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Thread: Demagnetize tools?

  1. #1
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    Demagnetize tools?

    How do you guys demagnetize your
    tools? Two of negative rake scrapers have enough magnetic strength to pick up steel washers. So they stick just enough on my Steve Sinner tool rests so it’s hard to Keep a smooth movement while usinG the tool.

  2. #2
    Get one of those tape recorder head demagnitizerrs. They work fast and thoroughly. Check eBay ...haven't seen them in
    stores in decades.

  3. #3
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    Depends on the size of the tools. A simple demagnetizing tool is widely sold on-line.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ricc Havens View Post
    How do you guys demagnetize your
    tools? Two of negative rake scrapers have enough magnetic strength to pick up steel washers. So they stick just enough on my Steve Sinner tool rests so it’s hard to Keep a smooth movement while usinG the tool.
    Ricc,

    I keep an old bulk tape eraser (I bought in the '70s) hanging on the wall next to my sharpening station. Even a little magnetism is an annoyance on a dry CBN wheel on the Tormek since it leaves a trail of black steel dust that obscures the edge. The bulk tape eraser is basically an electromagnet energized with AC current. I move the tool towards and away from the demagnetizer and it does the job in a few seconds.

    I recently bought one of those little tool magnetizer/demagetizer that looks like this one: https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools.../dp/B00004T7UQ
    I've tried it on screwdrivers and it works well. I haven't tried it on scrapers but I'll try it next time I go to the shop.

    Oh, I just remembered another way I've demagnetized things: Hold the tool firmly (in one hand or better, in a vise) then wave a strong magnet in the air, back and forth, as rapidly as you can. The length of the movement is not important. While swinging the magnet, move it closer and then away from the tool. Don't let the magnet touch the tool - you can put a 1/4" or so layer of something like a piece of plastic or wood over the tool so the magnet won't accidentally get too close and stick to the tool and magnetize it instead. This method works on screwdrivers and was the way I used to demagnetize CRT screens before I got a real degaussing coil. I also haven't tried using the magnet method on a large scraper but I can (next time I walk down to the shop!)

    BTW, steel tools, like other steel things, can become magnetized simply by being in the earth's magnetic field for an extended time, quicker if tapped or vibrated while held in one position - like using the tool at the lathe! This can be verified with an online query or by simple experiment. I mention that last part since once I posted about this and someone got upset, perhaps because it sounded crazy.

    JKJ
    Last edited by John K Jordan; 09-17-2020 at 10:04 PM.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    ...(next time I walk down to the shop)...
    OK, I tried a couple of things.

    I used a strong magnet to magnetize the end of a 3/4" and a 1" NRS (5/32" thick) until they stuck to the Wolverine rest. I used two of these:

    Attachment 441363

    - The cheap little magnetizer/demagnetizer did work, although the 1" NRS would not have fit if I didn't have it ground well down the side, and even then it didn't fit very far into the demagnetizer. The 3/4" fit fine. Both were demagnetized with a few strokes.

    - The waving magnet trick also worked fine and quickly demagnetized a scraper. I chose a very strong neodymium cube, 1/2" on each side. This magnet is so strong that when I park it on the back of my bandsaw it's difficult to remove. I put a piece of wood about 1/8" over the NRS and started moving the magnet, first rubbing on the wood then movinig it away while waving it with vigorous arm movement, slowly moving the magnet until it was about a foot or more away. One try with this was enough to demagnetize a scraper. BTW, the wood barrier not only keeps you from accidentally sticking the strong magnet to the steel, but also prevents accidentally slashing your fingers on the tool!

    You can find a suitably strong magnet in a junk hard disk drive or on Amazon. If not used to strong magnets be cautious - I would not want to use a magnet stronger than the 1/2" cube for this. Stronger magnets, such as 1" cubes, can be quite dangerous, they can pinch and crush flesh, and supermagnets are brittle enough to shatter. (I have some so strong that if stuck together it's not possible to separate them by hand.)

    JKJ

  6. #6
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    Mel, thanks for the info. I see them on beay for $30-$50 with shipping. A little more than I wanted to spend but I like the idea.

    JKJ and Richard - thanks for the info. The neg rake scraper is a hair too big to fit in for those little mag/degmag tools t. I may give JKJ's idea of using a strong magnet and waving it across the tool as he suggested.

    Any other guys with ideas or ways they use to demagnetized tools?

    Thanks
    Ricc

  7. #7
    I've seen inexpensive gizmos with "mag" on one side and " demag"on the other. They might be too slow to work immediately. Guess you could buy several ,leave them in place, then move them to others.

  8. #8
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    If you own an electric soldering gun.... hold it against the side of it and slowly move it away...

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Aumiller View Post
    If you own an electric soldering gun.... hold it against the side of it and slowly move it away...
    That's a good idea.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Aumiller View Post
    If you own an electric soldering gun.... hold it against the side of it and slowly move it away...
    Ed, thanks for the idea. Would never have given that a thought. I did find an old bulk take eraser on Ebay that I should have within the next day or so.

    THANKS Everyone!!

  11. #11
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    Don’t remember who it was - a demo at the Utah symposium several years ago, I think, but the demonstrator thought his tool was ‘sticking to the toolrest from magnetism’ - he gave it a hard whack on the lathe bed, tried it again and declared it demagnetized. I have absolutely no way to verify the results, but a quick google search did turn up the possibility that dropping onto a hard surface can, indeed demagnetize metal.
    Also functioned to wake up a few of the older audience members that had noisily drifted off to sandland.

  12. #12
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    I'm curious. How many have seen tools get magnetized? Not bragging, but I've been turning 20+ years, and I've only recently noticed that my tools get magnetized. Is the world changing? In the last 5 years, it's been a notable change, that my tools are sticking to the tool rest. From cheap tools to M42 and CPV tools........
    I'll have to try the soldering iron. I've been using the magnetize/demagnetize gizmo with limited results.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kyle Iwamoto View Post
    I'm curious. How many have seen tools get magnetized? Not bragging, but I've been turning 20+ years, and I've only recently noticed that my tools get magnetized. Is the world changing? In the last 5 years, it's been a notable change, that my tools are sticking to the tool rest. From cheap tools to M42 and CPV tools........
    I'll have to try the soldering iron. I've been using the magnetize/demagnetize gizmo with limited results.
    I've only been turning a few years--but i first noticed it on a flat topped tool rest about a week before Ricc posted this question.(odd coincidence--i was born & raised in Ricc's town, and only live about 50 miles west of there now. So it could be a shift in the poles!!)
    earl

  14. #14
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    If your lathe is oriented in a North /South direction try rotating it East/West. Sounds crazy I know but it is actually a very common fix for a variety of machines. In the days of old all shipyards were built with ships physically oriented East/West especially when they were riveted vessels. Today we have huge degaussing coils on the bottom of a river that the Navy uses on new ships to remove massive magnetic fields from construction welding and other operations. Constant vibrations are the problem when metal objects are physically oriented in a North/South direction.

    You can use a car battery and short length of wire to degausse a metal object. Attach the wire with several wraps/turns to the positive and negative posts and move the object though the coil slowly until it is out of the magnetic field. Years ago many computer (CRT) monitors had a degaussing feature built-in that provided a means of degaussing the screen.

    You can purchase a degaussing coil if you often have the need. A DC coil is most effective.

    https://www.jensentools.com/gc-waldo...oil/p/388mi317
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 09-30-2020 at 11:50 AM.

  15. #15
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    I'm wondering if the stronger magneizers/dematnitizers would have any effect on computerized implants such as pacemakers???
    Thoughts entering one's mind need not exit one's mouth!
    As I age my memory fades .... and that's a load off my mind!

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