Low Bucks Magnetic Clamping System

[PHPaul]

I don't know how applicable this would be to building vehicle models, but for dioramas and especially structures, it's handier than a pocket on a shirt.

You can buy various clamping systems from places like Micromark, but they're way spendy and besides, where's the fun in buying something you can make?

Grab a bunch of 10mm round neodymium magnets from Amazon and a few pieces of bed angle cut to various lengths.

Drill some 5/16ths holes in the angle, deburr them and press the magnets into the holes.

Swipe a cookie sheet from the Cook's stash (you might want to buy her some nice new ones by way of obtaining forgiveness...) et voila', magnetic clamping system for a couple of bucks!

[Pete J.]

Looks like a useful tool.  I took the opposite approach with mine.  I bought a sheet of 20" square sheet of adhesive backed magnetic pad(think refrigerator magnet material) and stuck it to a piece of 3/4" high quality ply wood(MDF would also work) and use that.  This way my steel machinists squares will stick to it.

  I bought the thickest material with the strongest pull.  It works very well.   By the way, once the material is on the plywood, I ran it through a table saw to make a smaller one and to square up the edges.  

[Joe Heveran]

I went a similar route also. I bought some 4" X 6" peel and stick magnetic paper (5 layers). I stuck them on the bottom right corner of my self-healing cutting mat. I then bought some metal right angle brace brackets. I use the brackets as a jig to straighten the wheels on my model's chassis. The brackets hold the wheels while the glue sets.

When I'm not using the jig it is a perfect place to lay down some wide masking tape that I use to hold dollops of my glue which I can then use a toothpick for gluing my parts.

[misterNNL]

All great ideas guys, what with necessity being somethings mother and all.

[1930fordpickup]

if anyone is wondering where to get a metal bed frame, just watch the side of the road on garbage day.  they are out there from time to time. 

I also like these other ideas.