I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw until
it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw until
it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
Jeff Gaines wrote:
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw
until it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by
pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still
correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
Sometimes you want screwdrivers to be magnetic, other times you want
them to not be magnetic, luckily there are magnetiser/demagnetisers available, which work through stroking over a specific pattern of
permanent magnets, e.g.
<https://amazon.co.uk/magnetiser-demagnetiser/dp/B017QCIU88>
Probably available from screwstation at a higher price if you need it
today?
I have one of these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/168336156920
Not Eagle, but many people sold them back then. It works for small
things like screwdrivers.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
Joe wrote:
I have one of these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/168336156920
Not Eagle, but many people sold them back then. It works for small
things like screwdrivers.
Looks like another example of single-insulated cable for the PAT-testing
page on the wiki :-P
Obviously to magnetise you just need any old magnet and stroke
repeatedly in the same direction, but it's handy to be able to [almost] reverse the process so every screwdriver you own isn't coated in iron filings, hence recommending the cheapo tool that can do both ...
On 29/04/2026 14:23, Andy Burns wrote:
Joe wrote:
I have one of these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/168336156920
Not Eagle, but many people sold them back then. It works for small
things like screwdrivers.
Looks like another example of single-insulated cable for the PAT-testing
page on the wiki :-P
Been around since at least 1965 (cost -u1.12.0!). See "Eagle products at
new prices" on page 162 at <https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/ Practical-Electronics/60s/Practical-Electronics-1965-01.pdf>. Later
photo with old 5A 2-pin plug at <https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/ eagleprod_tape_head_demagnetizer_td79.html>
Obviously to magnetise you just need any old magnet and stroke
repeatedly in the same direction, but it's handy to be able to [almost]
reverse the process so every screwdriver you own isn't coated in iron
filings, hence recommending the cheapo tool that can do both ...
I would guess, though I've never tried, that leaving it very close to an
AC mains motor or even an old transformer would demagnetise it in time.
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw until
it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
Jeff Gaines wrote:
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw
until it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by pointing
it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
Sometimes you want screwdrivers to be magnetic, other times you want
them to not be magnetic, luckily there are magnetiser/demagnetisers available, which work through stroking over a specific pattern of
permanent magnets, e.g.
<https://amazon.co.uk/magnetiser-demagnetiser/dp/B017QCIU88>
Probably available from screwstation at a higher price if you need it
today?
On 29/04/2026 12:31, Andy Burns wrote:
Jeff Gaines wrote:Tried it with some brass screws.-a Useless.
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw
until it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by pointing
it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
Sometimes you want screwdrivers to be magnetic, other times you want
them to not be magnetic, luckily there are magnetiser/demagnetisers
available, which work through stroking over a specific pattern of
permanent magnets, e.g.
<https://amazon.co.uk/magnetiser-demagnetiser/dp/B017QCIU88>
Probably available from screwstation at a higher price if you need it
today?
Re: that comment about sometimes you want a magnetic screwdriver, and sometimes you don't.-a I suppose you could just magnetise the screw, if
you only have a few to deal with.
On 29/04/2026 19:49, Sam Plusnet wrote:I suspect (hope!) that it was meant to bring a smile
On 29/04/2026 12:31, Andy Burns wrote:
Jeff Gaines wrote:Tried it with some brass screws.-a Useless.
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw
until it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by
pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct? >>>>
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
Sometimes you want screwdrivers to be magnetic, other times you want
them to not be magnetic, luckily there are magnetiser/demagnetisers
available, which work through stroking over a specific pattern of
permanent magnets, e.g.
<https://amazon.co.uk/magnetiser-demagnetiser/dp/B017QCIU88>
Probably available from screwstation at a higher price if you need it
today?
not surprising _Brass isn't magnetic
Re: that comment about sometimes you want a magnetic screwdriver, and
sometimes you don't.-a I suppose you could just magnetise the screw, if
you only have a few to deal with.
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw until
it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw until it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
On 29/04/2026 12:21, Jeff Gaines wrote:
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by pointing it
north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct?
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
That would be quite a weak magnet. Stronger would be to stroke the
length of a screwdriver, repeatedly with the same pole of a strong
magnet. You run the magnet along, always in the same direction, at the
end of the stroke, draw away, and back to the start.
You could simply stick a magnet, on the screwdriver, for a temporary
magnet.
Charles Hope wrote:
On 29/04/2026 19:49, Sam Plusnet wrote:I suspect (hope!) that it was meant to bring a smile
On 29/04/2026 12:31, Andy Burns wrote:
Jeff Gaines wrote:Tried it with some brass screws.a Useless.
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw
until it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by
pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct? >>>>>
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
Sometimes you want screwdrivers to be magnetic, other times you want
them to not be magnetic, luckily there are magnetiser/demagnetisers
available, which work through stroking over a specific pattern of
permanent magnets, e.g.
<https://amazon.co.uk/magnetiser-demagnetiser/dp/B017QCIU88>
Probably available from screwstation at a higher price if you need it >>>> today?
not surprising _Brass isn't magnetic
On Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:51:16 +0100, Sparky <"somewhere
else"@gmail.com> wrote:
Charles Hope wrote:
On 29/04/2026 19:49, Sam Plusnet wrote:I suspect (hope!) that it was meant to bring a smile
On 29/04/2026 12:31, Andy Burns wrote:
Jeff Gaines wrote:Tried it with some brass screws.-a Useless.
I have a couple of magnetic screwdrivers designed to hold a screw
until it is just above the socket then drop it.
When I was at school I was told you could magnetise steel by
pointing it north and hitting it with a hammer, is that still correct? >>>>>>
Is there a better way and how do I keep them magnestised please?
Sometimes you want screwdrivers to be magnetic, other times you want >>>>> them to not be magnetic, luckily there are magnetiser/demagnetisers
available, which work through stroking over a specific pattern of
permanent magnets, e.g.
<https://amazon.co.uk/magnetiser-demagnetiser/dp/B017QCIU88>
Probably available from screwstation at a higher price if you need it >>>>> today?
not surprising _Brass isn't magnetic
Unless our Mr Plusnet has recently undergone a sudden personality
transplant, I'm convinced of that.
<snip>
Nick
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