6

The current project in my sewing group is making a money clip.
My question is whether I should use rubber cement or hot glue to attach the magnets that hold the clip onto the money.
If it helps, the magnets are basically metal and the rest the clip is basically leather. The thread is waxed sewing thread and the needle is (I believe) a plastic needle as the holes are pre-punched. It’s a money clip do-it-yourself kit. If it’s hot glue then obviously I’ll be needing some help as I don’t trust myself with the hot glue applicator.

I just started the money clip: enter image description here

Just finished it!: enter image description here

Improve this question
1
  • They're rather larger, flatter magnets than I evisaged, and look like fridge magnet material that will flex a little. Both of those factors make gluing easier
    – Chris H
    Oct 5, 2018 at 8:46

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
7

I've glued strong magnets to various other things in an industrial context, and even fairly rigid substrates have a tendency to peal off the magnets.

Hot glue is good if it sticks well to both surfaces, and it often doesn't stick very well to things like metal. It's easy to use too -- try it out on scrap materials and you'll be fine.

A much better option is to use a magnet with a hole in (searching on "magnet with hole" will find you many sizes), and fasten through the hole, whether by sewing or some other kind of fastener. Alternatively sewing the magnet into a pocket can work well, but it doesn't sound like you've got much chance to modify the design. This option does require strong magnets as you're putting material in between them.

Improve this answer
2
  • Great idea with the hole, and I have to concur, hotglue is a poor choice - especially when there will be many moments of physical strain on the object throughout its lifetime.
    – Nothingismagick
    Sep 19, 2018 at 8:47
  • I don’t think that the magnets in the kit have holes in them.
    – Abraham Ray
    Sep 21, 2018 at 22:25
4

Those flexible sheet or strip magnets are made from magnetizable metal particles in a rubbery binder. The mixture is melted and extruded. After it's cooled down, it's magnetized.

Since the leather and the magnets can both bend, the adhesive should be something that remains flexible, and bonds with both a porous material like leather, and the rubbery binder in the magnets.

The best adhesive I can think of for this is E6000 (widely available at hardware and craft stores, and retailers like Amazon). It remains extremely flexible and stretchable (so it won't peel off if you bend the money clip), and has aggressive, permanent adhesion to both materials. It is also impervious to moisture (won't be affected by humidity or perspiration, or dropping the money clip in water), and won't be affected by most things you might use to clean the money clip.

Improve this answer
2

If your current system fails but you still have the parts, undo the stitching, re-glue the magnets and add a liner layer of fabric before re-stitching the outside of the leather.

Then, you can do a second row of stitching just around the magnets, making it impossible for them to move as long as the liner layer is whole.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .