DIY gift idea for college guys in first apartment -- opinions appreciated :)

[Mmathis]

My son, Phillip , is starting his junior year at college in a week or so [I know.....baby's all grown up ]. He and 3 friends are giving up dorm life and moving into an apt. The apt. has 4 bedrooms and each bedroom has it's own bathroom [how cool is that -- no sharing a bathroom!]

As a little gift, I was thinking of making each of them a stand-holder for extra TP rolls that they can put next to the toilet.....so they'll always have an extra roll handy . I'll put a nice finial [IOW, decorative cabinet knob] on the top of the dowel. I'm also going to look for some "feet" that will keep the base slightly off the floor.

• The largest wooden cut-outs I've found so far for the base are 7" (stacked with a smaller one [5"] on top) -- does 7" look stable enough? I don't want them to tip over -- the dowels [3/4"] will be about 18" long [4 stacked TP rolls will be 16" tall].
• Also, aesthetically, does 7" look OK, or would a larger diameter just look more balanced?
• Which looks better, the square base or the round base? (I'm going for "square" -- more masculine.....)
• Would you stain them or paint them?
• Ideas for something [non-slip?] to use as "feet", that would also raise them off the floor, but no more than maybe 1/2"?

Oops! Guess it would help if I included some photos! FYI, in the pics, I just have the wooden discs, dowel, and TP rolls stacked together for a general idea. Nothing done to anything, so far.

 

[tbendl]

That's assuming they will use them. They are boys, I'd consider just a basket... Lol

 

[Mmathis]

That's assuming they will use them. They are boys, I'd consider just a basket... Lol

You are so right there, t! But I'm still gonna give it a try -- I feel this "maternal" need to create something for them! And with the way of most of my projects, I'll probably get the first one completed and it will be so awful that the rest of the supplies will go in my scrap pile.....never again to see the light of day.

But other than that, any other opinions or observations ?

 

[tbendl]

I have something similar in my house and I love it. I would go for a sturdier base, although you might just be able to throw in some heavy duty large flat washer's to give it some weight for stabilization. I love the idea, just be careful the knob isn't too large or the rolls won't fit over them. I like the square, I agree it's more masculine. And I don't know, I'd probably paint them but that's a purely aesthetic choice.

 

[sissy]

Yeh and make sure every time you go visit him take him more to refill it .With my nephew we made him a holder basket for all his shampoos and toothpaste and shaving stuff with his name on it .It was just a plastic basket that we fixed up and put his name on it .Easy and he loved it .Said it kept his stuff together because he had to share a room it made it easy to carry back and forth and to keep it all together and know what was his .

 

[Big Lou]

• Prime then painted (gloss, two coats) school's color or white
• No finial on top. Instead, sand the top smooth and top edges to a slight bull nose shape.
• Put four gripping self adhesive round or square feet on the base.

Hope they don't beat each other over the head with your neat, and practical gift.

 

[MitchM]

• Prime then painted (gloss, two coats) school's color or white
• No finial on top. Instead, sand the top smooth and top edges to a slight bull nose shape.
• Put four gripping self adhesive round or square feet on the base.

Hope they don't beat each other over the head with your neat, and practical gift.

lol.
Or it looks like it would make a good sword for sword fighting at a party!

 

[HARO]

Speaking from experience, four FULL beer bottles (for heft) lined up on the floor will hold four rolls of TP quite nicely, and look MUCH more masculine! Plus, it'll give them something to do while they're sitting there.
John
And NO, I've never DONE it, but I've SEEN it!

 

[sissy]

HMMMM sure

 

[tbendl]

four FULL beer bottles (for heft) lined up on the floor will hold four rolls of TP quite nicely

What a terrible example of alcohol abuse..
Unless you meant refilled with water then
What a wonderful example of recycling

 

[Mmathis]

Well, supplies are bought/collected and I'm ready to get started. I started another thread asking for input about gluing the plaques together. None of them are perffectly flat, so wondering if that can be overcome......

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/woodworkers-i-could-use-some-input.17933/

And I found the PERFECT finial! These cabinet knobs were at Hobby Lobby -- "dragon claws" holding a crystal orb! I am going to use another hobby wood piece that looks a little like a milk bucket in combo with the knob -- and placed atop (but they will be drilled in and glued on) the dowel, it looks like a staff! What makes it PERFECT is that all 4 of the guys are gamers as well as, for example, Lord Of The Rings fans. Hubby says that the TP holders "are for the throne room," so that's what I'll put on the card when I give them to the guys! I went ahead and showed my idea to my son and he gave his approval, so..... I'm excited! [if I can just get up the mental energy to get started]

 

[sissy]

What cute knobs for the younger group

 

[Big Lou]

Really great!

 

[mgmine]

How about a fancy holder. The first one is made for one roll but the second is for a paper towel so it's longer.

 

[Mmathis]

How about a fancy holder. The first one is made for one roll but the second is for a paper towel so it's longer. View attachment 85824 View attachment 85825

It's not a roll-holder, but rather a storage place to stack extra rolls that will sit on the floor next to the toilet. Nice idea, though.