Iron Calhoun Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 I have a question I’m fairly certain is unusual and no good answers seem to be coming up in my searches. I am tasked with creating a Carpenters hammer and I’m wanting to add a nail set component. In order to do so, I need to be able to embed a rather small and powerful magnet. so, does anyone have experience with something like this and/or can tell me what type of magnets the big companies use for this purpose? I know from experience Neodymium magnets are very strong, but also very brittle. I also know that flexible magnets are very durable, but also very weak. I’m hoping someone can help me identify the middle ground. many thanks and happy forging! -Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 I haven't had much issue breaking neodymium magnets while magnet fishing. It gets beat up a bit on rocks and stuff. They are more powerful. Haven't hammered on one tho. I'm thinking if the magnet is embedded in the nail set so it has metal in between the nail and magnet it should still have enough power to hold the nail. Look at how the commercially built ones are made. Like a notch and the magnet holds the side of the nail in the slot basically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 Welcome aboard Aaron glad to have you. Are you planning on joining our merry band of eclectics or do you just wish ideas for your problem. We're good either way but if you wish to join I suggest putting your general location in the header so you have a chance of hooking up with other members living within visiting distance. Is this hammer a one off or are you thinking of making a line of them? For a one off I'd consider making the body of the hammer from an alloy that magnetizes strongly and facing it with one that hardens to the desired properties. Or cut the face off a bit forward of the eye, drilling and setting a neodimium magnet, plugging behind it and welding the two halves back together with the hammer face and magnet in a water bath to prevent running the temper out of the hammer face or damaging the magnet. The plug serves two purposes. 1, it holds the magnet hard against the bottom of the hole. 2, it serves as a measured standoff gap so the weld is essentially full penetration. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 It is my understanding that the magnet makes contact with the side of the nail, and is not subject to any direct impact. In fact, the nail should naturally pull away from the magnet upon contact with the target. The counterbore into which the (cylindrical) magnet is inserted should be a close fit (or shimmed or epoxied) to prevent the magnet from bouncing against the wall of the bore. Neodymium would work fine under these conditions... Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.