Lathe tool rack

[John M. Smith]

Has any one used magnets to hold up their tools? Someone told me you shouldn't, but he can't remember why.

Thanks
John

[Steve Schlumpf]

John - just a thought - but wouldn't a strong magnet actually magnetize your gouge? If that happened - wouldn't that create some problems moving your gouge on a steel tool rest? Just wondering...

[John M. Smith]

That was what we were thinking.

John

[John Keeton]

The other issue that would be even more of an aggravation would be the filings that would adhere to the tools when they are sharpened. You simply cannot get all of those off a magnetized object, and ultimately, some of those are going to embed in the wood of the piece you are turning.

[patricia stein]

it happened to my scapers. every time i try to use them now it stinks.

[Wayne Sparkman]

it happened to my scapers. every time i try to use them now it stinks.

Libraries use metal strips hidden in books as a security measure. The strips are magnetized, and then de-magnetized when the book is checked out. When returned, the strip is re--magnetized and returned to the shelf.

Which leads me to wonder if you can't just take your scrapers somewhere and have them de-magnetized?

[Ryan Baker]

I use magnets to hold many of my tools. I have never had any of them stick to the tool rest even the slightest bit, and I have never had grinding dust stick to them either. It's a non-issue in my opinion.

[Michael Mills]

Just my opinion but…
Except for a scraper or the bottom flat of a skew when using the long point for V cuts, very little steel touches the tool rest. I's sure other tools exist but I don't own any. The point of contact of a round gouge on a round tool rest certainly can’t be measured in 10th of an inch, maybe (?) in 100ths of an inch. I have never had a problem with skews or scrapers but it could exist.
Being a novice to woodturning I don’t worry for now about any magnetized filings. I worry more about the jagged weak edge left by grinding which is then embedded in the wood. This can be overcome by honing or stropping, as a woodworker would do.
So far I always have to sand anyway so I don’t concern myself with either.
On a positive point, my tool rack is only two steps away at the most so there is no inclination to lay a tool down (and have it roll to the floor) to grab another.
Note demagnetizers are sold on ebay.
I have never had a tool fall from the magnet racks.
Mike

[Rick Flink]

I have been using magnetic strips since I got sucked into this wonderful crazy world of turning, and I too, have never had an issue with magnetized tools, trouble on the tool rest, or filings from sharpening sticking to the tools, mag strip etc.

Rick (mtgrizzly52)

[John Keeton]

Perhaps it has something to do with the HSS tools? My only experience with a magnetic holder was some years ago, and some older chisels I had became magnetized and whenever I sharpened them, they would hold filings for what seemed like forever.

Glad to hear no one has these issues as it looks like a good way to solve a storage problem!

[charlie knighton]

i have one of those magnetized pointers for finding things after you drop them, it does need to be cleaned up from stuff that sticks to it after awhile, i have not used the magnetic strips, just the 5 gallon bucket thingy for tools

[Jim Kountz]

Libraries use metal strips hidden in books as a security measure. The strips are magnetized, and then de-magnetized when the book is checked out. When returned, the strip is re--magnetized and returned to the shelf.

Which leads me to wonder if you can't just take your scrapers somewhere and have them de-magnetized?
I thought at first you were going to suggest he store his tools at the library!!:D:D:D:D

[John M. Smith]

Thanks for all the info. Have another idea I will try. Have not given up entirely on magnets yet either. Will try to post a picture in the very far future when I get the cabinet done.

John

[Jim Silva]

I use a magnetic strip for all my mini tools and have never had any issue with the tool sticking to the rest. You'll get more resistance from square tool edges on the rest than the minimal magnetism the strips can impart. If you're holding tools with a magnet that can lift a car then I'd reconsider.:D

As far as the filings go, the only time I get filings sticking to a tool is if I set it down in filings beside the grinder which has always seemed to me to be less than desirable to begin with. Any tool, held by a magnet or not will attract filings if that's the case just due to static electricity or magnetism incurred by the act of sharpening.

Either that or my magnetic personality prevents these things from happening. (Sorry, couldn't resist...)

[Ken Whitney]

I use magnetic strips (from Ikea, for kitchen knives) and have had no problems with the tools sticking to the tool rest or metal filings sticking to the tools.

I stick all kinds of useful things there (awls, burnishers, etc.).

Ken

[Paul Atkins]

I got some HSS jointer/planer blade at a junk yard that had moved them with the big magnet crane. What a pain. Some have lost the magnetism, but some I have made into tools stick to the toolrest just enough to make them hard to contol. I'm looking at getting a demagnetizer for these and some tools / chucks for my machine lathe.

[Richard Jones]

To demagnetize:

Google "demagnetize soldering gun".

Rich

[Joe Pfeifer]

I would think the heat generated from grinding would demagnetize the tool to avoid any issue with filings or grinding dust sticking to them.