I recently purchased a Robert Sorby Oval Skew from Craft Supplies. I'm not positive, but I think it's magnetized. It really feels like it's sticking to the tool rest when I go to pick it up. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? So far, I don't think it's a bad thing, but I really just started using it. Should I de-magnetize it or leave it alone?
It probably doesn't matter, but if it was mine. I would probably demagnetize it. It could possibly get annoying after a while. Will it pick up small pieces of metal ? Do you have a means of demagnetizing it?
Alan van Art wrote' (clip) Should I de-magnetize it or leave it alone? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Probably won't matter unless you turn ironwood.
I would definitely demagnetize it as you lose some control due to the magnetism. Do you by any chance use a magnetic tool bar to store your skew. I have one of those and I have found that this will magnetize your tool. Remember, you want your tool to slide freely on your tool rest, any resistance at all takes some control away from you. Hope this helps.....Ralph
If it bothers you, sure. Don't be surprised if it feels no different in use afterward. Amount of magnetic attraction between them is in reality infinitesimal, perhaps mentally significant.
I use magnetic bars for the tools.
might be a big help if your working towards the north..
Mac
I do too. I also wax the top of my tool rest. The tools slide just fine. On smaller tools I'll notice some resistance when lifting the tool off the bar, but when I'm cutting I want the tool *on* the bar. Fewer surprises that way! So for me it's a non-issue...
...Kevin
It's strong enough to pick up a 3/32 allen wrench but none bigger. I'm not exactly sure how you go about de-magnetizing things, I don't have a clue which polarity it is. I suppose I could try using another magnet, but I might end up making it worse. I have no idea how it got that way, I don't use magnetic tool holders. I might start using them, though, sounds like a good way to tame my growing pile of turning tools. The magnetism is light enough that I haven't found it to be a nuisance yet.
A sharp blow can often demagnetize a weakly-magnetized piece of steel. Whack the skew on the edge of a bench or with a wooden mallet.
B.
"Buddy Matlosz" wrote: (clip) Whack the skew on the edge of a bench or with a wooden mallet. ^^^^^^^^^^^^ If that makes you feel better, do it. This subject has been previously discussed at great length--some say the magnetism will disrupt your turning, and others saying the opposite. I happen to think that the attraction of a slightly magnetic tool for the toolpost doesn't matter.
I doubt whether a wooden mallet gives the steel a sharp enough blow to have much effect. The accepted way to demagnetize a piece of steel is to place it in an alternating magnetic field (60 hertz is most convenient), and then remove it slowly with the power on. As the steel is witdrawn, the flux within the steel reverses over and over again, converging on zero.
Where to find such a field? An auto-electric shop, or a motor rewinding shop should have a "growler" that's used for testing armatures.
Yay! Let's hear it for magnetized tools. A while back this was quite a good topic on the news group. I had even posed the possibilty of using 500# pull magnets as a means of holding the lathe steady instead of pouring 2000#'s of concrete or sand in boxes under the lathe. Dire predictions flew like loosely mounted turning blanks! That much magnetism would pull all your tools off the wall and skewer you. Or you wouldn't be able to get near the lathe without the tool sticking to sompart of the lathe other than the tool rest! As it turns out, I didn't go through with my lathe mounting scheme; however, I do use the industrial strength magnetic strips to hold my tools with. I grant you that there is some magnetism on the tool and it can make the tool stick to the tool rest. The tool is not hindered in anyway by its attraction to the tool rest and may well glide more smoothly and evenly as a result of the magnetic field.. I did buy a degaussing tool from Harbor Freight or some such outfit in the event I wanted a magnetic field free too for some reason. I keep it mounted on my sharpening stand near the lathe, but have hardly had occasion to use it, at least for my turning tools. It is a hand held device with a circular ac coil at one end that you can pass the desired tool through to demagnetize it. I have found it handy for demagging, screw drivers and various other tools.
My advice: "Go with the flux!" *G*
Leif "Alan Van Art" wrote in message news:LM35d.1213$6f.645@trndny02...
Radio Shack used to sell a unit for clearing audio tape. It used an AC field . Might to the trick.
TTFN
Randy
Surprisingly... I have one of those. It's about the size of half a brick with a handle and it's grey. I use it to erase floppy disks.
I bought mine through Mscdirect.com. It is about $70.00. It is called a demagnetizer.
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