Best Source for (affordable) Custom Sized Bar Mags?

[PoorMan]

I have some uncommon designs I'm working on and I need some custom sized bar mags made up. I need a small quantity (only 20-30 mags) so a small minimum order would be good. Is AllStar good for something like this? Someone else?

The more I think about it the more I'm starting to worry there will be 10k minimum (or something crazy like that)...that's not doable in this situation.

Thanks.

[Possum]

I don't think any magnet company will make so few custom magnets for you. Figure a couple hundred at least. Or get a diamond saw and cut up existing ones to size....

[PoorMan]

Not good.

What kind of minimum is typical? What other companies could I contact?

[big_teee]

Not good.

What kind of minimum is typical? What other companies could I contact?

Did you check with Shea at Magnetic hold.
I talked to him about a magnet run and he was not going to charge extra for them.
But did have to adhere to a total order of $40.
shea@magnetichold.net
T

[PoorMan]

I have not contacted magnetic hold, but I will today.

Thanks for the lead, T!

[big_teee]

I have not contacted magnetic hold, but I will today.

Thanks for the lead, T!

He is a little bit hard to communicate with.
Be real specific what you require, and ask lots of questions on pricing and volume.
It seemed everything was pretty vague, and took lots of emails to get much info.
Good Luck,
T

[SonnyW]

Allstar did a run of custom magnets for me once, but the total order was about $1800 worth. Only about $500 of that was for the custom ones, the rest were standard stuff but I don't know if they would have done it for much less. On the other hand I have had some decent luck cutting down standard sized humbucker magnets to fit a firebird pu with a dremel tool and an abrasive cutoff wheel. Takes time and uses up about one blade per magnet shortened, but still easier and cheaper than a custom run.

[PoorMan]

He is a little bit hard to communicate with.
Be real specific what you require, and ask lots of questions on pricing and volume.
It seemed everything was pretty vague, and took lots of emails to get much info.
Good Luck,
T

Hmmm.

Well I sent a VERY clear email with specific questions today. Hopefully I'll get some good info back soon.

[PoorMan]

Allstar did a run of custom magnets for me once, but the total order was about $1800 worth. Only about $500 of that was for the custom ones, the rest were standard stuff but I don't know if they would have done it for much less. On the other hand I have had some decent luck cutting down standard sized humbucker magnets to fit a firebird pu with a dremel tool and an abrasive cutoff wheel. Takes time and uses up about one blade per magnet shortened, but still easier and cheaper than a custom run.

$500 is too expensive for this project, but that's less than I expected from them...I'll contact AllStar as well.

[David Schwab]

I got a small amount (100) of custom sized ceramic magnets from Sensmag. If the order is small the shipping will kill you though.

I try to design around available magnet sizes when possible.

[Brian L]

I got a small amount (100) of custom sized ceramic magnets from Sensmag. If the order is small the shipping will kill you though.

I try to design around available magnet sizes when possible.

Being new -First of all, Hello, everyone.
I assume the different materials give different tone qualities? David, I did this as a quote from you because I have seen your name in many different forums.

[Joe Gwinn]

I don't think any magnet company will make so few custom magnets for you. Figure a couple hundred at least. Or get a diamond saw and cut up existing ones to size....

Diamond saws are only for ferrite magnets, and will be ruined if used on Alnico, unless the saw runs very slowly, far slower than common.

For alnico (a kind of steel), use aluminum oxide.

[David King]

Joe ,
wouldn't water keep the blade cool enough to avoid the dreaded sublimation (or whatever it is that happens to the diamonds)?

[Joe Gwinn]

Joe ,
wouldn't water keep the blade cool enough to avoid the dreaded sublimation (or whatever it is that happens to the diamonds)?

Slow cutting with water (or oil) cooling does work.

The issue is that carbon freely dissolves in iron. At room temperature, this happens too slowly to matter. At a red heat, it's fast enough that the diamond particles will vanish into the iron.

An analogy would be salt grains on ice. At -40 F, not much will happen. As the temperature rises ...

Silicon Carbide grinding wheels also fail when used against steel, but work perfectly well as wet-dry sandpaper.

For high-speed grinding of steel, one instead uses aluminum oxide and/or zirconium oxide.

[PoorMan]

Magnetic Hold a minimum order of 500 units for something like this. That's far too many for this project.

They said they may be able to grind down some magnets of a similar size.