Description
These magnetic parts trays are collapsible silicone dishes measuring 11.4 x 5.1cm, supplied eight to a pack in orange, red, blue and green, for $92.64. Each has a magnetic base to hold screws and bolts, and folds flat when empty so eight of them take up almost no room in a tool bag.
The reason to have eight rather than one is sorting, not capacity. Anyone who has stripped something down knows the actual failure mode: all the fasteners end up in a single dish, and reassembly becomes a guessing game about which screw came from where. Four colours across eight trays means one colour per stage - engine bay, interior trim, dash, console - and the parts stay grouped in the order they came out. The collapsibility matters for the same reason people own eight: rigid trays take up eight trays' worth of space whether they are full or empty.
Specifications
| Quantity |
8 trays per pack |
| Size |
11.4 x 5.1cm (4.5 x 2 inches) |
| Material |
Silicone |
| Colours |
Orange, red, blue and green |
| Base |
Magnetic |
| Storage |
Collapsible - folds flat when empty |
| Stackable |
Yes |
What's in the Box
| 8 x |
Collapsible silicone magnetic parts trays in assorted colours |
Why Eight Trays in Four Colours
-
Colour coding beats memory - one colour per stage of a strip-down, and reassembly stops being guesswork.
-
They fold flat - eight collapsed trays take the space of about one rigid dish.
-
Silicone will not scratch - unlike a steel parts dish set down on a bonnet or a bench top.
-
Magnetic base holds the tray and the parts - it sticks to a steel bench, a toolbox side or a car panel, so it is not taking up bench space at all.
-
Enough to spread around - one in the car, one in the shed, one in the kitchen drawer, and still have a set.
What Will the Magnet Actually Hold?
The supplier is unusually straight about this and it is worth repeating: the magnet only works on iron-containing metals. Steel screws, nuts, bolts, washers and most fasteners will hold. Aluminium, brass, copper, titanium and stainless steel in its non-magnetic grades will not - they will sit in the tray like any other dish, but they will not be held. That matters more than it sounds if you work on bikes, boats or anything with a lot of stainless, because you may be buying these for a magnetic property that will not apply to half your fasteners. For steel fasteners in general car, appliance and household work, the magnet does exactly what you want.
Where Can You Stick a Magnetic Tray?
The base magnet is the underused half of this product. It will hold on the side of a steel toolbox, a metal workbench leg, the underside of a shelf bracket, a steel garage door, a fridge, and most car body panels. Sticking it to a vertical surface at eye level while you work under a bonnet keeps the bench clear and the parts in your sight line. Two cautions: do not stick one to a painted car panel with grit trapped underneath, because that is how paint gets scratched, and keep magnets well away from hard drives, credit cards, hearing aids and pacemakers.
How Do You Clean Silicone Trays After Oily Work?
Hot water and dish soap will handle most of it, and silicone releases oil far better than plastic does because nothing soaks in. For stubborn grease, a degreaser works but rinse thoroughly afterwards. The part worth knowing: silicone can hold a faint oily feel even when clean, and if that bothers you, a wash with bicarb paste and a rinse sorts it. Do not put these anywhere near a flame or a hot exhaust manifold - silicone is heat tolerant but the magnet assembly is not, and a magnet loses its strength permanently once it is heated past its Curie point.
Buyers are typically mechanics and home car enthusiasts stripping something down, people who fix appliances, bikes or electronics at home, and anyone who has previously lost a screw and had to stop the job. They also get bought for kitchen drawers, sewing rooms and craft benches where the magnet is irrelevant but a flat-folding small dish is useful, and as a practical gift for someone who already owns the tools.
See our tools and hardware range, automotive for car work, storage and organisation for the workshop and essentials for the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many trays are in the pack?
Eight.
What colours do I get?
Orange, red, blue and green. The exact split between colours is set by the manufacturer.
Will the magnet hold stainless steel or aluminium?
No. The magnet works only on iron-containing metals. Aluminium, brass, copper and non-magnetic stainless will not be held.
How strong is the magnet?
Strong enough to hold the tray and a handful of steel fasteners on a vertical steel surface. It is not a lifting magnet and should not be loaded heavily on a wall.
Do they really fold flat?
Yes, when empty. That is the main advantage over rigid parts dishes.
What size are they?
11.4 x 5.1cm, which is 4.5 x 2 inches.
Can they hold hot parts?
Silicone tolerates warmth, but do not use them for anything straight off an exhaust or a hotplate - heat permanently weakens the magnet.
Fast Australian Shipping
We ship from within Australia to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin, as well as to regional addresses in every state and territory. Orders are dispatched promptly on business days and tracking is provided once your parcel is on its way.
Measurements and colour assortment are supplied by the manufacturer and may vary slightly between production runs. Contains magnets - keep away from pacemakers, hearing aids, credit cards and electronic media, and keep out of reach of children, as swallowed magnets are a serious medical emergency.
