A 'GRATER' LOVE

It feels like FOREVER since I have done a tutorial!  So I am no doubt, more than a little rusty doing this one but I hope that you will bear with me as I try to show to all of you;
                                            a GRATER LOVE!
   Of course I am talking about a kitchen grater and how I made the variety of ones that I have to show you.  Here is one of them .  Pretty simple to make and here is how I did it ......

A KITCHEN GRATER

A JUMBO PAPERCLIP

No Big surprise here;  Jumbo paper clips with a shiny metallic finish.   I bought mine at Dollarama for
$1.25.  The size is listed as 50 mm ( 2 inches) and the package contained 80 pieces. a pretty good deal.

You are going to need pliers!

Now here is the secret ingredient!

These are for repairing furniture with  loose joints and stripped screws.   I found these also at a dollar store.  When I saw them I thought GRATERS but I wasn't sure how to make them into them so I had a look around Pinterest to see how others have done them and found out that they used the paperclips for the handles, and some other metal for the body of the  graters but they had to punch the holes into the metal and with this method you have it already done for you!

( footnote )
After reading some of your comments about not knowing where to look for this product I tried to search it out on the internet and I finally found it by googling up: 

"HARDWARE STORE FURNITURE REPAIR KITS"
( and also try Mr. Grip Screw Hole Repair kits available at the Home Depot)  I hope that this will enable those without access to the dollar stores to track down this 
"secret ingredient"

I began to experiment with some variations on a theme and you can see some of the results!
Most  of what you will need is scissors and wire clips and needle-nosed pliers!  I did use some glue for the tiny graters but the use of glue for this project is nominal
Grater Number ONE

This style is formed over a paint brush handle and bent so that the back over-laps and latches onto the back with the teeth of the metal biting into itself.  The outer portion of the paperclip was used and the legs were cut even and just guided inside and secured with a little bit of glue IF  necessary.

Grater number TWO

In this photo I am using the inside of the paperclip and also the narrow band of metal that is in the furniture repair kit

I have cut out the centre of the Jumbo paper clip and  then cut the ends even 

This is actually longer than I wanted and I did cut it down a bit more so the final length was
2mm for the paper clip and 1 1/2 mm for the grater or
7/8 in. for the frame and 4/8 in. for the grater

QUICK GRIP

I put the glue on the legs of the paper clip and then placed the cut piece of metal on top.  It fits almost perfectly but if needed a little light pressure can make the width of the metal strip and the paper clip match.  

This is what it should look like 

As I said earlier, I made these a bit too long but  they have since been corrected but they took just a few minutes to do

Grater Number THREE

This is the larger of the 2 sizes that come in the package.  There are several  of these pieces so there is always a chance at redemption if you don't succeed the first, second or third time around.  

I found it helped to shape the metal around a paint brush handle to get the half- round shape that I was wanting

This is WAY TOO BIG but this is the shape that you want to get close to.
You need to try to keep the back flat.  I cut the excess off but then I had to bend the metal together so that it would overlap some.  I didn't use any glue because the metal teeth gripped the metal on top, but you can use glue if you feel it necessary.  

For this style of grater I am using the jumbo or outer portion of the  paperclip.  The rods will  run the OUTER length of the grater and so I cut the legs longer than the length of the metal  AND  then I bent the ends upward like this......

The trickiest part of the whole procedure is getting the legs even.  I can't tell you how many times I tried and made a ROYAL MESS of it all.  Thankfully there are many many paperclips in the package!

So now that you have made your grater tunnel all you have to do is slip it between the legs and push it down to the ends and adjust the handle  so that the grater is secured along the sides. I used some pliers to gently squeeze the grater into shape again and also slipped the pliers up inside to press the paperclip up against the insides as flat as possible.

This style took the longest to do but wasn't too hard.  It measures 2 1/2 mm long and 1 mm wide or
1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide.

Okay, Here is the very last one
(I hope this is not grating on your nerves? )
Hahaha!

Grater Number FOUR 

Using a pair of metal cutters that can cut both legs at once, cut your  paperclip to the desired length or refer to the measurements for the previous ones as guides

 This style is going to be with the legs of the paperclip wrapped with the metal strip

I used some needle- nosed pliers to wrap the metal around a leg and then to squish it into place.  The first one is the easiest but the second one wants to shift while you are maneuvering it so a little glue always helps.  I cut the excess off and then did the wrap around the second leg.

  (  Later, I also used a metal file to smooth the cut ends of the legs.) 
Make it look tidy! 

And that is THAT!
But
Now that you have made these let me show you what they can do!

Fatima made me some Fimo Lemons and I decided to put the grater to the test!

This really works!
LOVE IT!

I have some tiny grated lemon rind on the table top.
Can you see it? 

AIN'T IT GREAT!

elizabeth