Removing rare Earth magnets

[Dean Center]

I used epoxy to place 3 pairs of rare Earth magnets in recesses to secure a lid on a base, but one of the pairs didn't come out aligned properly and the strength of the pairs is not adequate. I will heat up the pieces, as carefully as I can and try to slide the magnets out when the epoxy breaks down, and do a better job with slightly larger magnets.

BUT, I wondered what would happen if I just drilled them out. Anybody know? How hazardous is the stuff inside the case?

 

[Dennis J Gooding]

Just a thought. These magnets are very brittle and possibly you can shatter them with a center punch.

 

[Brian Gustin]

I used epoxy to place 3 pairs of rare Earth magnets in recesses to secure a lid on a base, but one of the pairs didn't come out aligned properly and the strength of the pairs is not adequate. I will heat up the pieces, as carefully as I can and try to slide the magnets out when the epoxy breaks down, and do a better job with slightly larger magnets.

BUT, I wondered what would happen if I just drilled them out. Anybody know? How hazardous is the stuff inside the case?

If they are of a suitable diameter that it could be a solution - could you perhaps use plug cutter of an appropriate size to cut a new recess (for a larger magnet, perhaps) while at the same time drilling out material surrounding the old magnet/epoxy (which then would be popped out with a screwdriver) ? wouldn't be a solution for every case, but an idea, if you have suitable material dimensions to work with..

 

[JeffSmith]

I removed some small ones (about 1/8" dia) using a very fine pyrography pen to heat it up then followed up with a chunk of steel to coax it out. Worked fine...

 

[Tom Lucas]

Along the lines of the pyro pens, a soldering iron right on the magnet would give you localized heat.

 

[stu senator]

google "drilling rare earth magnet"

The shiny coat is to prevent corrosion of the rare stuff iside, drilling it is not easy as the rare earth stuff is hard and makes dust and heat. Not good to breath and dust is hot and may ignite stuff nearby.

Stu

 

[JeffSmith]

just a thought - you could also use the kind of screw extractors that are essentially small hole saws. Find one slightly larger than the magnet and drill it out - turn a patch dowel..

 

[hockenbery]

I used epoxy to place 3 pairs of rare Earth magnets in recesses to secure a lid on a base, but one of the pairs didn't come out aligned properly and the strength of the pairs is not adequate. I will heat up the pieces, as carefully as I can and try to slide the magnets out when the epoxy breaks down, and do a better job with slightly larger magnets.

BUT, I wondered what would happen if I just drilled them out. Anybody know? How hazardous is the stuff inside the case?

Maybe just turn a new piece. I usually find the time spent to fix a mistake is time consuming, not fun, and often the finished result is lees than it should be.

 

[Dean Center]

Thanks for all the answers. The only screw extractor/hole saw I had was too big. Boiling in a large baggie didn't loosen the epoxy. (this is commonly to remove fishing rods grips and reel seats, but it's never worked for me) So I got out the soldering iron and heated. The magnets are so weak I couldn't overcome friction to get them out, so I had to pry them out of the hole. The new recess for the large magnets mostly covered the damage.

Al, I've already got 3 weeks into this stupid project, and I don't think I could ever be talked into making another one.

Some friends have a young dog who has chewed up 3 TV remotes. They asked me for a box in which to keep the current remote away from the dog, and, of course, I had to try to turn something rather than making a nice dovetailed little box. This is the third try:


You can't really see, but the top portion of the lower section was also turned, to match the inside of the top. The magnets are still not quite strong enough, but they will have to do.

Definitely not a project that Nick Cook is going to adopt.

 

[Bill Blasic]

I don't know what epoxy you used but the epoxy I use (making golf clubs and what I use for wood) the piece would be ash before that bond breaks.

 

[Tom Gall]

"Some friends have a young dog who has chewed up 3 TV remotes."
So,....what makes you/them think the dog won't chew the box - and then the remote!

 

[DON FRANK]

I'm thinking a little habanero on the remote would cure the problem in the future.

 

[Dean Center]

"Some friends have a young dog who has chewed up 3 TV remotes."
So,....what makes you/them think the dog won't chew the box - and then the remote!

The remote holder has very sharp edges on the base and is bigger than the dog's mouth. I'm a little worried he'll figure out how to grab it by the handle, though.

My first thought was that they should let the dog know who's in charge in his pack, but apparently he already knows. He is.