Cut Your Pipes
Don’t get intimidated! One of the big parts of this project obviously is the copper pipe structure. The bad news is that most places don’t really sell the copper pipes cut to the sizes we need. The good news is that they’re really easy to cut on your own. You’re going to need a handheld pipe cutter and enough length of copper pipe to cut down to these lengths:
Two 18-inch piecesTwo 12-inch piecesFour 16-inch pieces
Using a tape measure, measure out the length and mark where you need to cut on the pipe with a permanent marker. Place the pipe cutter on the mark and gently tighten the top and rotate the cutter around the pipe. You’ll need to keep tightening as you go to keep cutting.
Gather Your Supplies
Now you need to get your supplies together. Here’s what you’ll need to recreate this project yourself. It’s less than you think!
Copper pipe piecesE6000 glueEight 3/4-inch copper pipe elbow fittings (90 degrees)Popsicle stickRope cording
Build First Side
Start by building your first side. Before you start using your glue, just make sure everything fits together properly. The top will be your 18-inch copper piece and the sides will be two of your 16-inch pieces. To connect them, you’ll want to use your elbow fittings. On the bottom you’ll also want to place the elbow fittings, but they’ll be facing vertically. Using your popsicle stick, place a liberal amount of E6000 on the inside of the elbow. Fit the pipes inside and let them dry completely. Only apply the glue on the side that is attached to a pipe. Repeat for the second side.
Put the Bottoms On
Once the two halves are dry and secure, you’ll want to place the two 12-inch pipe sections on the bottom to form the base. Again, spread glue on the inside of the elbow fittings and fit the pipes. Very carefully set aside the copper base and let it dry completely before heading to the next step. The glue will keep the pipes and the fittings firmly in place, but it does need time to dry. It should look like an oversized file folder.
Weave Rope Hanger
Here’s where you can really personalize this project. You can take fabric and sew it into a hammock like sling between the copper pipe sides. We wanted to try something a little different. Instead, we took plain white rope and wove it together to form a cool, coastal reminiscent sling. Just make sure your knots are tied tightly and are double knotted so they’ll stay secure. You’ll also want to go across from side to side before weaving the rope cording horizontally. And you’re done! Really the hardest part of this project is gathering all of your supplies and cutting the pipes (which is really quite simple). It just takes some patience. Once you’re done, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind piece that you can enjoy. While it can hold books and magazines, we also thought it would be a great way to hold a few vinyl records. Use it for whatever you need! You can also coordinate it with brass candle holders.
