It All Started With the Bruegger Meister
Not everything here at 173 is big remodels, or building things...sometimes is\t's about goofy little things - and this post is just such a time! Waaay back in the day, 173's first beagle, Bruegger...
...used to like to hang out in the bathroom sometimes. In the summer, he'd just lay out on the tile floor, and on the hottest days he would be found wrapped around the back of the toilet - belly against the cold porcelain, back and side against the tile wall and floor. Smart pooch. However, sometimes, whether because he bumped the door on the way in or because a breeze wafted through the bathroom, the door would close behind Bruegger and he'd be trapped until someone got home from work.
Maybe 15 years ago (or so), we picked up this cute little toy to use as the doorstop:
This little toy is made of what?-clay? paste? plaster of paris? I have no idea but it cost a grand total of $3.99 at the Christmas Tree Shops, and has held up all these years. Until last month. You see, this little boat get pushed out of the way with a foot every time someone needs the bathroom door closed. The wheels were perfect for that, but last month one of them broke off. I tried soldering the wheel back in place, but it was of no use. I searched all over the internet to see if I could find this same little boat - to no avail. So I thought - replace the wheels. I ordered a bag of wooden wheels (come to think of it, if you know someone who needs 16 wooden wheels - lemme know!). The problem was - axles. I thought about lag bolts but the axle holes were too small. I tried a small wood dowel but it was too fragile. Then I had a brainstorm! Coat hanger wire! I clipped off two axles and threaded the ends:
Then I applied a small washer and nut:
I thought about painting the wheels black, but for some reason I thought just leaving them au natural worked just fine!
It isn't fancy, but it works!
And of course, we must have a glamour shot!
And there you have it - an entire post about salvaging an old $3.99 toy that sits in the bathroom!