DIY Demagnetising tool that works

[Mark Presling]

If you are like me, you can get sick of tools like screwdrivers, scribers and allen keys that pick up swarf because the tool has gradually acquired a magnetic field. I purchased one of those little demagnetising tools that have a kind of staircase opening inside a plastic housing but was disappointed with the almost non existent effect on the tool. I wanted to build something better but I also didn't want to use anything like a modified transformer since they looked a bit scary. What I came up with was a device that can be used in the drill press, lathe or even a cordless drill. It uses four rare earth magnets with alternating pole orientation which can be spun so that the magnetic field is rapidly switched in the presence of the tool. All you have to do then is to slowly withdraw the tool from the effect of the spinning magnets. That's it!

[DIYer]

Thanks Mark Presling! We've added your Demagnetizer to our Miscellaneous category,
as well as to your builder page: Mark Presling's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Demagnetizer by Mark Presling

tags: demagnetizer

[tonyfoale]

Very neat, quite ingenious.
I made a demagnetiser and magnetiser from a transformer. Sometimes a magnetised screw driver or allen key is very useful so I can magnetise and then demagnetise at will.

[Beserkleyboy]

Well done, Mark! Thanks for the great video. That'll be on the must make list...I'm in the same mind as many, good to have driver bits magnetized SOMETIMES...and twist drills never....cheers
Jim in Sunny South Coast NSW

[tonyfoale]

........ good to have driver bits magnetized SOMETIMES...and twist drills never....cheers
Jim in Sunny South Coast NSW

That gets my vote.
Where on the south coast, I used to live in Cronulla, then Woronora.

[Beserkleyboy]

Tony,
Shoalhaven Heads, east of Berry. Small world, eh? Emigrated from SF (Orinda/Berkeley) Calif in 87, lived and worked in Sydney til 2003, moved to Bowral, down to coast 2012...this is probably the last stop...but ya never know...cheers
Jim Pearson

[tonyfoale]

Tony,
Shoalhaven Heads, east of Berry. Small world, eh? Emigrated from SF (Orinda/Berkeley) Calif in 87, lived and worked in Sydney til 2003, moved to Bowral, down to coast 2012...this is probably the last stop...but ya never know...cheers
Jim Pearson

Jim,
I left for the UK in 1971 to race in the Isle of Man, ran out of dosh, so no flight home, and had to make a life in Europe. Been in Spain for the past 30 years.

[Beserkleyboy]

Tony,
Travelled through Egypt, Spain, Morocco and Portugal in 2017. I could live in Spain or Portugal easily...but I'd have to brush up my schoolboy Spanish...Cheers
Jim

[Jon]

Congratulations Mark Presling - your Demagnetizer is the Homemade Tool of the Week!

Clever solution, and a great first-post win. You know it's a good homemade tool when, three days later, your build inspires someone else to build a similar tool.

Some more nice builds from this week:

$20 Tool Post Grinder by Welcome to the Machine
Ball Turning Device by Fintho
Simple Trailer Unloader by olefella
Drill to Mill Conversion by The Aussie Shed
Buffing Disc by Kovanca Polock
Magnetizer and Demagnetizer by tonyfoale
Table Clamp by Kwandotechnic
Half Step Ladder Attachment by rgsparber
Sand Muller by Bongodrummer
Bender by Bricoleando
Center Point Finder by Lahis
Axle Welding Fixture by Frank S
Rotatable Two-Tire Lift by racerdude31
Leveling Rake by frugalolegeezer
Bandsaw Fixed Jaw Alignment by rgsparber
Router Table by RCTURKA
Shark Tooth Scoop Shovel by frugalolegeezer
Shop Press Foot Cap Adapters by Unisawyer

Mark Presling - we've added your tool entry to our All Homemade Tool of the Week winners post. And, you'll now notice the wrench-on-pedestal award in the awards showcase in your postbit, visible beneath your username:



You'll be receiving a $25 online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and award choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

Nice work!

[Frank S]

hardly ever need to demagnetize anything usually I have the opposite problem I will need an Allen wrench or tool bit or screw driver magnetized for these I keep a small selection of button neo magnets in a wooden box When done I remove the magnet any residual magnetism left in the tool is fine by me if swarf becomes a problem just rap the tool against something to knock the swarf loose .
But I know that a lot of guys need their tools free of any residual magnetism your demagnetizer looks like it would fit the bill for that, good job