Workshop Small Parts Organizer for Cheap - Magnetic!

This is a magnetic bar that you can mount via screws with lots of storage to maximize storage space between shelves. It works particularly well for small parts, screws, nails, rubber feet, etc., and it can really be mounted anywhere. Another way to mount it so that you don't do any damage to shelves, is to mount it using rope such as 550 cord aka parachute cord. To use the contents of one of the small bottles, you just pull it down, use the contents you need, do it back up and it sticks back under the shelf magnetically. There is another way to do this without the magnetic bars too, where you just use magnets and stick them under the shelves for easy, and usually cheaper storage.

REQUIRED ITEMS:

• Magnetic Tool Bar - Note - I didn't find this one until I had already bought the others, this one would have been more cost effective for 8 bars though, so I put it in here. (This may not be required if you mount magnets directly to the shelf instead of the bar).
• Magnets - There are a lot of these on Amazon, but these were the most cost effective I found at the time, and still hold a decent amount of weight. Unfortunately, the seller I used is now unavailable, but these are about the same size.
• Pill Bottles - This link is not where I got them either. I had a lot of various sizes hanging around already. You can likely get these for free - if you don't have any, try asking your local pharmacy. If you want them all a uniform size then these ones are the most cost effective I found.
• Glue Gun and Sticks - This is the one I used. Many other glues won't stick well to plastic - even superglue. This also came with LOT of glue sticks for future projects. Often you can find these used on Amazon too. This one, I not only love Gorilla Glue, but the glue holds on plastic very well.

OPTIONAL ITEMS:

• Permanent Marker - This is likely an item that you already have, but if not, it's another good one that you will likely use in other projects too. I like the dual tips as that makes them more useful for more project applications. I found this particularly useful to make sure that you don't glue the magnets on the wrong way - Then they will repel from the bar instead, and they are a pain to take off in that case.

AMAZON AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER:

These products are actual products that I've used and I like. However, I am an amazon affiliate and I do earn a small commission from the products sold. This does not affect their use in any way. I have personally used all these products and bought them myself. Please note that, of course, you can get products from where ever you choose, but I find it easier to order online for my projects. Thank you for supporting me!

Get your glue gun warming up in a safe spot - like over concrete - or do what I do and warm it up over some aluminum foil to catch any drips. I made sure to set the dual temp to the high setting - if you got the dual one like I did.

To make sure that you get the magnets the correct way around on your bottles. The easiest way to do this that I found was to place your bar magnet side up on the ground and place your magnets on it. Make sure that the magnets grab into the center of the bar. Follow the pictures above. If you get them the wrong way around, then they will actually repel the bar and try to stick to the side of it.

The easiest way to make sure that you get it correct, is to use your marker. Since you won't be seeing the back of the magnets anyway, I went through and marked all of them with the marker on the side that is facing me - see the pictures above.

Now it's time to glue to the magnets to the bottle caps. The easiest way that I found to do this is to have the bottle on the floor ready to go, use the glue gun with one hand, and have the magnet in your other hand. Hot glue dries rather fast.

Squirt about a pea-sized ball of hot glue in the center of the bottles cap. Then QUICKLY place the magnet on top, ensuring that you put the marked side of the magnets against the bottles cap. Press down to ensure the glue comes a bit out of the sides and the magnet sits flat against the cap.

Repeat for all the remaining bottle caps.

Give the glue about 15 minutes to fully dry, then mount your bar under a shelf. See the picture above. This was me figuring out which shelf to mount it on and how I wanted to mount it, but you get the idea!