How to Make a Needle Minder from an Enamel Pin
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The Supplies You Will Need
- Enamel Pin
- Wire Cutters
- Dremel
- Safety eyewear and mask
- 2 Neodymium Magnets
- E6000 or another permanent glue
These are one of my favorite types of needle minders to make. They look more high quality than other needle minders in my opinion. I prefer using hard enamel pins over soft enamel but you can use whatever you have.
What is the difference between soft enamel and hard enamel pins?
Soft enamel pins will have a raised metal edge. The enamel doesn’t fully fill the cavity and there’s texture.
Hard enamel pins are smooth and the enamel is flush with the metal edging. The enamel is filled then sanded down to create a flat surface. These pins are more durable and scratch resistant.
Keep in mind the number of posts your pin has. Pins have multiple posts if they are longer or are supposed to be viewed in a certain direction.
In this case, multiple pins means more work. Your needle minder will probably also flip around a lot unless you use two magnets to replace the two posts.
Choose a pin that has one post with a bigger surface area in the center. There will be plenty of room for the magnet and it more than likely won’t spin.
There will be more tools required in this tutorial because we will need to remove the post.
Safety first! Use protective eyewear and a mask so that you don’t breathe in the metal dust and debris.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Place a piece of paper or cloth on top of the post. This will prevent the tip of the post from going flying and getting lost.
- Use the wire cutters to clip as close to the base to the post as you can.
- Sand down the rest of the post with the Dremel.
- Glue on your magnet
Any tips on how to demagnetize a pin that is naturally magnetic? When a magnet is attached to it, it seems to cancel itself out and the needle does not stick to the front
I’m honestly not sure. I’ve never had this happen. You may find answers with a quick Google search.