How To Make Roach Clip Memo/Picture Clips

This is a fun, stylish–not to mention lawful–way to use roach clips.

For those of you who don’t know, roach clips can be found in the electrical department of any hardware or home improvement store. The technical name for the little pinchers are alligator clips, however, so if you have to ask a salesperson where they are, you might want to keep that in mind.

What You Need

A small block of wood (The one used in the example is 1 ½ " square. I bought mine at a craft store for about a buck, but if you have some scrap wood and a saw, you could very easily make your own. Also, children’s wooden blocks would be GREAT to use too) OR an antique wooden spool.

Alligator clips

Wire (I used heavy weight picture hanger wire, which I found at the craft store for about $3.95 for 25 ft. Yeah, it’s gonna last me forever.)

Craft glue for the wooden block option; hot glue and glue gun for the wooden spool option.

Pliers

Wire cutter

Drill for wooden block option and drill bit just SLIGHTLY bigger than the diameter of your wire

Craft paint and brush, if desired

What You Do
–Wooden Block Option

Mark your center point on one side, and drill a hole about an inch deep.

Cut about 4 to 5 inch piece of wire, apply craft glue to bottom inch and shove in the hole in block. A lot of your glue will ooze out of the top; don’t worry about this. Just wipe it off the remainder with a paper towel.

Using your plier, crimp an alligator clip to the top of your wire. My clips had two "flaps" to crimp. I crimped one down first, and then crimped the second over the first.

Paint your block, if desired.

–Wooden Spool Option

Place a piece of tape over the hole in the bottom of your spool.

Fill other end with hot glue; shove 4 to 5 inch piece of wire in hole. Rub excess glue from around hole while glue is still pliable.

Crimp alligator clip to top of wire as in previous option.

Tagged:
roachclips alligatorclips picture-holder memo-holder wooden-block wooden-spool craft

Did you like this article?

March 02, 2007

4 comments | 20615 views |

DIY Maven's blog (2054 posts)

Featured Writer
Subscribe to this blog
Member since: 11/07/06
About: Self-proclaimed Maven of DIY, I'm up for anything from gonzo rehab to dressing a room. Check...

More by DIY Maven

Comments

» All comments

felisaudis

March 07, 2007

I fell in love with these alligator clips at my DDS's office and had to go buy a few pairs. I crocheted a line between them and hubby uses it to hold a kitchen towel as a bib for messy eats. This is a much more taseful use though. :-)

jasimar

March 02, 2007

Duuude. This is really cute. I think it would look adorable on my husbands boring desk. I'm off to make one!

Brennan

March 02, 2007

these are really neat...i smell a weekend project!

Chrisjob

March 02, 2007

Too cool! I saw these a few years ago in Hotel 71 in Chicago. I was tempted to take it home with me, but guilt and the creative spirit reminded me that could totally make them at home. Then I saw them at Crate and Barrell for some rediculous price, and I was again reminded I could do-it-myself. Thanks for you plans, and I'm off to the hardward store this weekend.

(Luckily, nothing else comes up under the tag "Roachclips" yet)