paper towel holder, and I never thought worthwhile to make one. Bought one day on impulse, hey that's cool, has a little shelf. Intended for the slat wall board but works using 2 long hooks on my pegboard. Once its decided it will live where its at I'll probably add something a bit more secure, though likely just drilling 2 holes, bend end of hooks to enter. But its never offered to move.

However the point- the holder just has bent metal flaps with domes that sorta squeeze the towel roll. Bending the wings to keep tight enough so roll doesn't fall off it usually smushes the ends of rolls paper tube when putting in. But half the time go to rip off a sheet, the whole roll just jumps out. No matter how tight it squeezes the roll. I've come pretty close to throwing it a way more than once.

Started playing with it, its getting fixed or dumped. The wings need to be spread apart so roll cardboard tube isn't smushed, it needs a rod thru it so roll can not fall off. Was going to use a wood dowel with screws in the end, cut 2 slots in holder. Would work but I also don't want just spinning freely. So it needs some tension.



What I came up with going thru junk. A piece of 3/8" linkage rod. After getting length I'll thread the ends. Allow spreading the holders wings, insert the paper roll, slide rod in and tighten to what ever tension I want.



Threaded one end, thread on acorn nut. To get length disassembled the holder to drill thru the center of the wings with 3/8" holes. Reassembled holder. Slipped rod thru both wings, left about an inch of stick out so when inserting have some leverage guiding into opposite hole. Cut the rod and threaded other end. Took to the grinder and rounded the ends.



Spread the wings so paper towel roll can slide in easily without smushing the tube. Slip the rod thru.



Slip a flat washer, then spacer (half an old shock bushing) run nut to desired tension then run up the wing nut to lock. Easy peezy. Actually works better than I hoped. Was thinking guiding the rod thru might be painful but its not.

Got to recycle some old car parts, kill a couple of hours, and best of all- my paper towel holder- Holds paper towels!



Little later reworking magnifier lamp, used up extra hammer tone paint and painted both the paper towel holder and old parts bin.

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