Introduction: Dishwasher Dirty-Clean Sliding Indicator

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There are many sliding indicators available on the market. Most of them are made out of plastic or metal. Even if they are very simple they can cost a lot.

Let me present how to build one made out of wood, some glue, paper and a magnet.

Dirty-Clean slider

Supplies

Materials:

  • Main:
  • Thin plywood board at least 150mm x 150mm.
  • Glue for wood.
  • Magnet stripe (or any magnets)
  • Side:
  • Paper

Tools:

  • Main:
  • A saw for wood - I've used a circular saw.
  • Sharp knife.
  • A file.
  • Side:
  • Pencil.

Step 1: Cutting Layers - Outer

My scrap of a board had a 150mm x 150mm. It allowed me to build a slider 150mm x 50mm.

Cut exactly the same 3 layers of that size (150mm x 50mm). I used a circular saw (it gives a clean cuts) but a handsaw or a knife works as well.

Step 2: Cutting Layers - Inner

The slider is built out of 3 layers:

  • Back layer.
  • Middle layer - it blocks the inner slider to fall out from the sides.
  • Front layer - it blocks the inner slider to fall out in the front.

Middle and front layers have cut "windows". A window from the middle layer is bigger (5mm from all of the edges). The front layer is smaller (5mm from the right and left edges and 10mm from the top and bottom edges). Check notes on the first photo.

Hint: You can keep the front layer cut 10mm from all of the edges so the front window looks even of every side. At the same time you can keep 10mm from the left and right edge of the middle layer. If you keep 5mm, then an inner slider will hide itself ~5mm under the front layer. This may cause some blocking when sliding.


Step 3: Cutting a Slider

Take the middle part you cut out from the middle layer. The height of this part is going to be a desired height of our inner slider. The inner slider needs to cover half of the viewing window. It's enough to just cut the inner part in half.

I recommend to cut it so the width is just a little bit wider than half of the window. This will prevent the situation when the other colour of the 2 parts (Clean - Dirty) is visible when the slider is far right or left.

And believe me - the glue for wood is very strong. I've tried really hard to

A handle needs to be lower than the front window as it has to move smoothly. Use the middle part of the front layer as it already has the height of the front window. Trim it on top and the bottom. You can assemble everything to see if it moves smoothly.

Hint: Make the inner slider thinner. Use a file to remove a thin layer of wood from the back. This is needed because behind the inner slider there will be a background paper which occupies a little bit of space. This may cause the slider to be harder to move.

Glue the handle in the middle of the inner slider so it is easy to access it from left and right.

Hint: Another option is to place 2 handles on both sides - it's up to you.

Step 4: Adjusting

The slider is designed so it has a small gap between a top part of a middle layer and the back layer. This small gap works as a slot to put a background card inside the slider. Just in case I want to replace it with some other.

Use a file to remove scratches, splinters and uneven edges.

Step 5: Gluing Middle and Back Layers

The middle and back layers can be glued together.

Hint: If you want to paint the inner side of a back layer it's a good time to do it. If you do it after the gluing, it will be difficult to not block the slot by paint. In my case I didn't paint the back layer because I think it will be covered by a "Clean - Dirty" sign. It's up to you.
Hint: I used a laminated paper as a background of my slider (just to be able to replace it if I want to). But if you want, you can paint the background or draw whatever you like as your indicators.

Step 6: Painting Slider

The slider is going to be touched many-many times. Therefore it needs to be protected. I used an acrylic transparent paint. The inner slider needs to be painted before gluing front and middle layers. Otherwise there is no possibility to paint it on both sides as the inner slider will be locked between these layers.

Step 7: Background

As the title says - I used it as an indicator for our dishwasher mashine. Therefore I've printed a Dirty/Clean background, but You can print whatever you want: Open/Close, Occupied/Vacant, etc.

Background's dimensions' are 135mm x 45mm (I've added some margin on top as it is hidden anyway inside the insertion slot).

Slide the background through the insertion slot.

Add the inner slider

Step 8: Gluing Front and Middle Layers

When the paint on the inner slider dries out, we can assemble everything and glue the front and middle layers. (Middle layer is already glued to the back layer.)

Remember to insert an inner slider inside the middle layer's window before gluing front and middle layers.


Step 9: Magnet

As a magnet I've used a magnet stripe. Other options are to use some neodymium magnet and glue it on the back. Yet another option is to use double-sided tape and stick it directly to the dishwasher's surface. Whatever fits you best.

Please remember to attach some protective layer - e.g. felt - to protect your dishwasher's surface from scratches.

Step 10: Trim

As a final step I've trimmed the slider's shape. I've used a file to make corners and edges round.

Step 11: Final Result

And here is a final result on our dishwasher.