# Blue prints for knife rack/ knife block



## Godslayer (May 27, 2017)

Anyone have any solid blueprints for a kniferack? I've looked at a couple online but haven't seen anything too extra ordinary. Worst case I might just copy kramers designlol.


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## malexthekid (May 27, 2017)

Haha. I just decided the other day to copy the kramer design.


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## Godslayer (May 28, 2017)

Atta boy. Just can't justify 300usd for a knife rack I can make for 50 and a days labour


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## aboynamedsuita (May 28, 2017)

The Kramer style mag rack is a winner, I had this done a couple years ago. Biggest cost aside from the labour are the magnets.


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## Godslayer (May 28, 2017)

aboynamedsuita said:


> The Kramer style mag rack is a winner, I had this done a couple years ago. Biggest cost aside from the labour are the magnets.



Definatly, going to write down some blue prints tomorrow and try and bang her out in two days


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## TheVincenzo (May 28, 2017)

aboynamedsuita said:


> The Kramer style mag rack is a winner, I had this done a couple years ago. Biggest cost aside from the labour are the magnets.



Magnets are definitely a major cost, but I'm hopeful that I may have found a way to reduce that cost. I ran across a magnet company awhile back when they were featured in a youtube video. They take a substrate and print the magnetic field onto it, it's really cool. The nice part about this, is that they print the N and S poles of the magnet on the same face. This will give us the same effect as alternating individual magnets to keep them from magnetizing a knife blade. They can also be quite powerful, and apparently they have a stronger shear strength to the magnet. This directly affects our use for knife blocks as shear force is exactly what we are dealing with in something like a wall mount knife block. 

I just purchased about 10 different magnets from them to test on a block that I am designing right now. They just arrived yesterday, and I am going to be testing them out tomorrow to figure out which one will be the best for my aplpication. One thing that is really nice about the ones that I ordered is the form factor. They are 2" x .5" so they will be really easy to mount in a channel. This also means that I will require a fewer number of magnets to go across the length of my board, in comparison to round magnets, reducing the overall cost of magnets. At approximately $3-4 each, I find that they are in line with the cost of individual conventional magnets.

Here is a link to the site and also the youtube video about them: http://catalog.polymagnet.com/polymagnet-products/attach.html

[video=youtube;IANBoybVApQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IANBoybVApQ[/video]


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## JBroida (May 28, 2017)

make sure to back them with a metal bar... this will increase pull strength a decent bit


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## aboynamedsuita (May 28, 2017)

JBroida said:


> make sure to back them with a metal bar... this will increase pull strength a decent bit



Yes, definitely do this. Also makes the magnets easier to handle and less likely to screw up the polarity.

When we did mine we used a 2x23" piece of sheet steel with 1" dia. magnets in a checkerboard pattern and placed it in a cavity hollowed out by a router.

Only thing I'd do differently is use 2 - 1x23" strips with about 1/2" in between this would help resist rotation a bit better. It's a rare occurrence but occasionally if I put a knife on far less than perpendicular to the rack, it sometimes likes to try and rotate the blade down or tang up. Could also defeat this by using more magnetic strength so there's more friction, but then it's also harder (and possibly damaging for thin/delicate blades?) to remove the knives.

Also, if I ever do it again I'd consider using 1/2" dia. instead, because with small knives like parers you can kind of feel the tug 1" O.C. It's not really an issue though unless you really want to cram a lot of small knives close together.


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## Matus (May 28, 2017)

you definitely want 2 rows of magnets.


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## scott.livesey (May 29, 2017)

i built mine around these, http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Strong-1...469022?hash=item1c7412bb9e:g:xNcAAOSwB09YF3uO, 22 pounds of pull, placed 1" center to center. forstner drill bit makes a nice hole with flat bottom.


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## slobound (May 30, 2017)

I may have to go about trying my hand at making a knife rack. Thanks for the tips!


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## Bensbites (Jun 1, 2017)

I buy from magnetsforless.com. I find a row of 1/2 in magnets with ~10 lbs pull force placed within 1/16th of an inch (through wood) of the blades is perfect.


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## malexthekid (Jun 9, 2017)

JBroida said:


> make sure to back them with a metal bar... this will increase pull strength a decent bit





aboynamedsuita said:


> Yes, definitely do this. Also makes the magnets easier to handle and less likely to screw up the polarity.
> 
> When we did mine we used a 2x23" piece of sheet steel with 1" dia. magnets in a checkerboard pattern and placed it in a cavity hollowed out by a router.
> 
> ...



Are you guys talking about installing a steel strip behind the magnets in the cavity l? What thickness are we talking about? Sheet steel, as on 1mm thick or what do you suggest?


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## aboynamedsuita (Jun 9, 2017)

malexthekid said:


> Are you guys talking about installing a steel strip behind the magnets in the cavity l? What thickness are we talking about? Sheet steel, as on 1mm thick or what do you suggest?



i used a steel strip that was pretty thin (metal ducting), I was able to use metal shears to cut. I've also seen washers used that are thicker, but the strip makes it easy to handle


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## malexthekid (Jun 9, 2017)

aboynamedsuita said:


> i used a steel strip that was pretty thin (metal ducting), I was able to use metal shears to cut. I've also seen washers used that are thicker, but the strip makes it easy to handle



Thanks... i have ordered some 20mm dia magnets and found 20x3mm bar steel at my local hardware so might use that


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