Charging magnets

[angelodp]

In this photo from Stewmac, how does one keep the pickup from sticking to the magnet as you draw the pickup through the rig?

[big_teee]

In this photo from Stewmac, how does one keep the pickup from sticking to the magnet as you draw the pickup through the rig?

It won't hurt a thing if they do.
I let them touch.
T

[angelodp]

I have been reading more here on the forum. Is there a preferred method. Is the Stewmac setup 'just fine' or is Yves method better. there must be many ways to do this. How do the major winders address this?

[copperheadroads]

Sometimes when you touch the magnets together the polarity reverse itself

[David Schwab]

In this photo from Stewmac, how does one keep the pickup from sticking to the magnet as you draw the pickup through the rig?

It doesn't stick that hard. Just pull it though. Adjust the vice so the alnicos just touch the neos. Don't leave a big gap. They should touch, but still allow you to slide the pickup through. Then just pull it through. It's not hard.

Here's my vice with much larger neos:

[David Schwab]

Sometimes when you touch the magnets together the polarity reverse itself

Which magnets? You can reverse the polarity of alnicos with neos. Just put them in the vice backwards. I do it all the time.

[David Schwab]

I have been reading more here on the forum. Is there a preferred method. Is the Stewmac setup 'just fine' or is Yves method better. there must be many ways to do this. How do the major winders address this?

What's the "Yves method"?

[Mark Norwine]

What's the "Yves method"?

I *believe* (but may be wrong) that it's the method shown in the video, linked below.

This is the method I've been using, with excellent results.

charging a pickup.wmv - YouTube

His reasoning is explained at 4:02

[big_teee]

It is easy to charge them, and there is really no wrong way to charge magnets.
You need enough NEO to do a good job and to get the Alnico magnets being magnetized Fully Saturated.
I stick one set on a file cabinet, and have the other set of NEOs screwed to a Board.
Run them between the 2 halves.
I let the magnets stick to the NEOs.
Small Neos can be used in guitars at times to charge rod magents without taking the pickups out of the guitar.
So Charging with NEOs is a handy way to work on Pickups.
Good Luck,
T

[David Schwab]

I *believe* (but may be wrong) that it's the method shown in the video, linked below.

This is the method I've been using, with excellent results.

charging a pickup.wmv - YouTube

His reasoning is explained at 4:02

That was posted in the forum here too.

I feel that using the vice is better because you are charging both ends of the magnet at the same time, rather than doing one end at a time. I get a nice even charge across the magnets. The vice also completes the magnetic circuit and you get a stronger charge IMO.