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When I was in my workshop today there was a flash of blue light, followed by a bang. The next thing I knew my 2 large neodymium magnets that I use for charging pickups were in pieces all over the room. I even ended up with holes in my clothes and bits of magnet stuck in my arm. They were just sitting on an empty work bench... Anybody ever hear of something like this happening before? It's got me a little freaked out and I'm trying to figure out what happened so that it doesn't happen again.
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Wow... that's weird. Were they installed in some kind of jig? The only thing I can think of is they came loose from the attraction and shattered when they hit each other. But the flash and bang is strange.
Magnets are full of surprises.It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure. — Albert Einstein
http://coneyislandguitars.com
www.soundcloud.com/davidravenmoon -
Ok now I am worried as well, I use those too and my 2 babies are always in my work room, even though they are not supposed to be they are quick and I don't want anything happening to them. Anyone else here know of why this would be?? This scares me...
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They were loose, but they were about 2 feet away from each other (give or take) so I guess it's possible that they got sucked into each other but I didn't actually see it happe, I just saw the blue light. I guess this means I'm going to have to spend another 50 quid on magnets and I'm going have to wait for them to get shipped before I can make any more pickups.Originally posted by David Schwab View Post
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Pyrophoric metal
It sounds like the nickel coating on your magnets rubbed off, let air and moisture in. While powdered iron can spontaneously burst into flame, powdered neodymium may explode in air.Originally posted by corduroyew View Post
You may be at risk so clean up carefully.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neodymium
-drhHe who moderates least moderates best.Comment
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Have you had any lightning? It's a possibility which would account for the flash and the shrapnel in your arm.sigpic Dyed in the woolComment
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Sounds like a job for Ghost Busters.....just kidding.
That is scary. I have 4 from SM. I better keep them away from anything valuable or combustible.Comment
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That seriously was my wife’s 1st thought. She is totally convinced that we have a ghost named Pat. She even warned me about it before I moved here. Hmmmm....Comment
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the exploding because the coating wore off sounds real far fetched to me, there's no mention of that in the wikpedia and if there was a real danger of that you wouldn't be able to buy neo magnets at all. I have two big ass little monsters I use, they are so strong they were shipped with a wood block inbewteen and I never removed it for fear of them crashing together. It does sound like yours attracted and smashed to bits, thats something that IS a danger and there is usually a warning sheet that says that when you buy anything sizeable. It could be that the smashing created sparks which ignited a bit of the powder. If they were two feet from eachother its obvious this is what happened.http://www.SDpickups.com
Stephens Design PickupsComment
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There are 2 reasons that I question what happened instead of just saying the magnets got sucked together. The blue light was one of them and the other is that if they had just pulled into each other would they have shot pieces out hard enough to penetrate skin and clothing? I would have thought the magnets would have held in the shrapnel rather than ending up all over the room, but I guess I really don’t know. I think I'm going to epoxy coat my next set just to be safe.Comment
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I did get a warning sheet with my big ones saying that if they crash together they will shatter into dangerous small pieces, and no once the pieces are small they would also repel eachother, have you ever chopped a bar magnet in two, instead of holding themselves together they push each half apart. You should put them on some kind of keepers and never have them laying around loose near eachother. I have a bunch of them, the two big ones are on opposite sides of a block of wood and never come apart, the smaller ones are stuck on a metal filing cabinet, I never let them get near eachother unless they are stuck on opposite sides of a metal vise etc. I do think the blue light was powdered material ignited by the collision, man you are lucky you didn't have your eyes shot out, what happened was a dangerous thing....http://www.SDpickups.com
Stephens Design PickupsComment
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Sounds to me like it might be a good idea to paint one's mags with conformal coating or epoxy or something a lilttle rubbery. Nothing too thick. Just thick enough to seal them and absorb a little impact should the worst-case scenario occur.Comment
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Theres also evidence of it. My kid has these stupid,irratating toys called sizzlers. The are 2 neos round,about a 1 1/2 in long, and havs a taper to the end. When you toss them in the air, they clap together and make a loud clapping sizzling irratating put my as to work im bored sound. Kid also found out they make "blue lights' when hes in the dark.Comment
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Howdy
Man I would take them away from my kids after hearing about all this stuff. How the hell could someone be allowed to sell such a toy. I guess if you have enough money and high paid lobbyists you can get away with a lot..Originally posted by NightWinder View Post
Anyhoo, I'm just concerned about your child playing with them now, Not getting in anyones business I am just a dad and those things worry me. Peace Nightwinder
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