Magnets can sometimes feel like magic — their ability to both push and pull each other, as well as other metals, has attracted people for centuries. But if you thought magnets were only for fridges, think again! This magnetic DIY will impress your friends and astound your coworkers — faster than you can say “ta-da!” To create a fun magnetic sculpture, you’ll first need to gather together a few materials:
  • Two small neodymium magnets, one with a hole to fit your clevis pin
  • One half-inch dowel, cut inch two 5-inch pieces (many hardware stores will cut these pieces for you!)
  • Two 5” by 1.5” by ¾” blocks to put on either end of the sculpture
  • A small rivet
  • A small clevis pin
  • Braided fishing line
  • Wood glue
  • Sandpaper
  • Wood finishing products of your choosing
Creating the Frame You’ll start by drilling holes in your blocks to accept the dowel rods. You’ll need to drill two ½” circles about ¼” deep into each block, slightly inside each edge. This will allow you to build a square-shaped frame for your magnet sculpture. You will also need to drill some special holes into each block. In one block, drill a 1/16” hole for passing fishing line through. In the other block, drill a hole to fit one of your magnets, then glue it into place. Next, you’ll want to finish the wood you’re using in your sculpture. Because wood finishing methods vary, you can use your favorite method. At the very least, sanding is recommended to remove rough patches. Once you’ve finished the wood, you’ll want to assemble the various wooden parts that make up the frame. Insert the dowels into the holes you drilled in each block, and, if they fit, glue them into place. (If not, sanding the ends of the dowels slightly can help them fit.) Attaching Your Magnet Next, you’ll attach the magnet to create the floating portion of the sculpture. Tie the fishing line to your clevis pin, then thread the fishing line through the magnet, pushing the clevis pin through the hole in your magnet. Use a non-magnetic spacer (such as a book) to determine how long your fishing line thread should be in your sculpture. Thread the end of your fishing line through the hole in the block, tie it off, and cut any excess line. Remove your spacer — your DIY magnetic sculpture is now ready to impress! Check out this blog for additional information about the parts you’ll need for this sculpture, and to see pictures of finished projects.