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Magnets are so wonderfully diverse

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Magnets, finger and magnet

My husband and I love DIY projects. He and his magnets are inseparable, and he has even got me using them in the kitchen. There is an endless list of everyday uses for magnets. Let’s look at some of them. It might even awaken the maker in you. The market supplies a fair number of magnets for most applications. Neodymium magnets (better known as rare-earth magnets) are my preference. These extremely potent magnets come in all shapes and sizes. Workshop, kitchen or office — there is a use for magnets.

Magnets in and around the workshop

Have you ever wished you had more than two hands while working on a project? Then you have likely often found yourself using your mouth to hold the nails. Not only is that extremely dangerous, but also impractical if you need more than one size nail. Here’s a tip on how to turn your wooden handled hammer into a dual-purpose tool. Follow these instructions to make your hammer a nail carrier as well.

Add magnets to your hammers

A small magnet will do the trick. Find a drill bit with the same diameter as the magnet you want to use. With the hammer handle secured in the upright position, drill a hole in the handle’s bottom flat part. Use epoxy glue to secure the magnet in the drilled hole. Let the glue set at least overnight, and you’ll be good to go. You now have a handy dual-duty hammer because the magnet in the handle can hold the nails.

Magnets. hammer with magnet
Magnetize your hammer (Image credit: instructables.com)

Change your screwdriver into a magnet

We’ll get back to the problem with not enough hands. Holding a screw in an impossible place is awkward. You guessed it! A magnet can do the trick, but how? You can use a magnet to polarize a screwdriver. Take your screwdriver by the handle and rub the magnet against the shaft. Stroke it in one direction only, from the handle to the tip. Stroke the shaft a couple of times, and you should be good to go.

You now have a magnetized screwdriver to insert that screw in that impossible place without dropping the screw. If, for some crazy reason, you want to demagnetize your screwdriver, do the opposite. Hold the screwdriver by the handle and rub the magnet on the shaft, but this time in the opposite direction. Start at the tip and rub toward the handle in one direction only.

Magnets, screwdriver
Polarized Screwdriver (Image credit: instructables.com)

Use magnets to recover dropped screws

Adding one or more magnets onto the end of a dowel stick makes magic. It changes a dowel stick into the perfect tool to collect those screws, nuts and bolts that are out of reach. It is an equally handy tool for cleaning up after a carpentry or steelwork project. Your modified dowel stick can collect screws, metal shavings etc.

Magnets can locate hidden screws

Magnets also come in handy for finding hidden metal screws and studs in a finished drywall. Lightly tap the wall until you hear a dense, dull sound. Then use the magnet in that area to pinpoint the location of studs or screws.

Magnetize a container

If you enjoy repairing or disassembling things, you really need a magnetized dish. Grab any stainless-steel dish and a rather large magnet. Use super strong epoxy glue to attach the magnet to the bottom outside of the bowl. Make sure you give the glue ample time to cure. You now have a magnetized container to keep everything tidy and together. Whether it is holding screws from a disassembled item or nuts for an assembly. Guess what, hubby made me one too — to hold my sewing needles.

Magnets in and around the house

Here’s another project that made magnets essential in the kitchen and pantry. If you are a visual person, then this is for you. When I notice something running low in the refrigerator, there is never a pen handy, and many items never get added to my grocery list. You need no more than a printer and a flexible magnet sheet.  Print small images of all the stock items you keep in your refrigerator, along with the words IN and OUT. Now you can move the magnetic images from below the IN column to OUT when anything runs low.

The magnetic counterparts of everything in the fridge go under IN, and items for your shopping list go under OUT. This way, you can easily see what to add to your shopping list at a glance without opening the refrigerator. You can use this visual method for nonperishables, canned food and other pantry items as well. It can be equally handy in the garage or at the office.

Magnets, fridge magnets
Visual shopping list (Image credit: instructables.com)

A final bit of magnets magic

Use your magnets to hide a key in a safe place in case of an emergency. Most keys are nonmagnetic material, but do not despair, use a key ring to stick to your magnet.

This article is all about the many uses of magnets because in our house magnets rule!  I hope it gets your magnetic juices flowing.

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