Jump to content
I Forge Iron

What can I do with a giant magnet?


Recommended Posts

5 years ago, another friend gave me a 25 # 4" X 9" X 9" magnet, the pulse generator for the radar unit out of a soviet tank.. (Don't ask... its classified LOL) Had to move the sucker yesteday and had trouble breaking it away from the plate steel it was stuck to. Hate to chunk it but still can't find a use......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stick the really important notes on the fridge.

Wiping out hard drives, cassette tapes, VHS tapes, credit cards, pacemakers, etc...

Stick the kid to the car to keep him from running around.

Drag through the yard to find all of the missing tools.

Keep the car from rolling out of the driveway.

Tool holder.

Parts holder.

Defense against iron based robots.

Put it in a box marked feathers and mail it. Wait for the letter from the USPS.

Put it in the street, and see if you can catch a small car.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bryce where do you get that from? Maybe if you are using air hardening steels, in which case a liquid would not be the quenchant anyway.


an old machinest I work with told this is how they quenched all kinds of parts,

in an electromagnetic chamber of some sorts it probley wont work for everything and probley wouldnt get as hard either but its free magnet anyways
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whatever you do with it, I suggest keeping it away from electronic equipment, especially computers. With cell phones and other electronics becoming more sophisticated, you might want to consider keeping such a large magnet away form just about any electronics.


And don't go near it with your ATM or credit cards in your wallet...yes, that is the voice of experience! :mad:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could hang a smaller magnet over the large magnet on a string and use it as a teaching tool for kids. Learn the difference in randomness, strange attractors, emergent behavior, or chaos. Or get some ferrofluid in a clear container and have kids observe/sketch the magnetic fields.

If you use it as a floor sweep, maybe put some sort of bag over it so you can pull all the metal away easily.

It might be possible as a thought exercise, though ethically questionable and not very practical, to slow down your power meter with. (Dudley Doright need not reply) That is if it can be oriented to create a strong opposing force to permanent magnet in the motor on the meter base.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't let it get anywhere near to your tools or anvil. You will have the devil of a time with filings sticking to everything; magnetism is a pain in almost all metal working situations.
I remember being told that it can affect the temper of edged tools but I've never noticed that, what with the continual brushing etc I'm too busy regretting letting the xxxx things into the place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a big ol' magnet that I throw all the hard drives from our old computers on. Rotate them a few times, then the hard drives become targets for my 22.

Another neat trick is to put a hard plastic sheet over it and get a bunch of bolts/nails/hex nuts and build sculptures. Always amazing how high one can go with a strong magnet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...