Here’s a refinement on the old idea of using a magnet on a string to pick up nails and other ferrous-metal debris on a job site. I placed a large horseshoe magnet inside a plastic container (mine originally held ricotta cheese). As shown in the drawing, I attached a string to the top of the magnet and fed it through a hole in the center of the lid. Then I put a couple strips of duct tape around the edge of the lid to keep it attached to the container. The result: a magnet that easily picks up metal, yet at the jerk of the string, all bent nails, screws and flashing snippets fall off and land in my recycling receptacle.
Raja Abusharr, Eugene, OR
