Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.
M Del Senior Member Joined: 09/04/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 155
Posted: 10:18pm 27 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Hi all
I am considering using some magnets to hold tools (both spanners and larger) to a length of C section in my shed.
There are some good deals on magnets on the interweb at the moment and by using individual magnets tools could be spaced as required. They are also easily seen if not in their place.
My question is, will the magnets lose their strength over time, and if they do how fast will they lose that power?
If too much loss then I will stick to wire hooks and other methods.
thanks
Mark Mark
MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819
Posted: 11:01pm 27 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Once all the little molecular magnets are all nicely lined up, they should stay that way unless there is some outside opposing or varying magnetic field surrounding the magnets. I don't think the Earth's magnetic field will have much effect.
In short, I think you will be pretty safe for the magnets to last your life time.
David M.
Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904
Posted: 03:03am 28 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
If you subject a permanent magnet to shock forces (hitting it) it will lose some of its magnetism.
Another thing, and you may not like it, magnetising tools is not always a great idea if there is any chance of iron filings (grinding dust) on your workbench. You will forever have the job of wiping this stuff off your tools Klaus
M Del Senior Member Joined: 09/04/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 155
Posted: 12:29pm 28 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Thanks guys,
Klaus, I know about a permanent magnet losing its power if hit as we used to magnetise screwdrivers occasionally to get screws out of holes in bodywork and deep plastic car mouldings, also when working under dashes. To de-magnetise them we gave them a couple of wacks on a vice or bench.
How magnetic do you think a spanner or screwdriver would get from being attached to a magnet on a wall?
Mark Mark
domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873
Posted: 01:31pm 28 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
At Woodside Schlumberger used to log the well information to 300BPI tapes in the old days for North Rankin, Angel and Goodwyn fields. Those tapes in storage had to be rotated to ensure the bits did not flip due to the earth's magnetic field if left in one position for too long.
Makes me wonder if all that info is lost now due to the inability of sourcing 300BPI tape drives or if it has been relogged or transferred to modern media?Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up.
Winston Churchill
M Del Senior Member Joined: 09/04/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 155
Posted: 03:06pm 28 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Hi Domwild, if they are anything like my current employer the info will be lost.
When our computer systems were upgraded in 97, then again in 2002 maintenance programs were the last things on the geeks minds.
In 2002 the old system was switched off and they did not want to pay for translation from the old to new in order to keep the data intact. Then they got a contractor to come in in 2004 to archive and encrypt data from 2002 to 2004(including some trial data from 98 - 2002)due to servers not being large enough.
They screwed up the contract, did not ask for the encryption details and as a result can not access the info .
This resulted in loss of maintenance info relating to some gear that is currently 35 years old and still in service.
I will buy a small number of magnets and see how they fare
cheers
Mark
Mark
Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904
Posted: 04:01am 29 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Certainly enough to pick up iron grit from the bench.
Why don't you try it on one tool first?Klaus
M Del Senior Member Joined: 09/04/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 155
Posted: 06:39pm 29 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Mmnnn, one spanner and a large magnet. Sit it in a spot where there is no chance of grit and then set the spanner on a dirty bench in the weld bay at work.
I will report back at the end of May with the result. Just need to find one large magnet (to confirm) for a speeded up experiment.
thanks Klaus Mark
Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333
Posted: 10:49pm 29 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
I would think there is a good reason we dont have magnetic spanners, and im sure you will find out why once you have a few.
Me think it will be the biggest pain in the arse as im sure you will find out soon.
Pete.Sometimes it just works
Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904
Posted: 02:48am 30 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
And when you found your large magnet make sure it does not accidentally get near micrometers, vernier calipers, steel rulers etc.
I once left an old speaker magnet on the bench which magnetised a lot of gear I did not want to get magnetic.
Fortunately I still have the demagnetising wand from the days when TV picture tubes required the use of it from time to time.Klaus
M Del Senior Member Joined: 09/04/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 155
Posted: 06:46pm 30 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Speaker magnet, why didn't I think of that. My CRAFT must be getting worse.
I am sure I have some old speakers in my bits'n'pieces shed, might take a few hours/weeks to locate but. Failing that I wonder if one of the sub woofers from the surround sound would be missed for a month or two .
This will probably be the shortest experiment I have done for a long time.
Thanks again Klaus
Mark Mark
yahoo2 Guru Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1166
Posted: 08:54pm 30 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
it is not easy to get an open end spanner on a nut when it keeps sticking to it. I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not...
M Del Senior Member Joined: 09/04/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 155
Posted: 10:10pm 30 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
We had that problem many years when we pulled an old 128 kva generator apart. Most of the assembly was magnetised to some extent. The tools were attracted to some of the parts more than others.
We just placed the tools on the magnetised parts for short durations instead of back on the bench/board/floor of the shop. I just don't remember the tools being magnetically inclined at the end of the job.
Maybe my memory is bad, I will know in a month or so.
cheers Mark
Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333
Posted: 05:30pm 31 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Funny enough i did see a magnetic tool rack on display yesterday.
It had 2 magnetic strips (long bar magnets) which got me thinking? (dangerous)
If one strip was a South magnet and the other a North magnet, than the tool would only become a flux path between the magnets, not so much a magnet itself.
When i think of school days where we had a horseshoe magnet, it always was stored with a plate across the N & S poles, the plate never became very magnetic, as i do remember trying it with iron filings.
As a test to this theory, i took a magnet from a old HDD, which is Neo and has 2x ..N, S, N, S, magnets making up a single magnet, it is attached to a backing plate, and has been since it was made, so i levered the magnet off the plate with a screwdriver, (tough little buggers to get off) and then checked the backing plate for any magnetization, and basically zip, nothing.
So by using a magnet or magnets that the tool formed a flux path between the poles it should not magnetize the tool, where a tool stuck to one pole of a magnet will become magnetic.
Another test for you to try and report back in a month.
Pete.
Sometimes it just works
yahoo2 Guru Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1166
Posted: 07:16pm 31 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
depends on the alloy a lot, screwdrivers are usually very susceptible to magnetisation. some spanners will never magnetise.
It is the act of cutting the lines of force that does it, static exposure does nothing. It will only take 5-or 6 swipes across the pole to magnetise a screwdriver.
When I was a kid 20 swipes across a magnet with a paperclip was the industry standard. I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not...
MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329
Posted: 08:41pm 31 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
M Del
I use one of those two-bar magnetic tool holders over my lathe. It's a quick holder for my chuck wrench as well as some files and other lathe-working tools. I also have such a holder in my kitchen, which I use to hold my sharp knives as well as a set of steak knives. My kitchen walls are covered in "barn tin" so the magnetic rack holding shivs shows out well; very "Man Cave-ish".
I should think a magnetized spanner would wind up being launched through a window before too long. You don't want your wrenches "sticking" to your work. A magnetized wrench would be a pain in the drain IMHO!
If you use neodymium magnets, they have a half-life of something like 10,000 years. Take caution with these though. I dropped a half-inch one once and it bounced off the concrete floor of my shop and landed smack on the side of my Apple Lap-top. Exit one hard drive!
So far as I know, a magnet's only two natural enemies are heat and shock.
Hope this helps you on your quest.
. . . . . Mac
Nothing difficult is ever easy!
Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman,
"Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!"
Copeville, Texas
M Del Senior Member Joined: 09/04/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 155
Posted: 10:36pm 31 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Thanks for the input guys. I have attached a sidchrome 3/4 - 7/8 open end spanner to a 4 inch magnet on the back of an old car speaker, the speaker is about 30 year old.
On a somewhat bright note (and nothing to do with magnets) we had a 10 hour power outage today while they upgraded a substation nearby.
I supplied a small amount of power from camping panels, batteries and inverter to try and keep the missus sane.
I think I have got permission to build a stand alone system . Need to move fast before she forgets the annoyance of the outage. Might need to start another thread for advice.
cheers Mark
Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333
Posted: 11:07pm 31 Jan 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Im not sure on the intention of your new thread, because if its advice to keep the mussus happy, than i doubt there is a man here that can help with advice on that.
Should it be a stand alone power system, then im sure there is good advice we can offer.
Pete.Sometimes it just works
yahoo2 Guru Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1166
Posted: 12:02pm 01 Feb 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Quote from spicks and specks:
Adam Hills: ...and the book you will be singing from is "A single man's guide to women"
Adam Richards: What! Only one volume?
Christine Anu: (fake strangling of Adam Richards's neck) I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not...
M Del Senior Member Joined: 09/04/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 155
Posted: 10:26pm 04 Mar 2014
Copy link to clipboard
Print this post
Hi guys, it has been a month and time for a report.
I have five spanners (four brands, 20-30 years old) and two screw drivers attached to several large speakers.
Stahlwille, 18-19mm open ender, no magnetism
2 sidchrome, one 3/4 - 7/8 open ender no magnetism, 30 plus years old
one 18-19mm open ender, some magnetism, 15-20 years old
one Dowidat 18-19mm open end, just detectable magnetism
one cheap chinese no name, turned into a magnet in it's own right.
both drivers show some magnetism
So it seems very high end stuff will be good, cheap tools will be missiles and decent mid range stuff may or may not go magnetic.
So do I take the time to sort them out by quality and age or build a decent shadow board? Will give it two more months and then decide.
Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.
Print this post
.
.
while they upgraded a substation nearby.
. Need to move fast before she forgets the annoyance of the outage. Might need to start another thread for advice.