Copper Shopping (list)

Let's check another item off of my DIY teaser list.  A while back, I told you I had a DIY planned with this receipt tape. receipt paper to diy

Well, it's finally put to good use as a shopping list!

diy copper wood shopping list

I've seen this in my head for so long, I'm glad to get it out and into reality.

I used a block of wood, receipt paper, 2 sizes of copper pipe, and screws.  You don't get much simpler, I swear!

diy copper wood shopping list pieces

I decided to start from the bottom and work my way up.  To do the bottom piece that will hold the paper, I flattened out a portion of pipe.  I found the best way to get a smooth surface was the put the pipe between to blocks and hammer it that way.

flatten copper

With a flat-ish piece accomplished, instead of cutting it to length, I bent it until it broke in the intended spot.

Next was to bend it around the wood to the desired shape.  I used a scrap piece of wood to bend this around so that if I made any mistakes I wouldn't damage the finished stained piece.

wood blocks

Isn't that a sexy backdrop?  I'm innovative, huh?  (the paper towel was originally for the stained piece to make sure it was dry, and I figured it shouldn't go to waste)  .... SO... to bend the copper without denting it, I clamped it in the desired spot with another block of wood, then bent the ends around the wood.

clamped copper front clamped copper

The upper piece was slightly trickier to bend because it took me holding the roll of paper in place.

list progress

I couldn't clamp this one because the roll would deform, so I had to hold with one hand and bend the piece around the wood with the other.  I'm just DIYing until my hand-modeling career takes off.  Man hands are the next rage.

On the front where I hadn't flattened the pipe, I used a hack saw to cut it to length- being very careful not to push too hard and deform the copper.

copper cut

I repeated the last few steps with a smaller piece of copper for the other side.

copper wood cut pieces

Then came assembly- always the best part!  I drilled holes in the copper where the screws would go, then attached the pieces where desired.  The back ends up being less than pretty, but since that'll be up against my cabinet door, it doesn't matter.

copper wood shopping list back

I'm using my favorite mounting method- 3m's re-positionable picture hangers so I can take the list down when I need to replace the receipt roll.

diy copper wood list

It'll actually be pretty simple when I need to replace a roll.  See how on the right, the smaller tube goes into the larger?  I'll just need to unscrew the smaller tube from the back and remove it, switch out the paper roll, then rescrew the small tube back in place.

diy copper wood list cabinet

Have you ever seen a sexier shopping list??  Methinks not!