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Nick Craver

@nickcraver.com

1.6K followers 194 following 54 posts

Dad, Husband, and Partner Software Engineer Microsoft working on Azure. Formerly Stack Overflow. I build very fast things to improve life for millions of developers.

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 11/05/2025

I feel like honesty in a relationship is key. So whenever prepping Mother’s Day presents, I feel it’s best to let her know she’s been bamboozled right up front.

Mother’s Day presents from the family, with LEGO Bamboo on top of the bag

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 06/01/2025

So anyway, I like this setup to utilize space and hope it helps someone else. It’s a great way to use your under-shelf space in a workshop and I’ve used it for years. Its just plates and a stack of neodymium magnets, stick one where you want to hang anything metal and…that’s it, super handy:

Workbench looking-up shot with metal plates mounted underneath the shelves and various tools mounted via magnets to those plates: 3-2-1 blocks, wire strippers, tape measures, magnetic parts bowls, spare magnets, tilt meter, and various other odds and ends.

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 06/01/2025

I needed to get this torque wrench out of the way, and luckily the case has reinforcement sections we can tuck some magnets in easily to below the form-fitting foam. In order to make this easier to get on/off, I used smaller magnets in the case and a Magswitch beefier one to be a shelf of shorts:

Test fit of torque wrench case on top of the plates we installed to see how position looks.

Neodymium magnets (too large to fit) placed as example against the plastic webbing of the open torque wrench case showing how we can go about this.

Actual magnets (much smaller neodymium bar stacks) placed in the bottom of the case ready for foam re-insertion and use!

Torque wrench case magnetically mounted to the wall using the in-case magnets for horizontal staying power and a much stronger Magswitch magnet at the bottom effectively acting as a shelf so it doesn’t slide down.

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 06/01/2025

Since the vertical area is about 8” across and I have a 1” thick level handy, I just used it ad a straight edge and clamped each plate so drill and screw and I went. When doing something like this, start in the middle so everything is more forgiving if somehow it gets a little off as you go.

1 plate shown spaced out with a 1” think level used as a straight edge to keep the 6” plate in the middle of the 8” wide vertical space.

A plate 3 positions up (so we can stay consistent from middle with more forgiveness) clamped in place for drilling and screwing into garage shelf sides.

3 plates mounted and screwed - middle progress shot to 6 plates.

6 plates vertical screwed in and done giving a 6”x36” vertical metal plate area in the side of the shelves we can use magnets on!

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 06/01/2025

Quick project since plates came in: I like to use plates and magnets for simple tool storage. First up: drilling and counter-sinking plates, ordered a stack of 6” squash plates for this but if space on garage shelves:

Clear vertical space on side of garage shelves we can mount things! Roughly 38”x8”

Stack of 6” metal plates clamped and drilled for some consistency after scribing hole locations with calipers.

Same plate stack with holes now countersunk showing screws end up flush for a clean-ish look.

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 04/12/2024

Getting in the hot tub at 10pm for the back seemed like a good idea to eventually get some sleep…but as I stare at the door 25ft away, there may be some regrets setting in.

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 30/11/2024

Current status: fixing builds for OSS projects I haven't touched for a little while and wondering what in the heck I was thinking.

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 17/11/2024

Quick before & after:

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 17/11/2024

After it’s dead, this one’s a quick replacement. Don’t use too much force, but these outlet testers can also help you align the outlet when tightening things down too. As always, use a voltage meter to make sure everything you’re near is dead.

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Nick Craver @nickcraver.com · 17/11/2024

Alrighty, let’s start small. Bathroom has been bothering me with cables, so let’s go USB for a few things and tidy up. First tip: these circuit finder and outlet tester combos are super handy. It’s a bathroom, so I can trip the GFCI instead of going downstairs to the breaker panel.

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