Clean Welding Magnets in Seconds

**projectswithrich** · Feb 13, 2022, 09:27 AM

This is the fastest way I have found to clean welding magnets and other magnets in the shop. I also cover safety concerns and talk about the specific tools I use and recommend.

**Make Things** · Feb 13, 2022, 09:26 PM

My favorite technique is using hot glue…but this is cheaper! Where does all that stuff go, though?

**jdurand** · Feb 14, 2022, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by Make Things

My favorite technique is using hot glue…but this is cheaper! Where does all that stuff go, though?

The bits land on the pile of magnets he hasn't cleaned off yet.

They will also get into you socks and your spouses socks who wasn't even in the shop.

**projectswithrich** · Feb 14, 2022, 06:31 AM

Normally I'm plasma cutting so pieces come off the cnc table, dross is knocked off, and pieces are ground. I'll blow off the magnets so things can be welded and then ground further. At the end of the day I have a shop cleaning sweep routine followed up by vacuuming in the crevices. It is not really the cleaning of the magnets that get little metal pieces everywhere, they are already there from every other process and that is how they get on the magnets. The only way to really avoid that would be to have a shop with separate rooms for dirty and clean processes but I have a one room setup.

**hemmjo** · Feb 15, 2022, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by jdurand

...snip.. and your spouses socks who wasn't even in the shop.

I think this upsets my wife more than any of the others things I might do to upset her.

**WmRMeyers** · Feb 15, 2022, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by jdurand

The bits land on the pile of magnets he hasn't cleaned off yet.

They will also get into you socks and your spouses socks who wasn't even in the shop.

Around my place that would be a great way to lose all my wife's forbearance, and even support of my machining hobby... Ain't going there! I'm crazy, not stupid!

Bill

**jdurand** · Feb 14, 2022, 06:41 AM

My comment was really for swarf in general.

**projectswithrich** · Feb 14, 2022, 07:11 AM

You're definitely right, pieces get tracked everywhere even when you are careful. I've had to pull slivers from my socks several times even though they were just worn in the house.

**Toolmaker51** · Feb 14, 2022, 08:43 PM

Compressed air works; but I start with masking tape...usually pulls enough to clear the surfaces for use.

**Paul Alciatore** · Feb 20, 2022, 06:49 PM

Masking tape works but DUCT tape is even better. I use it to clean chips and debris off all my magnetic tools when needed.

And ALL the chips wind up in the trash bin, along with the tape. No secondary clean-up.

Originally Posted by Toolmaker51

Compressed air works; but I start with masking tape...usually pulls enough to clear the surfaces for use.