3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Construct a Magnetic Dickies Workshirt

Construct a Magnetic Dickies Workshirt
Huh huh huh...  I said "Dickie". 

I often find myself under my car doing stuff. And while doing said stuff, I often find myself putting my tools on my chest. Why? Because it is a strain reaching back behind my head or across from myself and i don't have to go very far to get them. No forgetting where I put it too if it is sitting on my man bosom. Only problem is they fall off sometimes, like a lot. 

So I got the idea to cram some magnets in a work shirt on my right side (since I am right handed). Personal solution to make my life friggin' easier.

I basically added a handy dandy pocket which has a magnet covered insert slid into it. The insert is removable so that the shirt can be rung out in the wash without sticking to the washer and everything else in there. The insert is made from oil/water resistant/proof stuff so that you taking a spill under the car doesn't ruin it. I chose a semi-rigid plastic for the insert to keep the magnets from folding up the shirt and sticking it together. 

...This is my first instructable so bear with me
 
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up
 

Step 1Materials and a Precaution

Materials and a Precaution
«
  • chipped-magnet.jpg
  • scratched-magnet.jpg
  • washers.jpg
  • steamaseam.jpg
  • signs.jpg
  • magnets-invoice.jpg
  • dickies.jpg
  • big-ass-hankerchief.jpg
  • duct-tape.jpg
  • other-crap.jpg
  • last photo ←
»
These are all the materials you will need:
  1. Dickie brand workshirt or some other brand workshirt if you are a Nancy Boy
  2. plastic signs you buy at Lowes. These yellow ones for posting private property are perfect. just flexible enough
  3. butt-load of 1.5" washers. This is actually optional as I will explain later. I chose this size, you could choose a smaller one for more force. 
  4. butt-load of 1" diameter rare-earth disc magnets coated in epoxy (the epoxy: I was concerned about chipping, scratching, water and oil resistance)
  5. duct tape - duct tape really does do everything, don't it?
  6. a big hankerchief. I bought mine at a fabric store. It doesnt really matter what it looks like since it is going on the inside. You better get pink though... Wuss
  7. Steam a Seam! or some other woven interface mesh. Ask an employee at a fabric store. I hate sewing so this stuff is awesome
  8. marker, tape measurer or ruler, scissors, towel or ironing board, and an iron. 
A note on these magnets: Holy crap are they powerful. be careful around um.... everything. Things will fly 4 inches into the friggin' air to smack your fingers and stuff. Also, be careful with the magnets all around. They are very powerful but very brittle. Two images below here showcase what happens if you let stuff slam into them or mess 'em up trying to pry them apart. You probably wanna keep these things away from cell phones and cameras and robots or they might start singing folk songs...
« Previous StepDownload PDFView All StepsNext Step »
22 comments
Aug 23, 2010. 12:14 PMfungus amungus says:
Nice Stickie Dickie you have there. :)

And congrats on your first Instructable! You did great.
Aug 8, 2011. 9:24 AMimshanedulong says:
Can you please convert a metric butt load to pounds? I can't seem to find my conversion chart...

Awesome idea by the way!
Aug 22, 2010. 6:15 AMnikolardo says:
I love it when I have an idea independently verified. This is awesome. And very similar to my most recent instructable, http://www.instructables.com/id/Invisible-Usable-Back-Scabbard/ BUT you obviously started this before I published that. Great minds think alike.
Aug 8, 2011. 8:05 AMsiafulinux says:
Your idea is still great. Even though the arm bands can be bought, it's still cool to be able to do your own. Besides, one can make a more custom system.One idea is to put this where items can be held on the outside of my pants pocket to hold things like scissors, mini-metallic flashlight, etc.

Could also be used inside the pocket, to keep things from moving around a lot and becoming irritating when walking, sitting, etc.

Basically a magnetic pocket organizer. :-) I'm sure there are other ideas for this out there.

Good job.
Aug 7, 2011. 8:51 PMCyberscann54 says:
Aug 23, 2010. 2:22 PMmattthegamer463 says:
That sucks man. Like so many people before you, Billy Mays beat you to it.
Aug 8, 2011. 7:59 AMsiafulinux says:
*lol*
Aug 8, 2011. 7:33 AMLifeWarrior says:
Great Idea, I'm always doing something under my car I always lay a wrench or something down and have to scoot around on my creeper till I find it again. Great i'ble.
Aug 23, 2010. 2:14 PMdad45 says:
great idea - it could also be used around Halloween. Love your precise instructions - how much is a butt-load?
Jan 13, 2011. 10:34 AMilpug says:
yes. a crap-ton being relitively the average amount of crap produced by FOX news during primetime.
Oct 4, 2010. 9:59 AMtulekah says:
this is great!...for young people without pacemakers. don't hug your grampa while wearing!
Aug 23, 2010. 1:37 PMAnimador3d says:
Great Idea! But I guess you must be completely aware when you are wearing this thing , so no to leave scissors or knives unatended. I mean, I would not want any sharp metal object flying towards my chest.
Aug 23, 2010. 1:13 PMthoying says:
Love the line about futurama.
Aug 22, 2010. 7:10 PMmattthegamer463 says:
This is a great idea. A few years ago I built a belt clip with a magnet for holding screws, I stopped wearing it when I got stuck to a car I walked past. That said, any problems with you sticking to things? Is the insert annoyingly heavy?
Aug 22, 2010. 4:27 AMtyride says:
Lol, I can just picture a bunch of sockets flying off my shelf and hitting me in the chest. But still, this is a great idea. I'll be making one (I just need to be carefull about where I wear it).
Aug 23, 2010. 6:01 AMtyride says:
5/5 dude!
Aug 22, 2010. 6:43 AMle-Sid says:
great! Gotta try this... probably with hard drive magnets

Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

All Steps Viewing
View all steps of an Instructable on the same page when you're a Pro Member.

Upgrade to Pro today!
3
Followers
1
Author:ThorsMitersaw