Goodbye Traditional Paper Towel Holders: Man DIYs Rustic Alternative With Horseshoes

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There must be a paper towel holder in just about every home in the country. Traditional models are usually either fixed to the wall and hold the roll horizontally or are free-standing and hold it vertically. Over on YouTube, Tony Higgo takes a unique approach, creating a rustic DIY alternative using horseshoes. He has an extensive set of metalworking tools and equipment, and there aren't many shortcuts or substitutes for this project. So whether you can duplicate it yourself depends on what you already own or are willing to buy.

Some tools, like locking pliers, a heavy hammer, and an angle grinder, are quite common. Others, like a gas forge and an arc welder, aren't things everyone has lying around. But you can find a small forge on Amazon for under $100, like the VEVOR Propane Mini Forge Kit. Chicago Electric, one of numerous brands owned by Harbor Freight, also offers affordable welding gear. You should add a welding mask, gloves, and forge tongs to your shopping list. If you are considering metalworking as a hobby, these are all things worth investing in.

You also need an anvil for this project. These are rated by weight, and those used for general metalworking and forging are typically a hundred pounds or more. Anything less probably won't have the stability or impact resistance you need. Lastly, make sure you have a metal-topped table, or a sheet of metal secured to a bench, to work on.

All this assumes you have horseshoes, but if you don't, they shouldn't be too hard to find. Farriers might have old ones, and farms or ranches might too. You may be able to find them online, but the weight could make shipping expensive. Don't get aluminum ones. They might be good for horses, but the material is very difficult to work with.

It is well worth going through the video to get a feel for the steps before starting anything yourself. There are obvious dangers involved with working with red-hot metal, and welding can also be hazardous. Make sure you're aware of all the necessary safety precautions before starting. It's probably a good idea to have a fire extinguisher handy, but remember there are things to know before you buy one.

Note that metal begins to cool quite rapidly when it leaves the forge. If hammering isn't having much impact, or the metal resists bending, return it to the forge and reheat it. You may need to do this several times. Also be aware that it's difficult to weld rusty metal, which is why you see Tony cleaning areas to be joined with the angle grinder before he does so. Early in the video, you also see him join two horseshoes, but later he separates them so the uprights on each end stay close in size and shape. You could also form them separately if you prefer.

For assembly, two horseshoes are tack-welded together and shaped to form the uprights before being separated. Two more are joined at the open ends to create the base. Once the uprights have been welded into place, a fifth horseshoe is heated and straightened to make a bar to hold the towel roll itself.The finished pieces need to be cleaned before painting. If your welds are lumpy, you can use the angle grinder to smooth them out. Tony has a wire brush attachment for his angle grinder for rapid cleanup, but you could use a hand-held wire brush or emery cloth (it's like sandpaper for metal). 

For the final finish, he uses spray paint. You can use Rust-Oleum's Farm & Implement Spray, which comes in a wide range of colors. A brush-on coating for metal would also work. Some of these paint products can be hazardous, so read the instructions carefully and work in a well-ventilated area. If you do make this unique paper towel holder, you may wonder what to do with your old one. Well, there are a number of clever ways to use paper towel holders around the house, so there's little danger of it ending up in the trash.