i have a small cordless drill/driver that I want to put a short magnetic bit in. So i went to radio shack and bought four rare earth magnets. you’d think that four of these behind the tip would mangatize the tip like crazy. But noooo. The screws fall right off. Nothing! What the….
Edited 9/26/2007 1:02 pm ET by popawheelie
Replies
Why not just buy a magnetic bit?
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
a look at your pix shows that the magnetic flux is crosswise thru the shaft, you need the field to go out the tip -
Or, just stroke one of the magnets along the length of the bit a number of times.
looks like you bought the one sided magnets
Either use only one magnet or just buy a bit holder. Problem is, most bit holders suck now. Apex used to make really good ones but I don't know if they're still in business, or maybe they stopped making them. If you can, try it to see how strong the holding power is. Most are really weak. The DeWalt, Makita, etc with the collar or sliding tube are for weekend warriors, IMO. ACE sells them and they're not too bad but I would count on replacing it about every year. The long bits, like the one in your photo are great for a lot of restricted access jobs but I haven't seen one that held magnetism for long.
Apex is still around but there product gets shunned for the cheaper copy-cat stuff available now. You've got to hunt to find them, best bet at McMaster-Carr.
I still have a couple that my dad bought in the late '50s or early '60s. I only use them here, at home.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Steel screws? Mags don't work with SS, ALUM, and Brass ya know (G)
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done"
I've had one of these for years, works great...buic
The Mag Ring¯
The most powerful driver bit magnetizer on the market!
The patented Mag Ring will slip over and magnetize any 1/4" steel shank, including:
http://www.jackrabbittool.com/products.html
The Mag Ring¯
Fits all 1/4" steel shanks$9.99
View Image
Is the mag ring just a doughnut shaped magnet?
Yes,
the field from the doughnut is along the axis of the bit, whereas the original pix with 4 magnets stuck to the side had the field perpendicular to the bit - big difference in screw holding power.
Exactly.
And you can put it on a regular screwdriver too. Comes in handy...buic
Actually, the Mag Ring is a brass donut with 3 rare earth magnets inside it. They are wonderful things, and can be purchased separately from the other Jackrabbit stuff if wanted. I think they are $10. http://www.jackrabbittool.comFor rare earth magnets to do the best job on a bit, all the poles touching the bit should be the same, i.e., all north or all south. This is how the Mag Ring is made. The 3 mags repel one another, but they all move in to touch the bit when one is inserted.Bill
Thanks for the info. Lee Valley sells rare earth ring magnets for under $4 each and we may go there tomorrow perhaps I'll try them.
I'll buy a couple of mag rings. I have the jack rabbit kit and the ring but thought I could make one with these magnets . I guess not.
How about if I stood them on their side? I'm going to go try it. It worked!
So the mag ring holds them on edge around the bit. That changes the axis.
Should have used only one, that's what is in nearly all magnetic bit holders. Stacking them concentrates the force between the magnets so more isn't necessarily better in this case.