magnetic tools

[Tim Hoyt]

Had a somewhat odd thing happen today. I took back a 1 1/2 inch scraper to the store I had bought it from. The issue was it was magnitized from the day I bought it. It drove me crazy using it because it slightly stuck to the toolrest. The folks at the store were helpful, but had never run across this problem before. They offered to exchange it, but the only one they had in stock had the same problem. They even called their distributor and all of there stock had the same problem with the scrapers. Odd to say the least!
I really don't want to bash the manufacture or the store because I am sure things will be worked out. I just really find it odd that a batch of tools was made and they are all magnetic.
One of the salesmen did bring up an interesting question. He wanted to know if the magnetism had transferred over to my toolrest. I had to tell him I didn't think so, but I really didn't know. I'll have to check first thing in the morning.

anybody else run across a similar problem?

[Glenn C Roberts]

http://www. aawforum.org/community/index.php?threads/demagnetize-a-lathe-tool.8467/

[John K Jordan]

Tim,

I hate magnetized lathe tools! Besides sticking to the tool rest, when I sharpen on a Tormek with CBN wheels a magnetized tool develops an annoying trail of black steel dust that obscures the edge. And tools can become magnetized in the earths magnetic field without ever being close to a magnet, perhaps not enough to stick to the rest but enough to annoy me when sharpening and to carry bits black steel dust back to the turning.

I demagnetize as needed with an old bulk tape demagnetizer I keep near the sharping station. I've seen tool demagnetizers on Amazon but never tried one.

You can also demagnetize a tool with a strong magnet. Get a good grip on both and swing the magnet rapidly back and forth very near the tool, moving up and down. Continue to swing the magnet rapidly past the tool while slowly withdrawing it until it is far enough away that you can't feel the attraction. I've used this method many times on tools and even to degauss color CRTs that developed off-color blobs. This method should also work if your tool rest has become magnetized, although unlikely depending on what it's made of.

The maker of the scrapers you mentioned might be using magnets somewhere in the process, perhaps using a magnetic hold down on a grinding machine.

JKJ

[James A. Brown]

"The maker of the scrapers you mentioned might be using magnets somewhere in the process, perhaps using a magnetic hold down on a grinding machine."

Very good possibility, as a retired toolmaker I have ground many pieces of all kinds of steel using a magnetic chuck on a surface grinder. IIRC all the magnetic chucks also had a "demagnetize cycle" that would remove any magnetism left in the steel. There are also stand alone demagnetizers and these also work. Jim.

[Tim Hoyt]

Hey thanks for all the replies.
Did a check on my toolrest this morning and it is not magenitized.
I think I might try to demagenatize using a rare earth magnet. I really don't have anything to lose at this point.
I checked the link to AAW and man that discussion quickly went way past my pay grade! a lot of interesting things were said and I think I understood about half of it.
Thanks

[John K Jordan]

If you want an electric demagnetizer, here's one:
https://www.amazon.com/TTC-TDM-1-4-5-110V-DeMagnetizer/dp/B007UQ4UBW
I have no idea if the cheap little screwdriver demagnetizers offered on Amazon would work with a large scraper.

I see a bunch of inexpensive tape demagnetizers on ebay.

An audio recording forum post provided this list of models to search for on ebay. I didn't check for any of these. I got the one I use from Radio Shack sometime in the '70s.

Hand-held Models:
-Inmac Data Strike 7180
-RCA R60
-Magneraser 200
-Sonar Videoraser VX-1401 and VX-1601

JKJ

[Ed Aumiller]

Did not read the AA article..

However, the way I quickly and cheaply demagnetize things is with an electric soldering gun... put the item to demagnetize between the rods going to the tip of the gun...hold the soldering gun on and slowly remove the item... You MUST have a tip in the gun to generate the field !

Simple and works if you have a soldering gun... (mine is an OLD wen model)

[John K Jordan]

However, the way I quickly and cheaply demagnetize things is with an electric soldering gun... ...

That's an interesting idea! The tip in a gun type soldering iron is nothing but a conducting loop in a low voltage/high amperage secondary of an AC transformer - I've noticed the magnetic field by the tip but never thought of demagnetizing with it. Tim could reshape the tip to open it up enough to fit the scraper if needed, or even substitute a piece of heavy copper wire shaped as needed. (I used to make my own soldering tips from wire a few decades ago. Well, actually it might have been a 1/2 century ago...)

JKJ

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

I use magnetic strips to hold my lathe tools. Been using them for over 2 years and no magnetic transfer to the tools yet. After reading this post, I went and tried to use a skew to pick up some filings on the work bench. No trace of magnetism in the skew, and it has been on a magnetic tool holder for 2 years.

[Bill Dufour]

Standard tool rest is cast iron which will not hold residual magnetism.