Laundry hung to dry on outdoor clotheslines saves money.
In the days before automatic washers and driers, laundry was hung out to dry on outdoor clothes lines. Many people have become accustomed to machine washing and drying laundry. However, drying laundry outdoors saves money by eliminating the energy used on machine drying. You can make your own metal clothesline poles at home.
Instructions
1. Determine the location for your outdoor clotheslines. It should be close to the doorway you will use to bring laundry from the washing area. The site for your clotheslines should be fairly level.
2. Dig two holes 20 feet apart and in line for the two vertical metal posts. The holes should be 12 inches long by 12 inches wide by 24 inches deep. Center an 8-foot perforated post in each hole. This will create 6-foot posts above ground. Be sure the flat surface of each pole faces the other pole.
3. Mix sacks of fence post concrete ready mix with the recommended amount of water in a wheel barrow or mixing box. A drier mix will simplify bracing. Pour one sack around each perforated metal post. Tamp the ready mix around the post with a short piece of 2-by-4 lumber.
4. Check the post for vertical plumb with the carpenter level. Drive one 16 penny finishing nail halfway into one end of each wooden brace. Insert the nail head in each wooden brace into a hole on a perforated post 2 feet above ground. With each post true and plumb wedge the other end of the wood brace firmly at ground level with a wooden stake. Allow the concrete post mix to set for 24 hours.
5. Cut the remaining 8-foot perforated pole in half with the hacksaw. Use these two sections as cross arms to anchor the clotheslines.
6. Bolt the cross arms in place with a 3-inch-by-1/4-inch bolt, washer, washer and nut. Be sure the cross arms are at a convenient height for the user. Hand-tighten the cross arm bolts until the diagonal braces are placed.
7. Thread a bolt and washer through the end holes on two of the metal straps. Insert this bolt into a hole on the vertical post about 1 foot below the cross arm on the side of the post that faces the opposite post. Apply a washer and nut. Hand tighten the nut. Swing up each strap to the cross arm so it forms a diagonal brace. Insert a bolt, washer, washer and nut. Repeat this step with each of the four diagonal braces. Use an adjustable wrench to tighten all nuts when the braces are in place.
8. Tie a knot in one end of the clothesline. Thread the untied end through the outermost hole in one cross arm. Pull the clothesline through the matching hole at the opposite pole and cross arm. Use pliers to grip the clothesline. Skip the number of holes that will space the clotheslines 12 inches apart. Thread the clothesline back in the opposite direction to a matching hole. Pull the clothesline tight with the pliers to be sure all the slack is taken up. Repeat threading the clothesline through equally spaced holes, 12 inches apart. This will yield four lines 20 feet in length. Cut and tie off the clothesline at the last hole.
Tips Warnings
If your local hardware store or building products outlet cannot supply the required materials, check with local suppliers of fencing posts or a metal products warehouse. Online sources can deliver these metal products in your area.
Many home improvement stores offer stock clothesline T poles to speed and simplify your project.
Tags: build, your, metal, clothesline, poles, bolt washer, cross arms, 8-foot perforated, above ground, bolt washer washer, brace Insert, clothesline poles, clothesline through
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