Thread: Extracting magnets from holes (no glue)

Hi rty, always something going wrong isn't there. How about trying to drill a centre hole in the magnet, starting with say a 2mm bit. Maybe a light tap with a centre punch so it doesn't run away to much. If that works go up to a 3mm or whatever and see if you can then prize it out.

I've used a couple of those earth magnets in a couple of boxes a while ago, but then I made one and the the magnet kept pulling the matching magnet clean out. Even after being glued in. So I don't worry about using them anymore.

Good luck, Paul

You can use a stronger magnet if you have one or layer up the button magnets that's how I do it works most of the time.

Harold

You could try cutting of the end of a piece dowel or skewer nice and square and flat, and then put a bit of super glue on the end and push it onto the magnet until it cures. Make sure you don't put too much glue on or use a dowel which is too close to the magnet diameter so that the glue gets on the wood surround. When cured pull on the dowel and they should come out (hopefully)

Thanks Paul, Harold, Treecycle - I can't get it out with a stack of the same magnets. Think I'll go buy a bigger magnet first, and then try some dowel and glue as a last resort... Not sure I trust my gluing skills enough that I won't end up gluing it in that way!

Then the final effort will be to drill out the centre. Not sure why I'm particularly worried about saving a magnet that's worth all of a $1.30, but it somehow seems a terrible waste!

If they are neodymium magnets (ie the strong magnets) your success in drilling will depend on going VERY slowly or using water cooling and a drill bit for glass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy9qG81gx4M

I wonder if Danny has got that magnet removed yet,..!!!

Paul

No joy so far - went and got some big neodymium magnets from jaycar, but they didn't budge them, even with the stuck magnets refrigerated... Incidentally, sanded timber feels weird after it's been in the freezer!

I have a theory that sections cut from a drinking straw might be pretty much the right size to help me avoid super gluing the magnets into the box when I try to glue a 'handle' to the magnets in the next step, but I probably won't be able to go buy any until the weekend... So I think I'm stuck till then.

Using a super aggressive double sided adhesive tape is worth a try.I still think the best option is a very powerful magnet.

One of the more powerful magnets I have used is a MagSwitch magnet seen here

The other really powerful one is a magnet you get when you break up a computer hard drive with a hammer

Why not forget the magnets, put in a matching timber plug and start again.

I do have a couple of magswitches around from a fence, I'll give that a try! Although I'm not all that hopeful, as the jaycar magnets I tried packed a punch - I let two of them click together a bit too hard and it's crumpled the nickel casing.

Unfortunately the magnets are fairly level to the surface of the timber dinosour, so I have to get them out if I want to use the timber. And it's a bandsaw box (although square and straight, not your typical bandsaw box) with matching grain, so I do want to use this particular bit of timber if possible.

If it's rare earth, destroy it... they shatter easily.

Use a hefty nail or nail punch, centre it and wham! Extract the bits with said nail

Lost magnet, but easy to replace.