Re: Magnets

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Magnets
From: Tesla List <mod1-at-pupman-dot-com>
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 1997 12:52:51 -0600 (MDT)
Approved: mod1-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 1997 13:58:35 -0500
From: "Charles S.S. Goodwin" <goodwc-at-rpi.edu>
To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Magnets

>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1997 20:10:47 -0700 (PDT)
>From: gweaver <gweaver-at-earthlink-dot-net>
>To: Tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Magnets
>
>There has been a lot of talk about magnet quenching the spark gap on the
>list.  This has gotten me interested.
>
>I have been checking catalogs and have found many companies that sell
>magnets.  Having access to a machine shop I would like to make my own
>magnets the size, shape and design I want.   I have been researching magnets
>and they are made of iron, aluminum and cobalt.   I checked with a metal
>company but they can't tell me much.  Does anyone know of a metal that can
>be used to make magnets.
>
>I built a electro magnet with 2 coils 2000 turns each of #24 wire.  Power
>supply is 170 VDC 7 amps.  I can increase the power to 678 VDC 7 amps. I
>used it to increase the power of several old magnets.  I increased the
>magnetisum of 6 round magnets.  I had no luck and increasing the power of 3
>horse shoe magnets. If I could find the correct metal I could make my own
>magnets.
>
>Any suggestions
>
>Gary Weaver

If you are looking for very strong magnets, you might try
Neodymium-Iron-Boron permanent magnets.  They are probably the strongest
permanent magnets you can buy.  I have seen these magnets attract dollar
bills (metallic ink) and magnetically suspend liquid oxygen, which is only
paramagnetic.

Although I am unsure of how you might direct the field (perhaps pole
pieces), their strength is unbeatable if you can design the gap-magnet
combination to take advantage of it.

They can be bought from Edmund Scientific (overpriced, but I know they
carry NIB magnets). They are probably available from other
scientific/educational companies, so you might want to call Fischer
Scientific, Central Scientific, or any other of which you know.  Sorry, I
don't currently have an Edmund Scientific catalog.  I believe Edmund is
located in New Jersey.

I doubt that you will be able to make a stronger magnet on your own
regardless of how much power you can supply to your electromagnet.  If you
do know of a way to do so, let me know how, 'cause the NIB magnet is the
strongest I have ever seen.

Hope this helps
Casey Goodwin

Casey Goodwin
goodwc-at-rpi.edu

Snail Mail:
Charles Goodwin
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RPI Residence Hall
110 8th Street
Troy, NY 12180

Phone:
(518) 276-4684