Introduction: Garage Shelf Covers
I do a lot of woodworking in my garage, or as my wife calls it, "drinking beer from the mini-fridge and coming very close to losing fingers." Anyhow, my other problem involves sawdust. As anyone who has ever cut some wood knows, sawdust just goes everywhere and the shop-vac never gets everything. So I got some garage shelves that I have no intention of ever cleaning, but really wanted to keep the dust off of them in a very cost-effective way. I also had a spare shower curtain that the previous owners of our house left behind (because it's ugly, and matches the bathroom...hey maybe I'll do an instructable on remodeling that butt-ugly bathroom) and a bunch of spare hardware just lying around. So here is a way to make some cheap shelf covers to keep the mess on the floor and off of your stuff.
Step 1: What You'll Need
OK, I bought a rivet tool about four years ago and I never knew why because I have never really used it
a.) Rivet tool
Here is the one I have, it has pretty bad reviews but for this project, it was fine.
b.) 12 of 1/4" rivets, steel or aluminum - that is your choice
c.) 24 of #6 flat washers
d.) Leather hole punch
e.) 10 of 10-32 x 1/2" bolt and nut
f.) Length of 3/4" hook and loop tape (that's Velcro)
g.) Tub-size shower curtain. I used fabric because plastic liner will attract the sawdust, but I suppose that is a problem if you want to see the stuff in the shelves. Mine are used for regular storage, not stuff I use all the time. If you have bigger shelves, I guess you could use an old bed sheet.
h.) Drill with a 1/4" step-up metal cutting bit
i.) I guess you'd need shelves for this to work, so here's my shelves
j.) Oh yeah, also 10 of #10 flat washers
a.) Rivet tool
Here is the one I have, it has pretty bad reviews but for this project, it was fine.
b.) 12 of 1/4" rivets, steel or aluminum - that is your choice
c.) 24 of #6 flat washers
d.) Leather hole punch
e.) 10 of 10-32 x 1/2" bolt and nut
f.) Length of 3/4" hook and loop tape (that's Velcro)
g.) Tub-size shower curtain. I used fabric because plastic liner will attract the sawdust, but I suppose that is a problem if you want to see the stuff in the shelves. Mine are used for regular storage, not stuff I use all the time. If you have bigger shelves, I guess you could use an old bed sheet.
h.) Drill with a 1/4" step-up metal cutting bit
i.) I guess you'd need shelves for this to work, so here's my shelves
j.) Oh yeah, also 10 of #10 flat washers
Step 2: Putting the Curtain Together
1. Lay the curtain face down on the floor and stick the Velcro tape to the top edge of the curtain
2. Using the smallest setting on your leather hole punch, put a hole near the edge of the curtain and the tape
3. Place a rivet in your rivet gun and place a washer on top of it
4. Place that through the hole and place another washer on the end
5. Holding all of this in place, rivet it in place
6. Do this all the way down (just before or just after the holes in the shower curtain), placing the last rivet near the far end of the curtain
*Enjoy my power point drawing of this step, I forgot to take a picture. This step is pretty easy though. Yeah, I said power point.
2. Using the smallest setting on your leather hole punch, put a hole near the edge of the curtain and the tape
3. Place a rivet in your rivet gun and place a washer on top of it
4. Place that through the hole and place another washer on the end
5. Holding all of this in place, rivet it in place
6. Do this all the way down (just before or just after the holes in the shower curtain), placing the last rivet near the far end of the curtain
*Enjoy my power point drawing of this step, I forgot to take a picture. This step is pretty easy though. Yeah, I said power point.
Step 3: Velcro the Shelf and Finish Up
1. Put your opposite side of velcro tape on the shelf and stick it down.
2. Drill through the tape and the shelf with your step up metal cutting bit make sure to offset the holes from the rivets on the curtain so the rivets don't hit the screws when you are finished.
3. Put washers on the bolts and put them through the holes; attach the nuts on the back. I just tightened them down by hand. As you may have observed, you could use rivets here, too. The reason I didn't is in case I ripped the velcro tape, or need to replace it in the future, it is a little easier.
4. Attach the velcro together and admire your handy work.
2. Drill through the tape and the shelf with your step up metal cutting bit make sure to offset the holes from the rivets on the curtain so the rivets don't hit the screws when you are finished.
3. Put washers on the bolts and put them through the holes; attach the nuts on the back. I just tightened them down by hand. As you may have observed, you could use rivets here, too. The reason I didn't is in case I ripped the velcro tape, or need to replace it in the future, it is a little easier.
4. Attach the velcro together and admire your handy work.