 |
free plans: how to make a
Magnetic Sculpture |
| Basic Description |
This sculpture relies on a magnet encased in a piece of wood, covered by a thin sheet
of plastic. Metal parts placed on top of the base become magnetized and this gives them very interesting
properties. You can shape the parts as if they were a single mass; its very fun to play with while
you are talking on the phone etc. Think of it as a 3D doodler. |
| Materials |
Small piece of wood, magnet, thin plastic sheet, glue, washers or other small magnetic parts. A complete
material list is provided below. |
| Tools |
Drill press with forstner bit, sandpaper.
A complete tool list is provided below. |
| Cost |
The plan itself is free! Estimated cost of materials: $8 |
| Time |
1 hour |
| Difficulty |
Easy |
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| Item |
Qty. |
Description |
| #1 |
1 |
Hardwood. We used a small piece of walnut about 3/4" x 3" x 3" (20 x 75 x 75mm); any quality wood will suffice. |
| #2 |
- |
finishing oil  |
| #3 |
1 |
Plastic sheet. The plastic sheet should be opague and thin. We recommend that the thickness be less than
1/16" (1.5mm) - you can use thicker plastic but this will minimize the effectiveness of the magnet. The
sheet should match the dimensions of the wood. We used the black cover of an extra DVD case that was
mailed to us as a promotion. |
| #4 |
1 |
Cup or pot magnet. We used a cup magnet with a diameter of 2.25" (57mm) and had good results; a
larger and stronger magnet would be even better. You can experiment with different magnets, but
they must be able to be recessed into the wood you are using. |
| #5 |
1 |
Screw to mount magnet to wood. If you are not using a cup magnet, you can glue the magent
into the base. |
| #6 |
- |
Glue to attach plastic sheet to wood base. |
| #7 |
- |
Magnetic washers or other small metal parts. We found a supply store that sells screws
and washers by the pound and we purchased a handful of small washers. Bring a magnet and your
plastic sheet to the store and experiment with different options. |
