Building Kilt Pins

**Mike in Dayton** · 27th January 14, 09:38 PM

I have used rare earth magnets without any issues. The trick is to use the right ones. Don't use the magnets from a disk drive. The ones I use are round 3/8" diameter. I have found you need two magnets otherwise the kilt pin will rotate. I have had issues with two magnets being attracted to each other. Turning one over will allow them to repel but then they end up flipping on top of each other. To solve that I now glue them to a strip of plastic. That keeps them in order. As far as being attracted to a nearby metal object I have to be already against it for the 3/8" magnet to lock on.

Mike

**artificer** · 28th January 14, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by Angela Kaye Bodine

I am doing an experiment with E6000 glue I hear its the best or one of the best. I bought 2 pendants, and the things to make them into a pin plus some heavy duty little magnets. I used only the glue and magnets on the one pendant.... then the other pendant the pin back and the magnet. ( magnets so if I don't want to keep putting holes in kilts).I have to wait like 4/6 days to see if they both turned out ok. The glue said wait like 3 days but with the heavy duty magnets I put it on thick.. so I am hoping they come out good. Also they make these little rubber things that look like earring backs that you can put on your kilt pin so you wont lose it.. I use them on my pins .. Just in case you don't want to use a rubber band, which is STILL a very good idea...

I use rare earth magnets on several of my pins as well.

Originally Posted by Steve Ashton

I tried the rare earth magnets a few years ago and hated them. Yes, you do not put any holes in your kilt but I found them attaching themselves to every metal thing I walked past. I almost tore my kilt when the magnets attached themselves to a car fender in a parking lot.

Luckily the car was older 'çause the pin left a large ding in the paint.

Originally Posted by Mike in Dayton

I have used rare earth magnets without any issues. The trick is to use the right ones. Don't use the magnets from a disk drive. The ones I use are round 3/8" diameter. I have found you need two magnets otherwise the kilt pin will rotate. I have had issues with two magnets being attracted to each other. Turning one over will allow them to repel but then they end up flipping on top of each other. To solve that I now glue them to a strip of plastic. That keeps them in order. As far as being attracted to a nearby metal object I have to be already against it for the 3/8" magnet to lock on.

Mike

Plus1

I use the 1/4" ones, and a steel strip to mount the magnets to, but other than that I agree 100%. 4 of those magnets will prevent anything but the worst yank from pulling the pin free (which, if it were actually physically pinned through your apron, would probably cause a rip).

ith:

**HippieLee** · 28th January 14, 10:12 AM

I see you can get a bag of these pretty cheaply - amazon has a 10 pack of 3/8" diameter by 1/8" thick for 8 bucks. I bet one could even work that into a magnetic closure for a sporran if one were inclined to make sporrans. ;-) I'm gonna buy a couple packs and see what I can do...

**artificer** · 28th January 14, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by HippieLee

I see you can get a bag of these pretty cheaply - amazon has a 10 pack of 3/8" diameter by 1/8" thick for 8 bucks. I bet one could even work that into a magnetic closure for a sporran if one were inclined to make sporrans. ;-) I'm gonna buy a couple packs and see what I can do...

I would NOT use a rare earth magnet on anything that a wallet will be passing through!

They will wipe credit/security cards. The last place I worked had R/E magnets holding our ID badges (so we wouldn't have to poke holes in expensive suits) and without fail, someone would put their wallet in their inside breast pocket, only to discover that, when they needed their security passcard or credit card, the magnets had wiped them.

It actually got to be a bit of a running joke. Every corporate meet-up would result in a handful of people needing to get new credit cards overnighted to them as well has having to make the 'trek of shame' down to HR/Security for new passcards. LOL

ith:

**HippieLee** · 28th January 14, 10:56 AM

Doh! rats. thanks for the heads up!

**Angela Kaye Bodine** · 26th February 14, 01:29 PM

I did my experiment, I made 3 pins out of necklace pendants, then one only has the powerful magnets on it, now it seems that one is great with a light weight tartan, then I did a just a pin one, just to see. The just magnet one works ok with the medium weight tartan but I had to use another magnet for strength. I found that I was attached to alot of medal lol.. so I figured use a normal pin or one that you make easier with a medium weight tartan, but the light weight tartan is good for the heavy duty magnets and since it was a lighter weight I didn't have to double up on the magnets . Just use the best or one of the best powerful glues to make your pin or put a powerful magnet on the pendants