Folding Extravaganza (making everything foldable)

My house is small, not quite tiny house small, but close enough that I think moving into one is pretty doable- as long as it's well designed- but that's not what I'm here for today. This is kind of a rant about a project- or series of projects I'm working on.

Basically, a big issue I run into(and have decided is just forever part of my life) is having a need for a tool, but not all the time. IE a drying rack, or a shelf for jars, or a rack for culled livestock.
Stuff that's bulky, and needed, but only part of the year, or at random intervals. Usually I get by just having the tool in question shoved against a wall, in the basement, or under the couch, but after taking down my drying rack (unstable, space inefficient, hard to move). I decided to give folding structures a try- particularly inspired by those scissoring coat racks(what are those even called?)

First on the chopping block is my drying rack. I was fortunate enough to find a folding metal clothing drying rack at my local thrift store, so I replaced the old DIY'd one at home. Instead, I wanted to use it as a bleeding/skinning rack for rabbits since I guess I'll be raising them for food from now on.

This rack had a few requirements:
1. It needed to fit over the sink sturdily,
2. It needed to maximize the height it sits over the sink
3. Had to be strong enough to hold 2 rabbits
4. Needed to be adjustable
5. Needed to fold small enough to fit between my fridge and the wall- a perfect space that won't be missed

First version kinda did all of this- except fit over the sink- I forgot to measure that- and conveniently I had no scrap wood that was just the right size- so I used pvc T joints as feet for that last inch.

But I was unsatisfied with the workmanship, so came back the next day and took them off.

V2 I made some changes, I replaced the 2x4 top bars with round dowels- and swapped the legs so that it closed perfectly...except the dowels were the same size, so the legs bent weirdly and didn't close as small as possible...but! it did fit over the sink.

I slept on it, but was still unsatisfied. So I went by the hardware store. I needed wood for some other projects and my local pallet spots were dry.
I cut up one of my furring strips to allow it to close to the minimum size.
Also now, I had a new shoe rack (it's a whole story) and the old one had these slats that would be almost  perfect as a top bar for holding the actual culled animal.
So I took that apart and added it to the rack, with a hinge so that the slats could also be folded down too- v3 was born and I was satisfied- the only thing I could want to improve on would be my screw hole filled legs, but those I'll replace if the stand gives out.

And so ends the first part of my folding extravaganza...

Next project (ongoing) is a folding bike cover/welding shield. My husband has been asking for something to protect our neighbors from the light of his welding. We don't have a garage, and I'm cheap....we also have the issue of me having to move my custom e-cargo bike into the basement in the winter and that's a pain and a half.

This is both a proof of concept, and a working solution for the bike issue. but imagine that coat...hanger thingy but 4ft tall and 6ft long....and also twice as wide, like a folding stair case.


I've made one half- I failed to account for the total wood I'd need, so I'll get some more tomorrow...I also learned I didn't have any more long bolts or locking nuts, so I need to top up on those too- hence why this is held together with string and thus so unstable....Still not totally sure how I want to do snow sloughing- ideally with one side being taller than the other, but unsure how that could factor into the foldability of things. We'll see I guess. worst case scenario, I take it all apart and turn it into a box or something c:

Hi Sienna,

The idea of foldable items is so helpful!  There is a lot of space saving furniture like tables, chairs, murphy beds, tool benches, drying racks, etc. out there.  However, the fact that you are doing it yourself, and coming up with new items to make foldable is awe inspiring!  Excellent topic!  

Those stairs are, in my opinion, incredible.  I'll be making them in my future...I just know it.

I like the drying rack set up over the sink.  I can think of so many ways to use that besides laundry.

Add a shelf like the one made from the repurposed shoe rack into a table for drying dishes or pots and pans.

You are very creative and resourceful.

Tina Wolf wrote:Hi Sienna,

The idea of foldable items is so helpful!  There is a lot of space saving furniture like tables, chairs, murphy beds, tool benches, drying racks, etc. out there.  However, the fact that you are doing it yourself, and coming up with new items to make foldable is awe inspiring!  Excellent topic!  

Those stairs are, in my opinion, incredible.  I'll be making them in my future...I just know it.

I absolutely want to make one of those folding stairs for a workshop/garage one day!