Mahlstick substitute

Morris Darby · 06-09-2004, 02:09 PM

I saw a video of Richard Schmid once, and he had a thin bamboo cane hanging on his easel. I went straight to a local flea market and found one for a dollar. I've used it for over four years now and am very pleased with it's performance.

I found that my paintings don't look quite like his, but I am looking somewhat like him......hmm.

David Bottoni · 06-10-2004, 09:43 AM

Speaking of odd mahlsticks, my wife was telling me she needed to buy a new Swiffer broom (the broom that has a piece of cleaning cloth that gets pinched onto a rectangular piece at the bottom of an aluminum rod), because the bottom piece broke off. I took a look at the sectioned aluminum handle and thought 'mahlstick?'. I was light, thin and yet firm. The beauty of this stick is that is comes in 4 pieces that screw together, like a pool cue(stick), allowing me to have 3 different lengths, and when I store it, it comes apart to store away easily. If I get a chance I will post a picture.

BTW, I am not implying that my wife is the only person who cleans the house. I do my fair share too.

David

Julie Deane · 06-10-2004, 07:54 PM

I use a cheap dowel bought from Home Depot.

Kimberly Dow · 06-10-2004, 10:11 PM

David & Julie -

Out of curiosity - what is on the end of the Swiffer and on the end of the dowel? Did you cushion them?

Tom Edgerton · 06-11-2004, 09:45 AM

Kim--

To each their own, but isn't it heavy?

I use an old yardstick with a funeral home advertisement stamped on it. (common here in the South). I like the flatness of it for some reason.

Regards-TE

Mike Dodson · 06-11-2004, 09:48 AM

Kim,

I have a pencil eraser capped over the end of mine. Mine is a piece of alminum tubing I bought from Home Depot. It is extreeeeeeeeeemely light.

David Bottoni · 06-11-2004, 10:23 AM

I also have a wooden dowel, but this swiffer handle is excellent. Its light weight, compact (for storage), extendable from 12" to at least 48", without sacrificing rigidity. It has a wide grip handle, and at the end of each section is a threaded rod on which you can attach a threaded wooden ball or anything that has a threaded hole of the same size. Here is the Swiffer website, if you are really interested: http://www.homemadesimple.com/swiffe...ucts/dry.shtml. I just started using it, and I still laugh at myself for being so 'frugal'.

David