# I have a question about magnets



## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

I have a wire spice rack I want to hang up on my fridge since there isn't enough wall space in my kitchen. 

First I bought an 8-pack of 8 pound magnets. It held up just fine until I was just a couple bottles of short of filling up the rack, and then it slid to the floor.

Next I invested in a set of 14-pound magnets. I really think these were defective (a different brand, for one thing) because they wouldn't even hold up the empty rack.

Next came the 20-pounders, which had exactly the same outcome as the 8-pounders.

Should I up my game with bigger magnets, or am I missing something? If I use eight 8-pound magnets, would it have a combined holding capacity of 64 pounds, or just 8 pounds? Here's how I've been trying to hang it - it's not exactly brain surgery. Other than which way to orient the camera, that is.


----------



## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

You might want to try something like this:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-Neodymium-Hook-Magnet-holds-200-lbs-HEAVY-DUTY-/121144436790

It is rated for 200lbs of holding force. I might worry about pulling the side of your fridge off with one of them, but, the spice rack should stay where it belongs ... :laugh:


----------



## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

The trouble is, any real rating for magnets has to be in pulling force, I bet those magnets would easily support the weight that way. In your application though, it means very little, as all that is being used is friction. How "slippery" your fridge is to the magnet's surface is the real problem, (and the thickness of metal in the wall). You can try adding some friction to the magnets, or of course get stronger ones, or support from the top of fridge (probably the best bet, even with magnets the angle would help a lot).


----------



## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

I'd suggest using the magnets in Naekid post. Unscrew the hook and replace them with longer ones with a 90 degree bend.

Place them on the top edge of your refrigerator and hang your spice rack from the hooks.

Use a few of your magnets at the bottom of the spice rack to keep it from flopping when your open and close the door.

I think of your problem this way. Magnets are rated for pulling power, your spice rack isn't pulling, it's sliding and gravity is helping.

With the magnets on the top edge of the refrigerator the full force of the magnet will have to be "broken" to release the spice rack.

*Different idea.*

Take coat hanger wire and make some "Z" hooks. One end hooks over the top of your refrigerator and the other end hooks on the spice rack. A few magnets at the bottom of the spice rack to keep it from flopping.

Paint the "Z" hooks to match the refrigerator or decorate them hydration tube covers or flowers or whatever.


----------



## Marcus (May 13, 2012)

Me being me and since you've already bought more magnets, add another set in the middle to distribute the weight among more magnets.


----------



## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Here is the no-make solution...

Command hooks. They come in different weight ratings and varieties. You could get hooks that mount to the fridge or the velcro strips rated for heavy pictures. 

I used the hooks last year to hang our Christmas stockings on the wall. They were pretty heavy and one hook worked per stocking. I could have used heavier hooks and might this year.


----------



## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

part of the magnet problem is that the surface of the fridge isn't thick enough to support a deep enough field.


----------



## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Command hooks I never thought of that!

I've been resisting anything that would leave a mark since I'm renting... But maybe it's time to cave on this one.

While looking into it, I found this fun article too: http://lifehacker.com/15-brilliant-things-you-can-do-with-command-hooks-1355369802


----------



## zimmy (Aug 17, 2012)

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-in-magnetic-tool-holder-60433.html

Use a couple of these and turn them backwards, tool side facing toward refer.


----------



## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

I'd find an old clothes hanger made from good metal and make a couple of hooks. Hang the spice rack from the top of the door. Option 2, use screws and mount it to a cabinet door.


----------



## questor (Nov 9, 2008)

Try these people . . . they got some good stuff here

https://www.kjmagnetics.com/

neodymium . . . .


----------



## bigg777 (Mar 18, 2013)

Take a look at 3M Command strips.


----------



## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

I think you need more stronger magnets.
I have a few strong magnets , one never knows when one may need a magnet.


----------



## Gians (Nov 8, 2012)

If you can get an old Hard Drive open, the magnets inside are the strongest I've ever run across...seriously strong


----------



## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

When I first started in the machining trade, I ordered a bunch of neodymium magnets in several different sizes. Some of them are 1/2" diameter and a half inch long with a pull force of about 25 pounds. Those will raise a blood blister if you get your skin stuck between them. I bought one bigger one that is something like 1.5" diameter and 3/4" thick. I think the pull force on that one is over 100 pounds....it's a chore just to slide it off whatever it's stuck to---forget pulling it off unless you've got the pinch strength of a full time bodybuilder.

I think you probably need some stronger magnets if you're set on using magnets. You can get them with a rubberized coating. Otherwise, I'd find some 1/8"x3/4" steel, bend an "L" hook in one end, and then dip them in plasti-dip to keep them from scratching anything. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Plasti-Dip-14-5-oz-Black-Rubber-Coating-11603-6/202196703


----------



## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

Look up gold prospectors shops or on line stores they usually sell high power magnets, I have a few around, one's on a steel pick that I use when gold detecting and it's not easy to pull off of the pick. It separates black sand and other iron scrap from the area I got a signal from with the detector. A few people found that they needed to keep the magnets away from credit cards as they will wipe out the magnetic strip info. The strongest magnets of all are Neodymium, but from what I've read about them high heat will destroy their magnetism. I saw a person do a neat trick with one of those magnets, she dropped it down a copper tube and it took a much longer time than you would expect due to creating an electromagnetic field around it as it passed through the tube, this was demonstrated at "The House of Mystery, Oregon Vortex", just outside of Gold Hill, Oregon, a very interesting place to visit, if you're interested do a search on it.


----------



## questor (Nov 9, 2008)

Silicon pad between the magnet and the fridge. Also place an 'L' over the top edge of the fridge and suspend the rack from it. Lack of friction is your problem.


----------

