Made a stainless steel towel rack for bathroom

[Sodo]

I'm in the process of remodeling a rental house. This place was a HEAP, and I kinda can[t believe the transformation. There is a tiny 1/2 bath, and we replaced the vanity cabinet. Between the vanity and the wall was 4 inches, perfect for a towel holder. My wife went off to look for one that is open on the end, so you can slide a towel onto it from the end. She spend at least an hour at the store(s) and more time online. I've seen these before. But no luck finding one.

So I made it from scratch. It took an hour.

18 ga stainless steel and 3/8" stainless tubing. Cut parts with an angle grinder and Harbor Freight cutoff disc. Drilled the holes with a heavily oiled rota-broach.



Was happy to be able to use my new Jawhorse to clamp the parts together.


Welded 1/2" fillets in the 4 corners. Used a Miller MultiMatic 200, .030 wire, and on 18ga setting. I pulsed the trigger, as it was a little too hot. And I thin .024 wire would have been better for 18ga. I did not use Stainless wire, just the normal steel. I didn't have the "welding attachment" yet (with the Aluminum jaws) so had to use wood to protect the soft jaw pads.



It attaches to the side of the cabinet like this.



Installed.



A MIG welder is such a useful tool. Here's to hoping members can see examples of making your own stuff (if you have a welder and some other tools). People are often so surprised, they say "YOU MADE THAT?" Jeez it's not a work of art, it's brute-force design.:laughing: And it's mostly hidden from the weld-inspectors.

But in any case I wish Ida just made it rather than sending my wife off on a wild goose chase. I'd sure like to have a TIG someday.

 

[Hiltz]

With the design and fabrication completely by you Im sorry but I see a really big lawsuit coming your way when those welds fail!
(very nice)

 

[Big Barn]

Nice job, Sodo!

Terry

 

[vulcancowboy]

This is prolly a dumb question, but you just used standard flux core wire to weld stainless? I didn't know you could do that, but then again, I could write several books about what I don't know!

 

[Sodo]

Not flux core, used solid core wire with 25/75 AR-CO2 gas.

It's indoors, in a half-bath with no shower. I suppose I will find out if it rusts. The only thing I'm certain of is it's strong! And I had a good excuse to weld something up.

 

[vwnotrunning]

May need to put a clear finish on it to keep it from rusting.

 

[Jim in ICT]

Better start on the second one.

 

[Sodo]

Better start on the second one.

Yep have it ready for when the 1st one rusts off:laughing:

 

[dragoneggs]

Not flux core, used solid core wire with 25/75 AR-CO2 gas.

It's indoors, in a half-bath with no shower. I suppose I will find out if it rusts. The only thing I'm certain of is it's strong, but perhaps the more important detail is a fairly insignificant task has been crossed off my list! :thumbsup: And I had a good excuse to weld something up.

funny :laughing: I want to try some stainless but to be honest, a toilet paper holder wasn't in my sphere of thinking but now that you have blazed a trail, maybe we need a thread on welded TP holders!

 

[dragoneggs]

Oh and a question about welding stainless, I read that one should use 100% helium or argon but wondering if it makes a big difference. I only have 75/25.