Make Magnetic Memo Clips for a School Locker
Give a class schedule, a reminder slip, and a permission form separate spots inside a steel locker door. These wooden clips use flexible magnetic backing rather than loose button magnets. Make three with different colors so each type of paper has a predictable place.
Check the surface before cutting
Gather three flat-backed wooden spring clothespins about 3 inches long, a 3-by-4-inch piece of self-adhesive flexible magnetic sheet, scissors, a ruler, and a pencil. For the fronts, use three scraps of patterned paper and a glue stick. Check that the sheet grips the actual surface, or a similar painted steel surface, before attaching it to the clips. Aluminum and many locker liners will not hold magnets.
Cover the fronts and fit the backs
- Set a clip flat with the jaws pointing up. Measure the flat wooden sections above and below its spring on the front. Cut paper to fit those sections, leaving a slim border around each piece.
- Spread a thin layer of glue on the paper and press it onto the wood. Keep paper and glue clear of the spring and the inner gripping faces. Repeat for the other clips, then let the glue dry.
- Turn a clip over. Cut magnetic strips to match the two flat sections on its back, keeping both pieces slightly inside the wood edges. Round their corners so they are less likely to lift. Peel the backing and press each strip firmly onto clean, dry wood.
- Follow the adhesive instructions for setting time. Mount each clip vertically and try it with one slip of paper before adding anything heavier.
Stop a clip from sliding
If the clip rotates when opened, steady it with one hand and squeeze with the other. If it slides with a sheet attached, use a stronger flexible backing or switch to a lighter slip. If the backing peels away from the wood, remove the failed strip and replace it on a dust-free surface. To reposition a clip, lift it straight off rather than dragging it across the locker finish.
