Magnitizing magnets??

[copperheadroads]

I got Gingery's book here on how to build a magneto magnetizer & it calls for two 6lb spools of 18 gauge wire

[belwar]

About 3 years ago I bought the Mag 24C.

Gaussmeter, Magnetizer and Pole Finders - Master Magnetics, Inc.

I *LOVE* it. There is no messing around. put the magnet in and press the button for a half second. I tried Neo's and never got gret results. They finally cracked and broke.

If I were to recommend a basic kit of tools to someone who wanted to do pickups for a living I would recommend the MAG 24C, the GM200A Gaussmeter, a Fluke DMM, and a good weller soldering iron

[David King]

The OP's magnetizer listed power as "100 Amps", I see we need 100 times that for alnico.

This thread talks a few more specifics about a DIY magnetizer:
http://music-electronics-forum.com/t2571/#post85618

I'm pretty sure Electricdavyboy posted more info on a later thread.

What I like about the MAG-24C is that it can handle ceramics as well.

It's a BIG investment for the amount of time I'd actually spend using it, to bad we can't all share one.

[David Schwab]

It's a BIG investment for the amount of time I'd actually spend using it, to bad we can't all share one.

We could if Matt wanted to charge magnets for the rest of us.

[Corona Blue]

The only issue was getting the humbucker bars to magnetize evenly along their length.

I'm new to building humbuckers, but I have noticed this too when charging bars with neo's. I use 2 giant neo's the size of soap bars in a vice. They do the job, but using the Elepro meter reveals un-even charging along the north and south faces. I am still experimenting, trying to perfect my technique, but when I read what SonnyW wrote, it clued me in that it's not just me.

I have tried a couple of different methods of charging... one with opposing neo's on either side of the vice, and the other with both neo's stacked together on one side of the vice, and then approaching the field head on. Either way seems to yield un-even results along the face of the pickup magnet.

Allen

[copperheadroads]

I don't use any neo magnets the size of soap bars , I think they would be dangerous ,Can you pull them off the vise ?
I do find if an alnico magnet is charged but not full & you want to refresh it charge ,you get better results if you degauss it first then recharge

[Corona Blue]

I don't use any neo magnets the size of soap bars , I think they would be dangerous ,Can you pull them off the vise ?
I do find if an alnico magnet is charged but not full & you want to refresh it charge ,you get better results if you degauss it first then recharge

Thanks for the info. I'll try degaussing first.

The only way to get them on/off the vice safely is to wrap them on the back with cardboard and then slide them on or off the jaws, being sure to keep all hands, feet, children and pets out of the way. :-)

Allen

[rocket]

The Mag24's describtion says that it takes 6000A*turns/inch the magnetize A5.

That can be achieved with 400 turns of 1 mm2 wire and 15A. That's just 120m of wire at 30cm per turn.
The resistance would be just 2 Ohm and it takes 450 Watts.
Seems quite feasible to diy, doesn't it?

[David King]

Rocket
I would increase the turns and bump up the awg to hit 8000 or 10,000 Amp/turns. No point skimping if you are going to all the trouble anyway.
That said I'm going to let someone else try it first...

[Corona Blue]

About 3 years ago I bought the Mag 24C.

Belwar, I am looking into one of these too. Have you been able to dial into specificly desired gauss levels when you charge with your Mag 24C? If so, that would be like a little piece of heaven!!

Thanks,
Allen

[Bill M]

Belwar, I am looking into one of these too. Have you been able to dial into specificly desired gauss levels when you charge with your Mag 24C? If so, that would be like a little piece of heaven!!

Thanks,
Allen

I bought a MAG 24c about 1 1/2 years ago when my capacitive discharge magnetizer bit it. It works real well, but you have no control over how much a magnet is magnetized. It just saturates it to full charge. I knock the gauss down with a ceramic mag when a certain pickup model calls for it.

[Corona Blue]

Thanks Bill!

[Bill M]

Thanks Bill!

You're welcome.

[Stratz]

My neo version has a pair of 1/2" x 1" x 4" N48 neos clamped into a vise from home depot. It was a bear to put together but once done it works fine. The only issue was getting the humbucker bars to magnetize evenly along their length. The strength (gauss) comes out similar with either one.

Hi All, Reviving this thread with hopes of getting alnico bars charged evenly.

I have had no luck getting bar mags to charge the N and S sides evenly with NEO's.
I'm using a pair of 3 x 1 x1/2" neo's in a drill press vise.
The problem seems to be when I release the alnico bar from the vise one side of the alnico bar wants to stay stuck to one neo, (either the N or S ) and that causes problems.

Even a difference of 10 gauss can make a noticeable difference in the tone. How do you guys get around this? Are my 3" magnets too long for 2.5" alnico bars?
Perhaps 2" long neo blocks would be better since it would stay away from the edges of the alnico bars?

I was tempted to buy the Magnetool but it seems like a problem because it only charges to 100%, no less and that's not good for my needs. You would think they could make it adjustable.

Any info on an even charge using NEO blocks (proper NEO length, tecnique, etc) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Rob.

[SonnyW]

Hi All, Reviving this thread with hopes of getting alnico bars charged evenly.

I have had no luck getting bar mags to charge the N and S sides evenly with NEO's.
I'm using a pair of 3 x 1 x1/2" neo's in a drill press vise.
The problem seems to be when I release the alnico bar from the vise one side of the alnico bar wants to stay stuck to one neo, (either the N or S ) and that causes problems.

Even a difference of 10 gauss can make a noticeable difference in the tone. How do you guys get around this? Are my 3" magnets too long for 2.5" alnico bars?
Perhaps 2" long neo blocks would be better since it would stay away from the edges of the alnico bars?

I was tempted to buy the Magnetool but it seems like a problem because it only charges to 100%, no less and that's not good for my needs. You would think they could make it adjustable.

Any info on an even charge using NEO blocks (proper NEO length, tecnique, etc) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Rob.

I never did solve that problem either, not 100%. I did have a little better luck with the brute force method of putting them in again and again until it came out better through sheer luck. But usually it was stronger where it last touched the neos. Sometimes I touched them up by hand with a smaller neo. That's part of why I got the Magnetool magnetizer, (which is the M24 C that others have mentioned), It is more even, but all I have measured are stronger on the ends, whether they are pre-magnetized, or if I do them. So I am curious as well to see how others have solved this one.


On the subject of the charging being only 100% with the Magnetool, I use a machinists plate demagnetizer to lower the gauss when needed. I got mine on ebay they aren't horribly expensive. Looks kind of like a smaller version of the electric magnetizer. It will take humbucker bars back almost to the unmagnetized state, but what I do us use wood or foam fixtures to raise the magnet up off the plate. The more it is raised, the less the charge is reduced.