apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Oh my god that's stunning! Congratulations on creating both a usable *and* beautiful addition to your kitchen!

I think baby food jars would work really well here too - and cheaper!

Very nice. I'm trying to sort out the spice situation in my kitchen; this is getting closer to what I want.

I could see mounting this on the inside of a closet or cabinet door, to keep the spices in the dark.

I use these watchmaker's cases. They come in several different sizes and are cheap.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=44948&cat=1,43326

Neodymium magnets must be really strong, no slipping or sliding on there?

@Joan A. - Fortunately / unfortunately my kitchen doesn't get a lot of natural light, so I wasn't too worried about light, but it could definitely be an issue for others.

@shel & ShibaGirl55 - Indeed, there are many alternatives to the canning jars (I just happened to get a really good deal on them..)

@ladyofshalott - Yes! They are really strong and have no problem holding the jars (which are relatively heavy).

I've seen this done with watchmaker cases, too. I plan on snagging some and doing it myself.

I love love love love it!

In my previous rental I McGuyvered a similar set up using the side of my refridgerator and small glass jars purchased from the container store. I glued magnets to the lids as well.

I also love Joan's idea of placing it on the inside of a pantry door.

I love this! I've been looking for a way to do magnetic jars on the side of the refrigerator without buying the standard tins with clear tops because I've heard from multiple sources that the lids often leak. This looks much sturdier - thanks for the great idea!

From my own experience, a piece of cloth over the top of the magnet(s) goes a long way to prevent scratches on your refrigerator. I have a pile of magnets salvaged from dead hard drives that I've repurposed for refrigerator use and they're strong enough to leave a chip if I forget to put them back _gently_.

Also: Death to unnecessary URL-shortener links!
Thank you, Kitchn, for putting _real_ URLs at the end of the article! If I can't see where it goes, I ain't clickin' on it.

I've used watchmaker's cases before and I actually didn't like them very much. They look nice but the lids don't always fit perfectly so very fine ground spices get trapped between the lid and the body of the case and end up all over the place when you open the jar. Also, they only hold an ounce or two, which is fine for seldom used spices but not nearly large enough for spices used more often like sage, tumeric etc. I've switched to using the 4oz mason jar and I'm much happier with my spice storage.

Ikea actually has a similar system with the magnetic herb boxes, it's part of the grundtal series...

I forgot to mention: the magnet is included in the herb box, so you can even stick them to the fridge...

Magnets will not hold well on stainless steel.

@dzaks What kind of glue did you use? I love the look, and may replicate it at home. Thanks!

@thesamanthafiles - I used a standard epoxy. I considered using hot glue, but did not think it would be strong enough.

@zongo - The neodymium magnets are super strong and are holding great!

@dzaks Thanks!

great project. I've been saving the back of a pantry door for something just like this.

I assume from the price listed that the neodymium magnets used were the 1/4" X 1/16" discs? I'd hate to go too thick if I don't have to.

Also, I'm just wondering if you had a discussion on labeling the bottoms as well. Depending on the viewing angle, I might just label the bottoms.

@Stone Maison I used the 1/2" X 1/8" magnets. Depending on what kind of jars you use, you might be able to get a smaller magnet.

David,

Thanks for the info... one last question. Are the lids, by chance, attracted to the magnets?

@Stone Maison - yes, there is a slight magnetic attraction to the lids, but not enough to hold the glass container on its side.

@foxpolo2o
I agree

The watchmakers cases are aluminum, which I am careful to avoid for food & edibles.

This post shows a great idea with the 4oz jars! I can keep those on a wall and my bulkier spices in the 12oz with the same diameter.

I was wondering if the watchmaker's cases are actually food safe.

Looks great, my only concern would be that spices retain their flavors so much better when not exposed to light. Although it wouldn't look nearly as pretty, opaque containers would work better from a cooking standpoint.

Great idea! Going to make one!
Here is a good source for any sheet metal, laser cutting, custom cut metal orders, plexi, wood etc. He can build just about anything from metal. Small orders o.k

www. We-fab.com

My husband-John Burgardt runs this metal fabrication shop in Santa Fe Springs/Los Angeles, Ca. He is amazing and works with artists, designers etc, Everyone goes to him because his shop is affordable and he does the job better than other fabricators. And he is just a smart,good all around no hassle guy!

This looks great and would look really good in our apartment. only thing is the back splash to our stove where i would want to put it is tile. would it be possible to drill into the tile to attach the sheet metal? if so, is there special drill/screws i need to use? thanks

randywhe, you need to find out what the wall is made of behind your tile and use hardware appropriate to that material.

great job david and david's girfriend!

Since no one else has mentioned it, the idea was published here in 2004: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43894-2004May20.html

Again, since no one else has mentioned it, you can buy very chic, already made options here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/GneissSpice

this is a place I found on-line too--- i have been looking to do this for a while now

Awesome spice rack! I might just try this now.

Also, that metal rack/shelf you have above - that's from Ikea, right? I was thinking of buying this, but the website doesn't give any indication of how much weight it holds? I was hoping to store pots on top and maybe hang a few. Would it be strong enough?

Specialtybottle.com has reasonably priced, food safe containers.

I just got all my supplies in to do this but for some reason the magnets are not attracted to the metal sheet at all. If someone could help me out with this I would greatly appreciate it. I got the same piece of metal from online metal supply as noted in the article and the magnets the same. The magnets are attracted to everything else I try th with.

I solved my issue. I did not realize there are different types of stainless steel. The only SS that is magnetic is the 400 series. I accidentently purchased the 300 series.

I just got all my supplies in to do this but for some reason the magnets are not attracted to the metal sheet at all. If someone could help me out with this I would greatly appreciate it. I got the same piece of metal from online metal supply as noted in the article and the magnets the same. The magnets are attracted to everything else I try th with.

copy xbox 360 games|wow leveling guide|watch satellite tv on pc|xbox 360 repair guide|Perfect Golf Swing|Joana's Horde Leveling Guide Review|warcraft millionaire|Game Copy Pro Review|How to Make Money on eBay|legitimate paid surveys|Yeast Infection Causes