DIY ammo can magnets
- WRMorrison
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 247
- Joined: June 18th, 2018, 7:21 am
- Reputation: 13
- Location: Mesa
DIY ammo can magnets
I'm sure most of you have seen the ammo can magnets that are out there:
https://shop.ammocanmagnets.com/
I'm on an ammo organizational kick, and was going to place a fairly large order for magnets from the link above. But, I wanted a few custom magnets that he didn't already offer. After 4 emails and a phone message with no response, I didn't have a lot of faith in his customer service. So, I bought the stuff to make my own.
I bought a pack of (10) 8.5x11 sheets on Amazon for around $18 shipped (search for Marietta Magnetics - printable magnetic sheets; won't let me post a link for some reason). That comes out to roughly .15 per 50cal magnet or .09 each for the 30cal magnets (compared to his price of $1.50/1.00) plus the cost of ink.
I've created templates for both 30 and 50 cal cans; you can put 20 magnets on a 30cal sheet and 12 magnets on a 50cal sheet.
These will print on either a standard inkjet or laserjet printer, but here's the catch: it has to be a printer with a straight-through paper feed...like the older, desktop printers. If the paper is stored in a "magazine" (like a pull-out tray at the bottom of the printer), the magnetic paper is too thick and will get jammed in the rollers of the machine as it feeds. I learned this the hard way after WalMart, OfficeMax, Kinko's, etc. declined to print these for me. In the end, I bought a cheap (<$40) inkjet printer from WalMart and it works just fine. I needed a printer at home anyway, so it was an easy decision for me.
If this is something you'd like to try, PM me an email address and I'll send you the templates; they're in MS Publisher.
-WRM
https://shop.ammocanmagnets.com/
I'm on an ammo organizational kick, and was going to place a fairly large order for magnets from the link above. But, I wanted a few custom magnets that he didn't already offer. After 4 emails and a phone message with no response, I didn't have a lot of faith in his customer service. So, I bought the stuff to make my own.
I bought a pack of (10) 8.5x11 sheets on Amazon for around $18 shipped (search for Marietta Magnetics - printable magnetic sheets; won't let me post a link for some reason). That comes out to roughly .15 per 50cal magnet or .09 each for the 30cal magnets (compared to his price of $1.50/1.00) plus the cost of ink.
I've created templates for both 30 and 50 cal cans; you can put 20 magnets on a 30cal sheet and 12 magnets on a 50cal sheet.
These will print on either a standard inkjet or laserjet printer, but here's the catch: it has to be a printer with a straight-through paper feed...like the older, desktop printers. If the paper is stored in a "magazine" (like a pull-out tray at the bottom of the printer), the magnetic paper is too thick and will get jammed in the rollers of the machine as it feeds. I learned this the hard way after WalMart, OfficeMax, Kinko's, etc. declined to print these for me. In the end, I bought a cheap (<$40) inkjet printer from WalMart and it works just fine. I needed a printer at home anyway, so it was an easy decision for me.
If this is something you'd like to try, PM me an email address and I'll send you the templates; they're in MS Publisher.
-WRM
- AZF350PSD
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 160
- Joined: June 21st, 2018, 6:39 pm
- Reputation: 10
- Location: West Valley
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
Great tip, thanks.
- Harrier
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 907
- Joined: May 26th, 2018, 7:47 pm
- Reputation: 7
- Location: Right Here
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
That is a real nice job you did...
Mine change every-so-often, so I just used a roll of masking tape and a sharpie...
and I can't afford to use a lot of ink at today's prices.
Mine change every-so-often, so I just used a roll of masking tape and a sharpie...
and I can't afford to use a lot of ink at today's prices.
- WRMorrison
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 247
- Joined: June 18th, 2018, 7:21 am
- Reputation: 13
- Location: Mesa
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
Also, you could just print in black (sheets are white) to save on the ink.
-WRM
-WRM
- gunpoorboy1
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 302
- Joined: June 16th, 2018, 7:03 pm
- Reputation: 1
- Location: Phoenix
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
Very nice.
- Steve_In_29
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 921
- Joined: June 7th, 2018, 10:52 am
- Reputation: 2
- Location: St John's, AZ
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
Nice
I just use a label maker or write on cans with a sharpie.
I just use a label maker or write on cans with a sharpie.
- XJThrottle
- ArizonaShooting.org Bronze Supporter
- Posts: 2900
- Joined: June 26th, 2018, 5:43 pm
- Reputation: 7
- Location: Phoemex
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
I have a vinyl cutter.
I could make decals super cheap.
I could make decals super cheap.
- WRMorrison
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 247
- Joined: June 18th, 2018, 7:21 am
- Reputation: 13
- Location: Mesa
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
I thought about this as well, but then you'd lose the ability to move labels between cans. I'm not sure how often that situation would come up though.XJThrottle wrote: ↑January 6th, 2019, 8:19 pm I have a vinyl cutter.
I could make decals super cheap.
-WRM
- lew
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 165
- Joined: May 23rd, 2018, 5:42 pm
- Reputation: 0
- Location: Phoenix
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
That's what I've been doing for the last fifteen years or so. Cheap and easy to remove if necessary.
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
The professionals use blue painters tape and a sharpie. Nothing easier to remove after a few years.
Masking tape tends to become semi permanent after a few years.
Masking tape tends to become semi permanent after a few years.
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
These do look very cool.
Mine are blue tape and sharpie. As are most of the storage boxes in my garage.
Mine are blue tape and sharpie. As are most of the storage boxes in my garage.
- Harrier
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 907
- Joined: May 26th, 2018, 7:47 pm
- Reputation: 7
- Location: Right Here
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
I guess i must be a pro then as I use the blue tape for that very reason
(A little mineral spirits will take off the old regular tape gum...)
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
I tried keeping mineral spirits around, but use it so infrequently that it had evaporated before I used it more than a couple of times.
- Suck My Glock
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 8972
- Joined: May 25th, 2018, 3:01 pm
- Reputation: 8
- Location: Peoria
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
I use the blue painter's tape as well. Now if they'd just make that on O.D. Green,.....
-
- ArizonaShooting.org Member
- Posts: 60
- Joined: July 25th, 2018, 2:27 pm
- Reputation: 0
- Location: West Valley
Re: DIY ammo can magnets
I’ve accumulated a few molle style utility bags, and throw my ammo in those...any suggestions for similar id tags?