Gumball Machine Baskets, Part 2

When the spokes are dry, glue the 2 spokes together at the center offsetting the spokes. I use Elmer's glue.

My diagram was hand drawn by me and is not perfect. So you will have to turn the spokes until you get to a place where most of the top set of spokes cover the spaces of the bottom set of spokes.

I invite someone to redraw and improve my drawing.








Here comes the gumball machine part plus a rubber band.

Aren't rubber bands great?!













Place the glued spokes onto the hole of the container and roll a rubber band down over the spokes to secure.

Make sure your bottom is even. You will need to straighten out the spokes and make sure the top spokes are on the outside of the basket. I use my tweezers to move them around. The rubber band will hold everything in place.




Now, remember this is artisan made, so there are small imperfections, that's what makes artisan objects so appealing!

With Elmer's glue, glue the top layer of spokes to the bottom layer where they overlap.











Glue the rim around the basket at the top. It's easier if the rims and band are curled before you glue. To do this hold your hand at the edge of the table and run the card stock rim between your hand and the edge of the table.











Curled rim.




















You can glue this rim at any height. On this basket I am making it a little shorter.













Glue the middle band on. I glue it right at the start of where the container starts to get smaller.

Let the rim and band dry. After they are dry, cut off any left over spokes.








Now glue a rim to the inside of the basket along the top edge. I slip the basket back onto the container to hold the inner rim on. Be careful to watch if the inner rim slips down. Fix it and slip the container back on. Let dry.



I know that Elmer's can be a pain to work with since we are used to using tacky glues that grip quickly. We want this basket to be stiff, like it's made from wood, Elmer's gives us that.


At this point you can choose to leave the top open, attach wire handles at the sides, make a wire bale handle with a wooden handle on it, (blog date: June 22, 2010), or glue 2 layers of card stock together and make a handle that stands up or swings. Lots of choices.

I am going to make a basket with a lid that opens and a card stock swing handle.

On to Part 3.