Join multiple humbucker magnets lengthwise for 7 string pickup?

[MKB]

Hi all, I have a Ibanez 7 string with fanned frets and slanted humbuckers with ceramic magnets. I'd like to swap an Alnico magnet into the pickup to try it out, but the magnet will have to be around 2.8" long to touch all of the polepieces. The closest magnet I can find to this is an A5 offered by Mojo at 3.125" long (for an 8 string pickup).

I have a number of UOA5 standard magnets, and had the thought to saw two of them to length and join them for the pickup. They could be cut at an angle so that the split will not touch a polepiece. Do any of you have experience joining a humbucker magnet lengthwise, and do you think this would work? Would there be any tradeoffs? Thanks.

[Zhangliqun]

There are pickups made this way and it can work. But what might be easier would be to just cut the 3.125" magnet a little shorter.

[Helmholtz]

But what might be easier would be to just cut the 3.125" magnet a little shorter.

Just being curious: How do you cut alnico magnets?

[Zhangliqun]

You were talking about cutting them to put 2 of them together so I thought you already had a way.

But you can cut them with a miter saw with a metal cutting blade. Go slowly with moderate pressure, I cut for about 8 seconds, then lift the blade for about 3 seconds, then cut another 8 seconds or so, repeat til the cut is finished. Alnico is one of the hardest substances known to man and it will wear the blade down fairly quickly, plus the Alnico will get red hot pretty quickly which might affect its ability to hold a charge, so take it easy. (The ideal is to use a liquid coolant but I don't have a set-up like that.) Alnico is also very brittle, another reason to go slow.

If the cut is a little ragged, leave the magnet in the vise but loosen it a bit, then press the blade all the way down and then push the ragged end of the magnet against the side of the blade -- while running of course -- to clean up the burs. (The metal cutter blades are abrasive all over, not just the edge.) Also be sure to recharge the magnet after cutting.

[Helmholtz]

Thanks for your detailed answer!

I thought it would be more complicated, because Alnico is so hard and brittle.

Also be sure to recharge the magnet after cutting.

Yeah, that's what I expected.


(I am not the OP.)

[dmartn149]

Would a tile saw work?
http://https://www.harborfreight.com/7-in-portable-wet-cut-tile-saw-69231.html

[LtKojak]

Hi all, I have a Ibanez 7 string with fanned frets and slanted humbuckers with ceramic magnets. I'd like to swap an Alnico magnet into the pickup to try it out, but the magnet will have to be around 2.8" long to touch all of the polepieces. The closest magnet I can find to this is an A5 offered by Mojo at 3.125" long (for an 8 string pickup).

I have a number of UOA5 standard magnets, and had the thought to saw two of them to length and join them for the pickup. They could be cut at an angle so that the split will not touch a polepiece. Do any of you have experience joining a humbucker magnet lengthwise, and do you think this would work? Would there be any tradeoffs? Thanks.

Why going to all this trouble? Just get a couple 7-string Alnico magnet bars. On E-Bay there's plenty of vendors offering'em as we speak.

[Zhangliqun]

Such mags do exist for sale, but the OP wants UA5 and I've seen them only in A2 and A5, so far anyway.

[Zhangliqun]

I don't know if a tile saw would work or not. The idea that the magnet is loose makes me a bit nervous. The miter saw holds the piece to be cut nice and tight in a clamp, which is good because it will get VERY hot. Thus the clamp (a) protects your fingers from heat and from the magnet flying loose if it snags somehow, and (b) acts as somewhat of a heat sink to help avoid overheating.