DIY Cookbook Holder

Supplies:

• 3/4 inch shelving board
• large clear plastic clipboard or Plexiglas cut to size
• duct tape
• saw - to cut Plexiglas and wood
• sandpaper and varnish
• router - to make cuts for book back holder

Steps:

1. Cut the wood base 10 1/2 inches by 7 1/2 inches. If using a clear plastic clip board, cut the length of the wood the width of the clipboard.

 
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2. Make the book back support 7 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches. Mine is made out of 2 pieces of scrap Plexiglas sandwiched together with the edges glued together. Hubby put a handy cooking information sheet between the two pieces of Plexiglas.

 
3. To hold the book back holder in position, cut gooves approximately 1/2 inch deep and the length to fit the holder. Start them 2 1/2 inches from the front of the wooden board. Make at least 3 for position adjustments for different size books. See above image.
4. Cut Plexiglas 10 1/2 inches by 10 inches. If you are using a clipboard, cut the bottom off 10 inches from the top. Cut another strip 3/4 inches wide and glue it to the inside bottom of the Plexiglas so book back support will fit inside when folded flat for storage.
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5. To tape it together, place bottom of Plexiglas beside and level with the front of the board. This will be the inside of the recipe holder so the clipboard clip will be on the bottom side of the Plexiglas. The tape has to bend, therefore, this is the first step in taping it together. (See image above in step 1.)
6. Place duct tape 1/2 of it on the Plexiglas and the other 1/2 on the board to hold them together.

 

 
7. Fold shut and tape outside of Plexiglas to board. Place 1/2 of the tape on Plexiglas and 1/2 on the wooden board. You will need to add another piece of duct tape to make it wide enough to fit well around the bottom and to the backside of the board.

 

 
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8. Using a case cutter, trim tape edges and you are done.

 
9. The recipe book holder can hold different size books and will protect your pages from splatters. You can use the clip on the clip board for holding small books or recipe cards. If using plain Plexiglas to make this, a clothes pin or paper clamp will work well.

 
10. Place book back holder on the wooden base. Fold for storage. I keep mine on top of the refrigerator where it's handy when I need it, which is quite often.

 
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