Easy to build Magnetizer

[TGD]

Guys, this is the best iron with higher magnetic permeability. Is called ARMCO steel, sold by aksteel/.

[Bruce Johnson]

I'm not sure I understand why you're worried about trying to make the coils very high efficiency. Are you trying to save a few pennies on your electric bill? I would think that almost any old chunk of steel or cast iron would work fine for this. If you're designing transformers or motors that run all day, then yes, you'd use cores made of high magnetic permeability irons to reduce power consumption and heating. How many minutes per month of magnetizing do you plan to do?

[TGD]

I'm not sure I understand why you're worried about trying to make the coils very high efficiency. Are you trying to save a few pennies on your electric bill? I would think that almost any old chunk of steel or cast iron would work fine for this. If you're designing transformers or motors that run all day, then yes, you'd use cores made of high magnetic permeability irons to reduce power consumption and heating. How many minutes per month of magnetizing do you plan to do?

According with my short experience concerning magnetizers, high magnetic permeability permits it to magnetize every magnets in different sizes and materials and to re-magnetize them, changing also magnetization axis.
With common steel core, magnetizer dont works propely; due to my poor english isn't easy to explain reasons clearly, but I made it using FE 360 and then I modified it with pure iron core. I noticed big differences between 2 versions.

This is my experience about this issue, everybody can build his magnetizer as he prefers!

[David King]

TGD,
I found this PDF File on the AKSTEEL website:
http://www.aksteel.com/pdf/markets_p...a_Bulletin.pdf
it seems to indicate we should use M-43 or M-44 (solenoid core).
Now what? Does someone actually sell this stuff in short bars and rods at any price?

I find that Speedymetals sells cast iron rods and bars.
http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-4277-...-class-40.aspx
-about $11/foot for 1.5" rod

[Magnut]

I've got the Gingery book on building a magnetizer. I think its in that book or somewhere else they speak about using a soft metal. This allows the eddy currents to quickly dissipate thereby transferring more energy into the magnet material.

I plan on building a magneto magnetizer. However the Gingery project is too weak to magnetize Alnico. It will need a few mods to boost the output voltage. A cap or two should do it.

TGD do you have a schematic for the circuit before the coils?

[Joe Gwinn]

TGD,
I found this PDF File on the AKSTEEL website:
http://www.aksteel.com/pdf/markets_p...a_Bulletin.pdf
it seems to indicate we should use M-43 or M-44 (solenoid core).
Now what? Does someone actually sell this stuff in short bars and rods at any price?

I find that Speedymetals sells cast iron rods and bars.
http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-4277-...-class-40.aspx
-about $11/foot for 1.5" rod

Cast iron is terrible magnetically, and expensive to boot. Use ordinary mild steel, alloy 1018.

Silicon steel is intended for AC use, such as in transformers, and is not required for a magnetizer. Although it will work.

[TGD]

Dave, ARMCO steel have 0.003% of carbonium. It's the best for magnetizers, but is a industrial supply and it's very hard to find.

An other way in order to reduce carbonium and boost the magnetic permeability is to use FE 360 and submit it in a vacuumed oven to reduce carbonium %. Forget to made a pure iron, but it's ok for a magnetizer. Here in Italy I did it, no way to find ARMCO steel in small quantities.

Yes, I've my own project according with my friend Antonio Chiarelli of Magic Coil, suitable also for american purposes; you have just to change rectifier, nothing more. It's similar to the Gingerly, and it works both with alnico and ceramic rods and bars. Alnico is easier to magnetize respect ceramic.

Just to give you an idea why use low carbonium iron, try to make a pickup using polepiece in MUMetal or soft iron and then change it with common steel; signal decrease a lot. A good magnetizer made by soft iron boosts and transfers to the magnetic pieces whole electro magnetic flux generated;, more % of carbonium you have inside the core, less electro magnetic power you' ll transfer to the magnet.

[Peter Naglitsch]

Guys, I've been following this closely with huge interest. I get it that there is some versions of steel that is better than others. In the end I think me personally will need more or less what’s available, as my options are somewhat limited.

However I still miss a few details that I cannot wrap my head around and I would be very happy if someone would like to share that info:
- How many turns of wire for the magnetizing spools (or what DC resistance with 0.85mm wire)?
- Regarding the rectifier (mostly aimed towards Electricdaveyboy as we use the same electrical system): Do you simply use a simple diode bridge directly on the main power? Any capacitors to get a more even DC voltage? And you say that you run it directly on the 230VAC, 16A outlet, but what is the consumption? Not 16A I believe… That would make the 0.85mm cable quite hot, wouldn’t it?

Any input would be highly appreciated.

[David King]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=270323471704

Seems like it would be up to the task...

[David King]

Here's another class of pulse magnetizers that might come in handy:
http://teslamania.delete.org/frames/...ergallery.html
Small coils, no iron core and 6400 joules stored in capacitor banks. Smoke that!

[Electricdaveyboy]

Guys, I've been following this closely with huge interest. I get it that there is some versions of steel that is better than others. In the end I think me personally will need more or less what’s available, as my options are somewhat limited.

Hello Peter,
I used what I had at hand when building mine.I think the steel I used is ST37, wich is standard industry stuff.


However I still miss a few details that I cannot wrap my head around and I would be very happy if someone would like to share that info:
- How many turns of wire for the magnetizing spools (or what DC resistance with 0.85mm wire)?

You can use a thin wire and use more turns.The manetic strenght of an electromagnet is determined by the number of turns in the coil and current moving trough the wire of the coils.
A coil of 100 turns and 60 ampere gives the same magnetic field as a electromagnet with 600 turns and 10 A.
Both coils give 6000 ampere turns.

- Regarding the rectifier (mostly aimed towards Electricdaveyboy as we use the same electrical system): Do you simply use a simple diode bridge directly on the main power?Yes I switch it with a Klöckner-Moeller relais. Any capacitors to get a more even DC voltage?Yes I use an elco to even the voltage.
No aditional buffer caps,I tried two big 600 uF caps first.I could change the magnetic direction of a ceramic/ferrite magnet with this.But the high current (2 K Ampere) made me scared.
And you say that you run it directly on the 230VAC, 16A outlet, but what is the consumption? Not 16A I believe…
Mine runs with 14-15 amp.
That would make the 0.85mm cable quite
hot, wouldn’t it?
The coils started to get warm wehn I used it for magnetize 15-20 PAF magnets.But I have a clixon installed that swiches the system off at 130 degrees.The F-isolation on the coil takes 150 C without problems.




Any input would be highly appreciated.[/QUOTE]

[Electricdaveyboy]

Gingery Magnetizer

I made the coil-irons for a Gingery style Magnetizer I do not have it all together now but I shot a pic with the unwind parts maybe someone is interested.

[Peter Naglitsch]

Thanks David. Now I know were to start regarding turn count.

[Electricdaveyboy]

Wound the coil today.

[TGD]

I made the coil-irons for a Gingery style Magnetizer I do not have it all together now but I shot a pic with the unwind parts maybe someone is interested.

What' kind of Iron, Dave?

It' seems a nice job!