Any ideas for finishing/decorating magnets?
I used magnetic primer to make some of our kitchen cabinets magnetic since our stainless steel fridge isn't magnetic. I bought 100 3/4" rare earth magnets to use on the primer, since it's normal magnets don't stick that well. As just magnets, they are somewhat fragile and break quite a bit, and aren't very attractive.
Any one have ideas for a fairly cheap way to change these magnets into something more appealing? I've taken some drink chips from a local beer festival and some buttons from the Maker Faire and glued them to a few magnets, and it's turned out well. It needs to be a fairly light weight decoration since I don't want it weighing the magnet down, which could cause it not to stay in place well.
Guitar picks
Bottle caps (maybe too heavy?)
Small origami pieces
Driftwood scraps
Seashells
Lego minifigs (too heavy?)
POGS!
@90mcg112: All good ideas. Bottle caps are actually an awesome idea. I have a large collection that I've been saving for making coasters and maybe a bar top with the help of epoxy. I have a coffee table and end tables that I'd made before, so kept saving the caps. Thanks.
Computer keyboard keys. Usually takes a bit of work with a dremel to give them enough flat surface area on the underside of the key so magnets can be attached, but well worth it.
Scrabble tiles with epoxied pictures are all the rage on Etsy. Those are fairly lightweight. You could make your own with little family photos or pictures you like. Apparently they are quite easy to make, though I haven't tried them myself - yet.
@gt0163c @melissadrag: Those are both pretty cool ideas. I think the magnets I have may be too large for both though. They're about 3/4" diameter, but I'm thinking about getting some more magnets, so maybe I'll get some smaller ones and try out one of these ideas. Thanks!!
Buttons.
Shrinky Dinks
I bought some candy tins
and placed magnets on their backs to hold things like pens, pencils, letter opens etc..
Pinterest has a ton of great ideas, Martha Stewart, Etsy and Living Magazine have plenty of repurpose projects, too.
@jeffrjohn: You could try Rummycube tiles, they're bigger than scrabble tiles and pretty thin (newer sets, anyway). I see a fair amount of Rummycube games in thrift shops and I know they're still making it. They're about the size of Mah Jong tiles but not as thick.
My first thought was those shiny, slightly flattened "stones" people use to fill the bottom of vases. They aren't very heavy (I think they are usually glass or acrylic) and could be a handy size for a magnet. They are fairly cheap at craft stores.
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