Ideas for a Homemade Grabber to Reach Into Small Spaces

A grabber can be a necessity around the house. Sometimes it is just not possible to bend and reach into hard-to-reach areas for that little object that got lost. Some people just need a little extra reach when trying to get something. Since a homemade grabber is made mostly from items from around the house, it is an inexpensive solution to your needs. It can also be customized to suit your specific needs.

Assemble these items: Wire clothes hanger (the kind with the paper that can be detached), four thick rubber bands, string, duct tape, 1-inch-by-3-foot PVC pipe, wooden dowel that is 1/4-inch in diameter and at least 3 feet long. Remove the wire hanger from the cardboard and shape the sides into the two hands of the grabber by bending the ends of the hanger so that they curve up into a 'U' shape. Bend the curved part (that hangs over the clothes rod) so that it is straight. Tape the dowel to the former curved part with the duct tape. Place the dowel and taped wire into the PVC pipe so that the hands of the grabber are flush with the end. Circle the rubber bands around each of the tips of the hands, using two for each part of the grabber. (Picture a crab claw, with rubber bands on the tips) Tighten the hands of the grabber by pulling on the dowel and release what the grabber is holding by letting go of the dowel.

Assemble high-bond adhesive, four paint stirrers, paper, duct tape and several thick rubber bands. Glue the four sticks together in groups of two, so that you have two thicker sticks. Make sure the edges match up. Allow them to completely dry. Place a folded piece of paper in between the two flat ends so they are sandwiched together. Tape the ends together so the two sticks for a very acute angle. You'll need to create some tension between the two sticks, so wrap several of the rubber bands several times just below the duct tape on the outside of the sticks. The rubber bands will work like a spring in a metal set of tongs. This is a simple machine, so it works somewhat like a hand holding chopsticks-- with the rubber bands and the duct tape holding things together, and your hands providing the tension to pick up what you need to grab. Add two of the bands around the end of each stick so that what you pick up will not slip from your tongs.

Assemble these items: an old flathead screwdriver, a mop or broom handle, two paint stirrers and duct tape. This type of grabber works better if you are trying to pick up trash around the yard. Tape the handle of the screwdriver to the end of the broom handle. It will still be wobbly, so be sure to brace it with the paint stirrers, and retape until the end is secure.

If you need to pick up something very small that is in a small space you can assemble a smaller version of the above tool by using a smaller screwdriver, pant stirrers, and a large ball of duct tape with the sticky side on the outside of the ball. Attach the screwdriver to the paint stirrers with the duct tape, then stick the sharp end of the screwdriver through the ball of tape. This works if you need to get something very light, such as a back of an earring or an ATM card that has fallen into an awkward space.