Is your kitchen sideboard covered in pieces of paper, recipes, receipts and coupons? Do you have a bare fridge simply standing there, holding your food? Well, it's time to head down the pound/dollar store, pick up some cheap supplies, raid the recycling box and fashion your very own bouncy ball fridge magnets!

~ I've also entered this into the Maker Family Contest. If you like this instructable, I'd appreciate the vote! thanks in advance!! ~

Step 1: Materials

You will need:

Pound/dollar store

Bouncy balls (size and colour, your choice!)
A tube of silicon sealant

Recycling bin

Plastic packaging (meat or butter container packaging works well) - I found clear or white plastic shows the bouncy balls' colours best

Ebay

A pack of small (3-5mm) neodymium magnets. Mine were only 2mm thick, but were strong enough several sheets of A4 paper to the fridge tightly.

Step 2: Cut Your Bouncy Ball in Half

Pick up your bouncy ball and find the natural join line where the 2 halves meet. If there isn't a join line, take a best guess where the middle is.

Take your sharp knife and line up the blade with the natural join line and gently saw the knife back and forward along the edge, while applying gentle pressure to the knife.

As the knife saws through the bouncy ball, you'll get a little shredded ball coming off, but that's ok!

As you get near the bottom of the bouncy ball, rest your fingers over the top of the bouncy ball (see pic) to hold the 2 halves together for the final slice.

Once your bouncy ball falls apart, check the 2 pieces have flat edges - we want our magnets to have a flat edge to stick well to the fridge!

If the edges are a little curved, use the knife to carefully shave off any excess pieces of bouncy ball to make both halves flat underneath.

Step 3: Dig Out a Divet

Take one half of the bouncy ball in one hand, and the knife in the other.

Now, use the tip and top 4mm of the knife blade to dig out a divet/hole just larger than your neodymium magnet. I found that holding the blade firmly between my thumb and forefinger allowed me to cut a small curved crater out of the bouncy ball without too much trouble.

Once you've carved your cone shape, use the tip of the knife to pop out the little piece of the ball.

Use the magnet to check the hole is the right size before carrying on.

If it's a little small, or the magnet pops out on one side, you may need to use the tip of the knife to enlarge the hole.

Step 4: Squeeze in Your Sealant

Using the small nozzle on your sealant (or the tip of your knife, if your nozzle is large) squeeze enough sealant into the hole to fill it with a little up over the top, like a Mr Whippy icecream.

Next, moisten the tip of your finger by breathing on it and press it onto the magnet to pick it up.

Press the magnet onto the silicon sealant and press down gently until the magnet is flush level with the flat side of your half bouncy ball.

Step 5: Add Your Plastic Cover

Take your plastic container from the recycling and cut a square roughly the size of the bouncy ball.

Trim it down and round the corners so it would cover the magnet with about 5mm space on all sides.

Next, take your silicon sealant and carefully squirt a circle around the edge of the magnet.

Now, take the piece of plastic you cut and gently press it onto the sealant and magnet.

Press it down until it is flush flat with the bouncy ball and leave the sealant to cure for around 30 minutes. It will take around a day to cure fully.

Step 6: Time to Test and Reflections

Now your half hour is up, it's time to test your new magnets out! Try attaching different things to your fridge of freezer. The magnets aren't just limited to white goods though, try attaching them to other metallic surfaces!

Reflections

Other improvements or changes your could make...

Try using larger or thicker neodymium magnets for holding heavier objects
Carve your bouncy balls into squares, stars or other interesting shapes
Push a thumb tack into the centre of the curved edge with a spot of silicon sealant for an easy way to remove them for little finger

And in closing

Thanks very much for viewing my instructable. I hope you found it interesting and enjoying trying out making your very own bouncy ball fridge magnets!

~ I've also entered this into the Maker Family Contest. If you like this instructable, I'd appreciate the vote! thanks in advance!! ~