Shop Tip: Speaker Magnet Tool Holder
Here’s a quick tip for you. Organize your small tools with this handy magnetic tool holder.
This was another project that caught my eye while surfing instructables.com, especially since I had just picked up some speakers at a second hand store to use as a mag-base for my dial indicator.
So if you have an hour to kill and some extra speakers laying around …
Just remember not to hang any tools that you don’t want picking up residual magnetism!
The original instructable can be found here, but I’ve included a PDF copy for those who don’t have an instructables.com account. This project was reposted with permission from the original author, klee27x. Thanks Klee!
Organize-your-tools-with-a-speaker-magnet.pdf (237.9 KiB, 132 hits)
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Tags: Shop Tips
January 5th, 2011 at 9:11 PM
Tyler,
You can buy magnetic bases fairly inexpensively. I've only bought machining accessories at CDCO and Little Machine Shop, with CDCO usually being a little less expensive, but in this case LMS has the better price. I've had great service and shipping times from both companies.
$4.95 at Little Machine Shop http://www.littlemachineshop.c…..1310310429
$7.00 at CDCO (go to http://www.cdcotools.com and then search for item 26028. CDCO's website is strange in that I can't figure out how to link to anything there.)
In an attempt to keep chips off of the magnetic base, I covered it with the clear tape used for moving boxes.
January 6th, 2011 at 12:24 AM
It's a clever idea but I don't think it would be to practical due to what was said before, the residual magnetism and having it covered iron fragments. Also I might say that it appears to be rather top heavy, I imagine that puling on one tool will make fall, requiring you to hold it with your other hand or another finger. I know I should quit complaining it only a miner inconvenience, but why trouble my self when I can just drill a few holes in a peace of wood and place my tools vertically.
January 6th, 2011 at 6:24 AM
I like the idea – for certain tools. I didn't look at the plans close enough to see if it already does, but if not, I would improve it by making it a rotate so it can be placed in a corner and you turn it for back side access. Also, I keep a cheap Harbor Freight combination Magnetizer/Demagnatizer on my bench because many times I want a screwdriver or socket to be temporarily magnetic for hard to reach screws.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:06 AM
Crapola!!!!!! Now all kinds of tiny pieces of steel shavings stick to my tools. I bought a demagnetizer to normalize my tools and I'm going to work on some spring steel clips to replace the damned magnets.
January 20th, 2011 at 11:44 PM
Did you make one of these John or are you just teasing?
March 22nd, 2011 at 3:22 PM
I use these magnets on my lathe tailstock to hold centerdrills etc also on the drill press for the key and a drift for taper shank drills
March 22nd, 2011 at 4:19 PM
My tens cents worth…I'd avoid this like the plague, I personally really don't like any tool becoming magnetised unless it's supplied like it, it's going to pick up something at some point. The whole magnet retention thing in the way of racks and trays that are around I stay well away from.
March 24th, 2011 at 5:21 PM
A magnetic tray behing my vise has saved me a number of times; the magnet isn't strong enough to magnetize even tiny screws. Most of my dial indicators are equipped with magnetic backs, and these save many dollars worth of fixtures.
A quick pass through a demagnetizer will correct any magnetized parts.
I do hate those infernal tiny slivers of steel that become imbedded straight in and flush with the surface.
Ain't no perfect nothin', it seems.
March 24th, 2011 at 7:37 PM
I would have to agree with Jerry on this I hate any of the little bits being stuck to everything