Epoxy Tumblers...Blame BFF Carmen

There are so many people doing the Epoxy Tumblers and it's a road I haven't wanted to go down because they just seem so time consuming to me. Don't get me wrong I have seem some gorgeous tumblers out there but I'm not one to want to spend hours making such a thing. Now with that said this post is about how I made drying racks and manual turners for priming and spray adhesive in the whole process. I blame my BFF Carmen for going down this road, and she has dragged me kicking and screaming! I used things I had in my garage to make two drying racks and two manual turners, I'll explain my reason for manual turners further down the post. I know they are by no means perfect but they work for what I will be using them for and not too shabby for the limited tools that I have in my garage. I did share my progress on Facebook and got tickled when my friend Rachel commented on Facebook "WOW!! You are the epitome of 'go big or go home' - I adore that about you!!".

For the drying racks I screwed two pieces of 1x4's together and then used a spade bit and my drill to put holes in the boards that my steel pipe would fit in. I wanted to make sure the depth was enough that the pole had enough room to be seated well. I also thought the extra weight of two boards would be enough to keep the tumblers from tipping over while they are drying.

I cut 12" pieces of the 1 1/4" pipe and then pushed pieces of Pool Noodle over the pipe so my tumblers can sit nice and snug while they are drying or while I am working with them and they aren't suppose to be touched.

Here are the two drying racks finished. The Pool Noodles can be moved up and down the pipe to accommodate for larger cups or smaller cups. I made sure to space the holes far enough apart that the larger 30 oz. tumblers can sit on the drying rack without touching.

I decided to make a manual turner for when I would be applying primer paint, adhesive and also any glitter or such that doesn't necessarily need to be on a spinner for long periods of time. As you see there are two of these contraptions. I figured why not build two since. Once again I used my drill and spade bit to make the holes and I made the holes to fit a 1" dowel rod. Now here is the cool thing...my steel pipe can slide easily off and on the dowel rod so I can then put the tumbler on a drying rack and I can use the manual turner for the next tumbler. I thought that was pretty darn smart of me!

To protect from over spray of any primer paint or adhesive spray I made a spray box out of some cardboard I had in the garage. and I was excited to realize all my little gadgets would fit in the cardboard spray box. Until I realized something else...see next picture...

One of the buildings was being cleaned out at work and this cabinet was going to go to the trash so I decided to salvage it. I was going to see about finding room for it in the craftroom but hadn't even tried yet and it was sitting in the garage and a light bulb went off in my head and I thought "dang okie! Use that for a work station for your tumbler chit!" I did have to adjust the spray box a few inches which was no big deal. The manual turners and drying racks can fit on the shelf and then I have space at the bottom to store any tumblers, paints, etc. 

And then there is this...The We R Memory Keepers Spin It and thanks to BFF Carmen I have one at my house now! I have used it and since I have nothing to compare it to I can honestly say that I like it! I do like that it has two different speed settings. I will post later when I get some tumblers completed.