Old Skis Challenge Winner

The path to readying old skis for more runs down the proverbial mountain turned out to be a slippery slope. Still, you downhill do-it-yourselfers stayed the course, fashioning such smart solutions as a picket fence and communal shot-glass stick. But the black diamond of them all was this coat rack, built by our winners, Damian Buchholz, Scott Colvin, Ethan Moffitt, and Kyle Wayman, of Buena Vista, Colorado.

Make It:

1. Determine whether the positioning of your skis' bindings will work for coat hooks. If necessary, reposition them by drilling new holes in the skis and remounting the hardware (you can also add extra bindings).
2. Stand the skis on their back ends and position them around the wood block, one per 4" side, with the block 8" to 12" below the tips. The bottom surface of each ski should sit flush against the block. If the skis are not wide enough to conceal it, use the jigsaw to trim the block until it can be hidden by the skis.
3. Draw a line on one of the skis along the bottom edge of the wood block. Measure down from that line to the bottom of the ski, then use that measurement to draw corresponding lines on the other three skis.
4. Drill two holes in each ski 1" above the lines you just drew and 1" or so in from the edges.
5. Attach all four skis to the block with wood screws.
6. Insert the back end of each ski into a child's ski boot, or use L-shaped brackets and bindings to build a "foot" for each ski. (Or do both.) If the skis don't fit tightly into the boots, secure them with expanding foam.
7. If you are using brackets and bindings, place the brackets at the base of the skis and mark where the holes need to go so that one arm of each L-shaped bracket is flush against the bottom surface of a ski and the other arm bends outward from the assembly. Drill holes in the skis. Use the nuts and bolts to attach the L-shaped brackets to the ends of the skis, then drill holes in the bindings and secure them to the free arms of the L-shaped brackets using the sheet metal screws.
8. Stand the assembly on the Lucite and draw a puddle shape around the feet. Use the jigsaw to cut out the shape.
9. Place the ski assembly back on the puddle and mark the location of the feet. Drill one or two holes in the Lucite beneath each foot to prevent it from breaking when you attach the base. The holes should be slightly larger than the screws you'll use so the screws can pass through easily.
10. Lay the ski assembly on its side. Line up the Lucite puddle with the outline of the feet and use the holes in the Lucite to mark drill points on the bottom of each foot. Drill one or two holes in each foot.
11. Cut, sand, and paint or stain your plywood base as desired. If needed, let dry overnight.
12. Line up the Lucite puddle with the plywood base and use the holes in the Lucite to mark drill points on the base.
13. Working from the top of the base down, drill a hole through each one of your marks. Countersink each hole from the bottom of the base to prevent the screws from scratching your floor.
14. Fasten the ski assembly, Lucite puddle, and wooden base together with drywall screws and/or sheet metal screws (depending on the feet of the ski assembly).
15. Place the finished coat rack in the foyer of your Swiss chalet and hang up that silly parka.

NEXT UP: REMOTE CONTROLS
{Deadline: May 29, 2007}

by Anthony Discenza
Once upon a time (circa 1973), the remote control was a rarely encountered device that granted its possessor near-godlike power. I was 6 years old when I first discovered one, a magic wand of sorts that accompanied my grandparents' then-luxurious 27" color TV. Built entirely of metal, it was big, heavy, and had only two buttons—one to turn on the boob tube, another to change the channels. Nowadays, the remote control is a common household object. I have no fewer than six. Rendered redundant by my newly acquired universal remote, they sit atop my TV, collecting dust while the universal, despite its name, remains unwilling to do my laundry or make the dog stop barking. Yet there must be another use for these battery-powered pointers; come up with something clever, creative, and at least remotely functional for a chance at winning a subscription and ReadyMade T-shirt. Send photos or projects to: MacGyver Challenge, 817 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94710 or articles@readymademag.com