...but this one was unique. My wife needed a new toothbrush holder for her kids in her K-1 Autism class as they had been using a jury rigged plastic basket that they punched holes in. So it finally broke and my wife wanted a new one with room for at least 8 toothbrushes. It also could not be too big or heavy as it has to be hung up using velcro and it had to be done and installed by Friday.  So I cleaned off my workbench and started to figure out what to do. So after a bit of head scratching I came up with an idea and ran with it.

I used a piece of 1/2" Birch plywood for a base and then I grabbed a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe and drilled out 9 holes 5/8" in size to hold the toothbrushes. After drilling the holes I used a Dremel to smooth out the holes to final shape and then sanded the pipe to get it smooth and to remove the printing on it. The wood base I sprayed on a few coats of clear finish and then screwed the PVC pipe onto it. I took it to my wife's school and intalled it with some strips of velcro. My wife is happy which is the most important thing. 

That's pretty cool!

Brusha, Brusha, Brusha.

Neat idea.

an autism class.

A room full of kids suffering autism so badly that the school won't let them in general pop.

When my wife  was in education she got a "special needs" class  ( this was back before they had diagnosis for them) in an urban eastern  elementary school.  She said the room literally buzzed.

I don't envy your missus. 

I admire her though.  Takes a special kind of bold to walk in to such a room every day.

My wife works in a typical elementary school (Pre-K thru 6th grade) in an area of lower socio-economic make-up with 70% percent Hispanic with English 2nd language learners. Back in 2001 she was hired by her district to establish the Autism Continuum Program starting with a Pre-Kindergarten class on one campus and worked towards getting multiple classes (Pre-K thru 6th) specializing in Moderate to Severe Autism. The classes were spread out over 4 schools and then were combined onto a single campus about 6-7 years ago. The main reason for this was that until this Autism Continuum Program was established, only those children with mild Autism were able to be in the public schools with one on one aides. Those with moderate to severe autism were put into a "County" program which was not stellar and was very over crowded or they were moved into different school districts. Today the Autism Continuum extends through Jr. High and High School as well. 

To say that her classroom "Buzzes" is an understatement. Her hope is to transfer over into the "Life Skills Program" which is for 18-22 year old adults with "Special Needs" which prepares them to be as self sufficient as possible. State and Federal law dictates that there is free public education for persons with disabilities up to age 22. When my wife first started into Special Education when she was 17 she started with the adults as an aide. She then moved to working with the Pre-K kids first coming into the system and loved it. But she always has said that when she gets towards the end of her career and can no longer keep up with the younger kids, as well as not being able to get up and down on the floor with the kids, she wants to finish her career with the adults. She has already informed her school district that when the next "Life Skills Program" opens up, she wants it. Of course that means that I will have a whole new batch of things that I will have to make for her classroom.

Also, my middle name is "Ed" and I am "Special"! 

Edited August 14, 201510 yr by Allen Worsham

Nice fix Allen and remember, "If mama ain't happy then nobody is happy."

Edited August 14, 201510 yr by Ron Dudelston

Nice job and it wasn't anything like my mind pictured when we were talking.

be careful with the head scratching,it is a bit thin up there!

Neat project Allen, I need to figure something out for my tools, to hang them up, instead of them just hanging around in boxes. I may just wind up buying or having a cabinet made that I can then screw something like this into.

NICE ALLEN!! WAY TO GO OUTSIDE THE BOX!! ATTABOY!!

That was a good head scratcher Allen and you come to the table and produced! Good on ya! Nice and clean looking too, that could also be incorporated into a wood shop some how too, still thinking about that one. Screw drivers? I like these type of projects myself, invention, it's fun.