Bottle Drainer

I've been wanting something to drain bottles on for years. However, some things are not worth taking someone else's time to build, and Hubby's time is precious. He runs his own company and spends lots of time in another state. When he is here I appreciate all the 'big' work that I can't do, like trimming trees and running the tiller.

I finally decided that "I can build a bottle drainer!" And if I couldn't, then I would probably learn something along the way.

I used a 1" x 4" pine board that I cut to 11" with a small hand saw.

Next I used the highly scientific method of figuring out how much space I would need between the dowels-- I put some bottles on the board and marked where the middle of the bottle hit without the bottles touching. I came up with 3" on center between bottles.

I wasn't sure how tall to make the dowels, so I stuck the dowel into the bottle and added about an 1 1/2" to the end. I didn't want the bottle sitting on the wood or it wouldn't drain. And I had to remember to add about 3/4" for the dowel to fit into the wood.

I used a 3/8" dowel and cut it with...... the pruning shears! I thought the dowel was probably just like a small branch on a tree anyway, and I didn't want to use the saw if I didn't have to. The dowels for the bottles to sit on were cut to 8 1/2"

I also wanted a shorter dowel to put the nipples on. So I put a nipple and ring on the end of the dowel and added about an inch to the end I came up with a 3" length.

Next I pounded the dowels into the holes that I had drilled. Some went all the way to the bottom of the board, but some were a little short. I wasn't concerned about perfection, this is a serviceable tool and I don't plan on selling them.

It works! I use it every day. I even use it for drying plastic bags that I want to re-use.