Thread: Best Broom For Swarf?

Last year Bunnings had a magnetic "broom" for $15. It works well for the steel swarf. I don't think they have them now, but look out for one.

Jordan

A magnetic broom works best

Be careful not to rub your magnetic broom on your lathe. You may well magnetise it!

Roger

Thanks guys. Does anyone actually own or use a magnetic broom? If so, any recommendations or advice on choosing one?

Seems plenty of people make them but no-one lists prices. The only one I could find with a price was this one for $139: 53420 JUMBO ROLLING MAGNETIC SWEEPER - BROOM | eBay

I'm guessing that's at the lower end of the market. I hear alarm bells when I read, "... there's not many small items it won't collect." I want there to be NO small items it won't collect!

How hard would it be to make one? Would it be an array of small magnets or one long one? How would the switching work?

I must admit, I was looking for a cheap simple solution, not another project. Should have known better.

Edit: Turns out broom is the wrong search term. They are called sweepers. Huh? Anyway, Ozmestore has one for $39, so I guess I'll give it a whirl and report.

I use what can best be described as a magnetic stick to get the large pieces of swarf and let the vac look after the rest. Making one wouldn't be hard, basically magnets on a rod inside an Aluminium/plastic tube and some way of moving the magnets away from the side of the tube

Here's what looks like the same thing for half the price.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/350457028233


http://shop.ebay.com.au/i.html?_kw=MAGNETIC&_kw=SWEEPER&_dmpt=AU_Hardware



Stuart

Originally Posted by Bryan

Thanks guys. Does anyone actually own or use a magnetic broom? If so, any recommendations or advice on choosing one?

Yep - I made my own, but it's more of a wand than a broom, as I use mine mainly on machinery.

I'm guessing that's at the lower end of the market. I hear alarm bells when I read, "... there's not many small items it won't collect." I want there to be NO small items it won't collect!

Well a mag broom is not going to help - it won't pick up wood, plastic or non-magnetic metals eg ally and brass. I cut/drill a lot of ally and the wand will pick some up as it gets entangled with the steel swarf. As for sweeping everything clean - Nup - doesn't happen. If the surface you are picking up from is magnetic and the broom magnet is too close to the surface the magnet also induces magnetism in the surface which then does not release the swarf as easily.

How hard would it be to make one? Would it be an array of small magnets or one long one? How would the switching work?

Mine took about 3 minutes to make.

This is what it looks like.

It's made from two ally tubes that slide neatly inside each other. Mine is made from the vertical steering handle of a kids scooter. I though about leaving the top cross bar on it but it takes up less room this way.

Here is what's inside looks like.

I've just jammed a steel nut inside the inner tube.
The other round thing is a 1" diam rare earth magnet.

The magnet sticks to the nut and a plstic plumbing cap goes over the end.

Having the cap fairly thick helps keep the magnet away from magnetic surfaces and reduces magnetic induction on the surface reducing what can be picked up. If the magnet is powerful enough and gets too close it will stick to a magnetic surface and then it can be difficult to detach from that surface.

Here's atypical pick up.
Attachment 169045
The fine powder and swarf remaining on the vice/table is ally.

There's no switch, I just wrap one hand around the outer tube down near the magnet and pull the magnet (inner tube) up - the swarf travels with it but when it hits my hand the swarf falls off.
Attachment 169046
If you don't want to touch the sawrf you can add a plastic or ally collar

Like I said - 3 minutes all up and that was mainly to lightly sand the end of the outer tube so the cap would fit neatly over the tube. The other thing U added was a hook point so I could hang it up.

I use it mainly to clean bulk swarf from my drill press table and sometimes the floor around the DP. I'll be using it with my lathe when I set it up. However, a complete clean up is a two pass operation, Mag Wand and then regular broom.

I was at Bunnings Grafton Last night and they have the Magnetic brooms on sale for $17.50.

Grabbed one

Hi Bob. Thanks a lot for the pics and details. I figured "ferrous" was assumed. I don't have an issue with cleaning machines. But my floors get very dusty and the surface is rough. The amount of sweeping required to get all the swarf raises a lot of grit. I think the mag sweeper is the right concept. What that leaves the vac will get. It chokes on swarf but is ok for dust.

Stuart, thanks. I think we cross-posted (see prev edit). That's the item I've ordered. BTW your links are buggy.

Edit: Bugger. Should have tried The big B like Jordan said. But it's 50km away. Thanks anyway Trevor.

Originally Posted by Bryan

Hi Bob. Thanks a lot for the pics and details. I figured "ferrous" was assumed. I don't have an issue with cleaning machines. But my floors get very dusty and the surface is rough. The amount of sweeping required to get all the swarf raises a lot of grit. I think the mag sweeper is the right concept. What that leaves the vac will get. It chokes on swarf but is ok for dust.

Metal swarf really chews up concrete floors so keeping them clean is a good idea.
This is also why I have painted the floor of my new shed.


And when I get the floor of the old shed relayed I will paint that one as well.

There is a patch on the floor of my old shed, right where I stand to do most of my work and where I spilled a few hundred mls of epoxy, that is starting to sit proud of the crumbling concrete around it. That area is so much easier to sweep up than the rest.

links are fixed , thanks Bob.
glock, Where is the big green shed would one look for a magnetic broom?

Stuart

glock,
Does the bunnings broom have a release lever or do you have to wipe the swarf off by hand?
Stuart

Ok now I have floor envy. You're right Bob, a sealed floor is the proper answer. If I was starting from scratch I would do it for sure. But in an existing shed full of shtuff it would take more effort and money than I'm up for. A lot more. But thanks for sharing your floor.

bryan i have the " ozmestore" one works very well just try running it over your lawn and see whats hidden in there. if anything its a bit too wide . if your in adelaide you can pick one up from their warehouse just print off the buy now page and present that. they use one in their warehouse
john

John,
I was going to wait until Bryan got his, but as you have one.
I was thinking it might be a little wide also, have you looked at possibly cutting it in half and having a hand one and a broom?
Stuart