Thread Number: 29237
(very) Antique wooden clothes dryer rack 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 444867   6/27/2010 at 06:30 (5,042 days old) by ksdaddy (Caribou ME)        

I have an old wooden wall-mount clothes rack that belonged to my great grandmother (born 1883). In 1986 my grandmother handed it to me and ask that I refinish it. It never had any finish on it that I could tell. She wanted it done in 50s style blonde. I tried to tell her the wood was just to dark to try and make it blonde, short of painting it. I kept putting it off and we both forgot about it. It's been on a shelf in the garage since then. She died in 1996 so I guess I don't have to figure out how to blondify it. It had eight arms, two were missing and another was broken. Over the last couple days I made three new arms out of a scrap piece of birch. I made no attempt to artificially age the new arms nor clean up the old wood much; just a quick scrub with steel wool and dish soap and a little light sanding where there might be a chip or rough edge.

It mounts on the wall and can be placed in one of two heights, a little over a foot apart. The 'body' slides up and down the wall mount piece, which is grooved like hardwood flooring. It locks into one of two notches.

I had taken it all apart back in '86 and lost all the machine screws that hold the arms on. I bought new ones yesterday, with nylon washers and lock nuts (modern I know, but it will make it function better). After it was all together I remembered there is a big metal plate missing, so I will hunt the garage today.

I've never actually seen one of these mounted on a wall, so my question is this: How high is it supposed to be mounted? I can envision mounting it so the 'lower' position is chest height so you can easily put clothes on it and then shifting it up into the upper position so you could walk under it it. Or am I reading too much into this? Anyone have a clue as to how they normally mount, height-wise?

I haven't taken any pics of mine yet. It's similar to the one in the link, except the ebay one is in much better condition than mine, but you get the idea.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO ksdaddy's LINK on eBay





Post# 445188 , Reply# 1   6/28/2010 at 07:59 (5,041 days old) by jbuscemi ()        

These type of clothes "dryers' were VERY common and still in use in the rural areas of New England and no doubt in other parts of rural America., one can still see them in use. They USUALLY were mounted about at eye level somewhere in close proximity to the kitchen range...which was often coal or wood fired. Clothes dryed very quickly. They are still quite practical today.

Post# 445201 , Reply# 2   6/28/2010 at 08:55 (5,041 days old) by gmmcnair (Portland, OR)        
Beautiful old piece...

 gmmcnair's profile picture
....and I agree, still useful today.

I have an ancient wooden clothes horse....not the cheap flimsy ones you see nowadays, but the kind made with 3/4" dowels. Dead useful for my laundry. I rarely have to put anything in the dryer unless I'm in a hurry.


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