I am VERY glad to hear from someone who has one of the models I am
considering. THANK YOU for your thoughtful response, telling me what you
think of it!
How old are your students? I have 1st, 2nd, & 3rd grades. Do you think that
students as young as 1st grade could be trained to work the drying rack?
Your suggestion of training drying rack operators for each class sounds very
practical.
What you were saying about the rack having to be pulled out in a certain way
sounded vaguely familiar, as though I've used one before--I have a sense of
pulling out, raising or lowering, and pushing back in. Is this right? I
can't remember where it was that I may have experienced it. It wasn't hard,
it just took some getting used to.
And the fact that I'd have to put it together myself..nnnnnnnnnn...not
looking forward to that! I'm still considering that model, but maybe not so
strongly.
Woody--
The way you described using the drying rack is just what I had in
mind--putting each class together, marking where each class ends, and then
emptying at the end of the day, storing each class's work together.
I'm afraid the model that I am looking at--the Tensor model--might not
operate quite as smoothly as the spring-mounted shelves, and thus might not
be the best option for me. I really want the big expensive model with the
springs! Sigh!
Trish--
What do you mean by "sanoset"? I tried googling it, and came up with
nothing. So now I'm curious!
We often work on what I call "placemat papers" that help protect my table
tops and allow the students to carry wet paintings as though on a tray...the
placemat papers are always bigger than the paper we are working on, and
might be helpful in the situation of too large a grid opening to hold the
small-scale artwork, just like you described lining your drying racks with
the 12 x 18 paper.
I have thought about getting a fixed shelf one, but I thought that the kids
would be more haphazard about slipping the artwork in...the various classes
might get all jumbled up, and smears might happen slipping it in, as I am
thinking not only of paintings but also of glue-line drawings for prints.
They take a long time to dry, and a smear would ruin the project. Plus, the
fixed-shelf racks always seem to get warped and bent out of shape, which
would drive me nuts.
To everyone, anyone--
Any other input would be great! Has anyone used that inexpensive model that
uses springs and has the smaller grid opening?
