The Problem
Our chest freezer is old but functional. Some years back, one of its hinges disassembled itself, and now doesn't counterbalance the weight of the lid - the other hinge isn't sufficient alone, and the lid falls on your head if you're careless. And that is uncomfortable...
Above the freezer I put up a shelf to take the bigger cooking pots & pans, and that has wooden gallows brackets supporting it. I arranged a loop of cord from one bracket, that could go around the freezer's handle, to hold it up whilst rummaging.
This worked, but it was rather clumsy, especially when trying to unclip it with one hand, whilst trying to hang on to a slippery bag of frozen peas* with the other. So I had a fix, but not a Really Good One.
Then, doing my best Grue impression, I had a lightbulb moment: How about a dangling rare earth magnet instead?
After a bit of fiddling about, adjusting the cord length, etc, I got that to work: two 10mm round rare-earth magnets set into the surface of a wooden 'puck' tht dangles from a shelf bracket.
It's pretty good. The magnets catch the (coil-coated) steel lid nicely, and hold it almost upright whilst you find what you need in the freezer. And you can close it again just by pulling the handle -- no untying necesssary. Supercool!**
The big mistake?
Rule #1 of good DIY solutions is to use what you have and not spend any money (so she tells me!). So I used a couple of 10mm diameter rare earth magnets from stock.
I installed them as I would normally: a blob of 'gloopy' superglue on the flat surface of the magnet, then use the magnet stack (about three or four of them) as a punch, to tap it into place with a soft mallet. Once it was set level with the surface of the wood, slide off the unused magnets. Repeat for the second magnet.
Without thinking, I just used the next magnet in the stack and installed it in the same way. And it does work, with just enough pull to hang onto the freezer lid.
But then (of course!) I realised what might be the Big Mistake: because I simply repeated the steps, both magnets are in the same orientation:
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________________ (wood surface)
| N N |
| S S |
They are only about 6mm away from each other, and I wonder if I would have got a much stronger pull by flipping one magnet over. It does work, but a stronger pull would have been nicer - more reassuring for the freezer-rummager. And i had to modify the wooden puck a bit to get it to catch on the handle plastic to increase the resistance to sliding off the lid unexpectedly...
The question:
If you use double magnets in cabinet work, do you arrange them as above, or this way?
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________________ (wood surface)
| S N |
| N S |
Obviously it makes no difference if you have two different bits of iron/steel to attract them to, (or a second set of magnets they catch to), but a single bit, like my sheet steel freezer lid, is affected by both fields at the same time.
It IS still a strong pull. If the team thinks I messed-up, the puck will make a useful chuck-key holder for the pillar drill (and I will make another one, for the freezer lid, but more carefully!).
Answers on a fridge magnet please...
E.
* other vegetables are available.
** see wot I did there?