Mounting a shelf with magnets

[Contender54]

I'm using magnets to mount an aluminum rack to the dryer, but I need some sort of friction between the magnets and the surface.

I'm looking to accomplish something similar to the Harbor Freight racks.
I bought magnets from HF, but I can't find the rubber covers.
Any ideas?

This is the aluminum shelf I'm using. It's an oil can shelf I ordered from Summit.

This is the HF aerosol rack that inspired the idea:

This is a shot of the magnets on the back of the HF units. The top unit is the latex glove dispenser. The bottom is the aerosol can rack.

 

[Contender54]

I pried one of the rubber covers off of the HF unit, and it seems the magnets are of a similar size to the magnets I'm using.

This shot shows the actual magnets I glued to the aluminum rack. The magnet is on the right, the rubber cap I pried from the HF rack is on the left.

Short of buying another Harbor Freight rack and scavenging the magnets & the rubber caps, does anyone have any suggestions as to where to find the rubber caps?


Any input and/or comments are welcome.

 

[Playwme]

Cut up a tube into rectangles and glue to the magnets. It only needs to be on the mounting face doesn't it?

 

[Thumper68]

Coat them in Plastidip.

 

[Contender54]

Yes, it only needs to be on the mounting surface.

I've seen posts about plasti dip, but never actually used it.
Is it soft like rubber?

 

[like2wheel]

I have used Ultra Black silicone gasket sealer for similar applications. Clean the magnet well, spread it over the face that will contact the dryer, & either smooth it with soapy water, or flatten it to a piece of plastic milk carton & peel that off after it cures.

I've also had some success with a self stick grippy product that is made to replace tape on hockey sticks.

 

[Contender54]

I'll have to look into those.




Anyone been able to find the rubber piece from Harbor Freight?

 

[pepi]

You would want hard drive magnets for this.....low profile and extremely strong

 

[bullnerd]

Mcmaster Carr has all sorts of stuff that would probably work.

Ive bought tape that is very "grippy" in the past to add traction to a roller made to scan parts under water.

I'd use two sheet metal screws.

 

[Borntoolate]

You can buy some serious magnets that can hold 100s of pounds and more. Crazy strong magnets. You can also hurt yourself. I am in the process of having a new metal shop built. Intriguing idea to use magnets. Could come in useful.

 

[bczygan]

Rivets.

 

[drmarkr]

Yes, it only needs to be on the mounting surface.

I've seen posts about plasti dip, but never actually used it.
Is it soft like rubber?

Yes. Spray can available at Ace H adware or box stores

 

[Dragfluid]

You can buy some serious magnets that can hold 100s of pounds and more. Crazy strong magnets. You can also hurt yourself. I am in the process of having a new metal shop built. Intriguing idea to use magnets. Could come in useful.

You mean if they get too close to the steel plate in the head?

 

[Borntoolate]

You mean if they get too close to the steel plate in the head?

Yes. Or your hand between it and a hunk of metal. I am curious how they package some of the stronger one.

 

[rburke65]

We had rare earth magnets at work and when trying to get them apart I got my finger pinched between the two and resulted in a blood blister. Them puppies hurt. What about a piece of duct tape?

 

[Contender54]

I hadn't thought about a piece of duct tape. Good idea.
I've got plenty on hand, so I'll give it a shot when I have time.

 

[vettex2]

I would have just bolted them on.

 

[Contender54]

Wife doesn't want me bolting things to her dryer.

 

[vettex2]

Grow a pair

 

[CTyankee]

Wife doesn't want me bolting things to her dryer.

It's just a dryer right? I'd rivet the sucker on. Say you decide you don't want it there anymore. You're left with a couple of 1/8" holes in it's side. You'll probably keep it until breaks and you take it to the dump. Not like you're gonna affect it's resale value. But I'm not married either...YMMV

 

[Marctrees]

OMG.

Now this is a problem.

Worse then when my Father started bleeding out of his *** few months before his death.

You want friction?

Duct tape will not help, get a thin condom, cut it up.

Plasi dip tooooo thick.

Or stronger magnets.

Or, ya, as said above, grow a pair and drill a few holes.

OMG, Life is rough. Marc

 

[Contender54]

Y'all are cracking me up

 

[matt_i]

One problem with a "soft coating" is it will embed with any metal swarf that's attracted to the powerful magnet. Now you have this metal grit in contact with the glossy painted surface + vibration of that machine = not great for the clearcoat. Thus, I would make it easily changeable, the duct tape sounds like a good idea.

 

[DHCrocks]

put a small strip of double sided tape to the bracket. it will be enough grip to stop it from sliding down and the magnet will hold the actual weight. best of all it's removable if need be.

 

[jives]

Industrial strength Velcro.

 

[gungatim]

seems to me this is the perfect use for a piece of duct tape....but if the OP is dead set on plastic caps, in the GJ tradition of making everything as complicated and over-engineered as possible, I would suggest investing in a 3-d printer and making some that way...

 

[pepi]

Well there is alway a skyhook to hang it on. That way it can mount to the side of the door out of the way.

 

[emmittgabbard]

Insert the magnet in a piece of Heat Shrink Tubing that HF sells. I made some magnetic gun mounts using the heat shrink tubing and HF magnets.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Borntoolate]

Right! A real man aught to be able to, at will, with no warning, bolt, weld, rivet, gorilla tape/glue or otherwise affix anything whatsoever to a dryer without fear of repercussion or consideration of later resell value.
Agreed.

LOL

 

[bushmechanic]

Nobody here is wondering how he's planning to use a magnet to attach an aluminum shelf?

Steel backing plates or something?

 

[vettex2]

Right! A real man aught to be able to, at will, with no warning, bolt, weld, rivet, gorilla tape/glue or otherwise affix anything whatsoever to a dryer without fear of repercussion or consideration of later resell value.
Agreed.

LOL

 

[6PTsocket]

I have used Ultra Black silicone gasket sealer for similar applications. Clean the magnet well, spread it over the face that will contact the dryer, & either smooth it with soapy water, or flatten it to a piece of plastic milk carton & peel that off after it cures.

I've also had some success with a self stick grippy product that is made to replace tape on hockey sticks.

That is the self fusing tape, often called F4 tape or rescue tape. It is the grippiest stuff i have ever used but it has to be stretched tightly to grab onto itself. It does not stick to what it is wrapped on. If the OP can get it around the magnet it should do the trick. The stuff has low abraision resistance but that should not be a problem. You can get it in all the usual places HD, Lowes, Amazon, etc.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[like2wheel]

That is the self fusing tape, often called F4 tape or rescue tape. It is the grippiest stuff i have ever used but it has to be stretched tightly to grab onto itself. It does not stick to what it is wrapped on. If the OP can get it around the magnet it should do the trick. The stuff has low abraision resistance but that should not be a problem. You can get it in all the usual places HD, Lowes, Amazon, etc.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

While I am familiar with self fusing tape, I did not think it would be the best choice for him because it would have to be wrapped completely around the magnet.

I was referring to a product like this:
http://www.tackimac.com/shop/categories/Hockey/Attack-Pads/
There are other brands (mine was black) but this came up with a quick search.

As I said, it is adhesive & I have used it to keep magnets from sliding & marring paint

 

[gungatim]

Nobody here is wondering how he's planning to use a magnet to attach an aluminum shelf?

Steel backing plates or something?

in between the huge pics the OP said he is gluing the magnets on to the shelf...

 

[Keel]

Coat them in Plastidip.

ding ding ding we have a winner..

 

[Dragfluid]

OH,,,,,,,,,,,,, the HUMANITY!!!


Fire up the damn Mig welder and get on with life!

 

[Borntoolate]

That is the self fusing tape, often called F4 tape or rescue tape. It is the grippiest stuff i have ever used but it has to be stretched tightly to grab onto itself. It does not stick to what it is wrapped on. If the OP can get it around the magnet it should do the trick. The stuff has low abraision resistance but that should not be a problem. You can get it in all the usual places HD, Lowes, Amazon, etc.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Grippiest. I like that word. I am going to use it. Need to call Webster...

 

[Borntoolate]

in between the huge pics the OP said he is gluing the magnets on to the shelf...

yup, I thought of the aluminum question but went back to read the fine print. It was covered.

 

[6PTsocket]

Grippiest. I like that word. I am going to use it. Need to call Webster...

I didn't get there first. Webster may be a little slow but I got a lot of hits when I Googled it, just now. I never realized it wasn't a "regular" word. LOL!!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[CN Spots]

A dab of silicone on each magnet. It sticks to both surfaces (when cured) and is easily removable. May need to support the shelf while it's curing.