An Indoor Clothes Dryer

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Next, cut two 29-1/2" lengths ( don't bend these sections) to serve as the ends of the frame. To fashion the hanger bars, cut three 12-1/4" pieces ... then—on one end of each of them—form a 90° angle at the 2-inch mark, and another at 3-1/2 inches. (If necessary, you can modify these measurements to make the rack fit the dimensions of the door you're planning to use.)

Finally, you'll need two short supports, which will attach the end hangers to the frame (as shown in the diagram). Bend each 17"-long piece, at a point 1 inch from one end, to an angle that will allow the support to be riveted flat against its hanger. In addition, use your vise to twist the metal, as illustrated, into a 90° "turn" ... so that it'll rest flat against the horizontal crossbar.

Drill holes for the clothespins at regular intervals along the four crossbars and the end bar which will not be attached to the hanger units. Make the first hole in each section four inches from the bend in the bar, to allow for clearance at the edge that'll be closest to the door ... then make eight more holes spaced 3 inches apart. Attach a clothespin at each opening—by running a bolt through its spring, as shown in the diagram—on the inside of the aluminum bar.

Next, drill the necessary holes and rivet the frame together as illustrated. The rivets which secure the hangers to the rack should be flush, to avoid scratching the door ... but you might want to go ahead and drape a towel over the top of the portal before the rack is hung up, just in case. (You can provide further protection by simply gluing strips of felt to the underside of each hanger unit.)

That's really all there is to it: You can make one of the racks in a couple of hours ... and use it for years! Although the dryer can serve as a household's only means of drying clothes, I like to combine the capabilities of my over-the-door helper with those of a modern electric dryer. First, I just tumble a load of wet clothes in the dryer—on low heat—for five to ten minutes ... then switch to air only for another ten minutes, in order to use up any heat that may be left in the clothes, before hanging the laundry. My system removes wrinkles (eliminating the need for ironing) and saves energy!

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