Bottle Opener with Magnetic Catch

I couldn’t come up with a very good name for this one.  Magnetic Bottle Cap Catcher, Cap Catcher, Bottle Opener with Magnet, Magnetic Bottle Opener?  I ended up with “Bottle Opener with Magnetic Catch”.  If you can’t name it, then describe it.  Whatever the name I thought this was a pretty fun and easy project to make.  I’ve seen these at craft fairs, and online.  All different flavors of wood and different types of catches.  Some magnetic, some just a simple cup attached to the bottom of the board.

For this one I decided to try the magnetic catch at the bottom.  Which strangely felt like a science project when I got the magnet.  I was a little floored by how powerful these things are.  It’s called a rare earth magnet; which after a little searching I found it’s really not rare (not even a little).  If you decide to make one of these be sure to read all of the warnings about the magnets.  For the bottle opener hardware they have a ton of these in different sizes and designs.  I thought for mine I would simply use one that has the best team in the NFL on it.

For a little extra help with this project I also put together a video of how I made this below.  If you make one of these be sure to post it over on the WoodLogger Facebook Page.  I’d love to see how yours turns out.

Materials & Hardware

Not a lot for this one.  I used a scrap piece of Oak that I had.

• (1) 1″ x 4″ x 4′ – Oak (This would allow you to make several of these)
• Wall Mounted Bottle Opener (I chose one with an Indianapolis Colts Logo on it)
• Rare Earth Disc Magnets(I chose one that was 2″ x 1/4″ magnet but you could also use a 1.5″ x 3/8″ Magnet

Milling & Assembly

	For the board to hold the opener I chose to use oak.  You probably use just about anything you wanted.  For the cuts on this one, I chose to just use my miter saw. Nothing tricky about this one.
	I changed my mind twice on the profile.  At first I thought a simple board would be nice, but then debated between a round over or chamfer bit for my sides.  I ultimately decided on the chamfer bit.  It’s a little more decorative, but it turned out great!
	Another thing I debated on was how to mount the board.  Ultimately I decided to use a couple of key hole slots in the back.  I have a jig from Rockler that I use for this.  It helps in lining up your cuts.
	The last thing I needed to do to my board before finishing it was to drill a hole in the back for the magnet to sit in.  I wanted to use the largest Forstner bit I had, as I wasn’t sure how strong these magnets were going to be.  I used a 2″ bit.  However, in hindsight I probably could have used a 1 – 1/2″ or possibly even a 1″ bit.  Obviously you’ll match the size of the hole to the size of the magnet.
	I wanted to finish the board before I installed my hardware.  I stained it using a golden oak finish.  After I stained it, I sealed it with a gloss finish.
	Next up I inserted the magnet into the back of the board.  It was a perfect fit.  The magnets are quite strong.  The magnet I used had a pull of 49 lbs.  The wood definitely cuts down on the strength, but this one still worked really well.
	The last step was to attach the bottle opener. There are a LOT of these to choose from.  I went with an Indianapolis Colts opener. These would make a great gift if you have friends who have a favorite team.