DIY Network

Record-Album Room Divider Old LPs create a groovy room-divider screen. From "Creative Juice" episode DCRJ-202L

It's a good idea to have a few extra albums on hand for this project: it could also be used as a window treatment or as a wall hanging. Talk about good vibrations!

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Record-Album Room Divider

Tools:

16 old LP records
64 links of medium-size chain (available at hardware stores)
2 needle-nose pliers
power drill
small drill bit (slightly larger than the gauge of the chain)
safety goggles
silver permanent marker
scrap wood
12" ruler

Note: When choosing record albums for this project, look for those that are flexible and not super thick (LPs from the '60s to the '80s should be the right thickness).

1. Measure the length of an individual link in the chain and divide that measurement by 2 (this will be the point where you will drill the album). For instance, if the chain link is 1" long, you will drill 1/2" from the edge of the album.

	Figure A
	Figure B

2. Line up a ruler across one of the albums. The 6" mark on the ruler should be centered across the center hole in the album (this will create a straight line). With the silver pen, place a mark on the album on each end of the ruler using the measurement determined in step 1 (figure A). Repeat this step until you have 12 albums with top and bottom hole markings.

3.You will make only one mark on the remaining four albums. Line up a ruler across the remaining four albums. The 6" mark should be centered across the center hole in the album. Mark the remaining four albums with the silver pen (using the measurement determined in step 1) from the top edge. We are not marking the bottom edge because we will not be attaching any chain to the bottom.

4. Place an album on the piece of scrap wood. The scrap wood will brace the record while you are drilling. Using the drill and drill bit, drill holes in the record at the silver pen marks (figure B). It helps first to place the drill straight up and down and, as you begin to drill, to move it to a slight angle. This will help prevent the albums from breaking while drilling. Repeat for all of the albums.

5. Separate the chain into 16 pieces that are four links long.

	Figure C
	Figure D

6. Each row will be made up of three albums drilled with two holes, one album with one hole (bottom of the row) and four pieces of four-link chain (three for connecting albums and one for hanging the row).

Connecting the First Row

1. Using pliers, two albums and one four-link piece, open both ends of the four-link piece (figure C), attach one end into one album and the other end into the second album. Use the pliers to close the link (figure D). Repeat this step until you have a row of four albums. The album on the bottom of the row should have only one hole.

2. Repeat step 6 to make three more rows.

3. Attach the remaining four pieces of chain to the top of each row. Hang each record row from the ceiling with either suction cups or hooks, or loop a small curtain rod through the chain links.