Neo Mag Structural Strength

[Gollum]

So, tonight I happened upon 4 free good sized neo magnets, about 1"x.25".25". They're used in our key's for work (unlocking locked merchandise), and one had broke. I asked if I could have it and with no hesitation they said yes.

I was thinking if they weren't too large I could make some blade style pickups with them. But of course being a guy who's still a bit of a kid at heart I was playing with my new found magnet toys for the rest of my shift. When my girlfriend showed up I just had to show her my new treasure and she humored me for a bit. A moment later I look over and she'd broken one! Gosh... It'd just broken on it's own upon impact of another magnet.

By the end of the night I'd broken two more of them with very little effort, just the energy of them pulling to each other was breaking them. So I now have ONE good magnet...

So, is this normal for neo magnets, to be fairly frail like this? Or are these magnets just a junk variety of neo?

[Possum]

...

They are some kind of mix of elements liked baked clay I guess, and yes they shatter easily. Its very dangerous with the really large ones they can smash together and sort of explode and produce a bang and flash of light I've heard....

[David Schwab]

You can super glue them back together. But you need to stick them to another magnet to hold the two pieces in place. I've broken a couple of them when I first started using them.

They are fairly brittle, and they will rust too. That's why they plate them.

I use magnets that size in pickups. So they will work fine with a blade design.

[Gollum]

I use magnets that size in pickups. So they will work fine with a blade design.

Woohoo!

(does happy free parts dance)

I ended up only keeping the non-broken one and threw away the rest. I didn't see a reason in keeping them at the moment. I'm sure I can procure several more of these magnets in the future for next to nothing.

Now I just need a free wire source and I'm good to go! ;-)

[salvarsan]

'Neo' mags are mostly three elements, no ceramics: neodymium, boron, iron. Of those, iron predominates by 14:1.


These feedstocks aren't pure -- the iron often has some cobalt in it and neodymium is usually alloyed with small amounts praeseodmium and dyprosium from natural occurrence (see "lanthanides").
For too much information, search on "neodymium magnet manufacturing methods" or some anagram of the elements Nd, B, Fe.

Are your eyes glazed over yet?

-drh

[Old Tele man]

Are your eyes glazed over yet?

-drh

...no, but I think I detect a metallurgist, either by trade or training?

[salvarsan]

...no, but I think I detect a metallurgist, either by trade or training?

Because of early scientific training. I can research materials science if I need to.

Unlucky for you all, I chose to be here.

-drh

[David Schwab]

Unlucky for you all, I chose to be here.

Seems like a good thing to me!

[Gollum]

Are your eyes glazed over yet?

-drh

The good thing about things going over people's heads is that it makes them look up to the stars.

In other words, thank you for the input. Even if it's not fully understood.

[David Schwab]

The good thing about things going over people's heads is that it makes them look up to the stars.

Then that damn beam comes down and...

[Musiclogic]

Then that damn beam comes down and...

So.....Scotty missed you? Sorry David...I just couldn't resist.