(This will be my third attempt to post this. The first two attempts were
rejected on the claim that they contained attachements. I hope adjusting my
settings to "plain text" will work.....)
I'd love some input, if any of you have advice with regard to drying racks!
I have $500 to spend on items for my elementary art classroom, in addition
to my budget for supplies from the warehouse. I intend to use the money to
purchase a drying rack, as the room does not have any sort of drying rack,
and I am not a fan of clothes lines--I like for the kids' work to be able to
dry FLAT in order to avoid running.
What I'd REALLY like is a heavy-duty Saturn metal flip rack...the other art
teacher has a huge, nice drying rack that I believe is this type. It
operates smoothly with 2 springs per shelf and has a small opening in the
grid mesh (4" x 4-1/2") to accomodate smaller pieces of art.
Sadly, even the junior rack of this type is too expensive for me at $925.
Since having the trays tilt up and down for easy loading is important to me,
I am trying to decide between two options. The first is the Saturn Tensor
18 drying rack (40 shelves, 18" x 24" in size, with a 6" x 8" mesh size). It
features an "exclusive tray-lock system for supporting trays in the up
position without nut and bolt friction, 2 rubber spacerson each tray. Very
sturdy and maintenance free." So the shelves do not have springs. It runs
$475 at Dick Blick, so the catalog says, but the web site price is $399, and
perhaps they will work with me on the price.
The other drying rack I can afford and still have the lift-up tray option is
a spring-loaded drying rack that has 20 shelves a tough coated finish and
rounded corners for safety, but no rubber bumpers. The unit is described in
the Dick Blick catalog as 21" wide x 21" long (I am certain this is a typo,
actually; the measurements are listed different at the web site) and
features 2 casters. It runs $219 at Dick Blick. Another catalog features
what seems to be the same rack, but claims the shelves are 15-1/2" wide by
24" deep, and says the overall unit is 21" by 24-1/2." No mesh size is
listed in the catalogs, but the photos show a much smaller grid on each
shelf than the 6"x8" Saturn grid. The cheapest I can find this particular
rack is $155.40 at Nasco. Perhaps Dick Blick would match their price. Even
though it only features 20 shelves, I could afford to get 2 of them.
My questions are: have any of you had any experience with either of these
racks? Which one would you choose and why? If I go with the less expensive
rack, should I order 2 in order to have enough shelves, or should I just
order one and make sure I like it before ordering another?
Any money that I do not spend on the drying rack(s) I will be spending on
visual resources for the classroom. I do not need the money for
supplies....I have a separate budget I can spend for my art supplies. I just
desperately need a good solution for drying work flat in my classroom, and I
want to invest in what will work best in the long haul.
