Neodymium (rare earth) magnet safety

yikes, I don't think I'd want to mess around with the larger sizes, although for some tasks I could do with bigger than the usual rice grain ones.

I did foolishly try drilling through one once, from a hard drive. I wanted to mount something non-ferrous to it with a screw. Drilling took an age to get anywhere and then as it broke through there was bright flash of light and smoke, plus 2 pieces of magnet. Ok, not doing that again!
 
I was just reading this thread and it made me wonder how they would warehouse the larger magnets. Anyone know how it's done? Are they shipped in big boxes to keep them away from any metal?
 
Having read this thread I was sure I could handle magnets without endangering myself or others.

How hard can this be. The other day I received several Spillmaster containers ... http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=891-5999 ... and had put various cutting oils in them. I was happy with their stability ... they did not tip over ... but they seemed to be a little light on weight and did not stay where they were put. I thought about putting some heavy metal object in them for ballast but then thought "why not a magnet?".

With confidence ... after all I had read this thread ... I ordered a set of 1.5 inch diameter, 1/16th inch thick magnets. When they arrived I opened the package and went into the shop. I pried one of the magnets off the stack, unscrewed the lid, dropped the magnet into the container and screwed the lid back on. A quick test drive on the end of the lathe compound suggested we were on the right track but a second magnet on top of the first one would increase the holding ability and we would be perfect.

"This is really simple and working out just like I planned". Note that this is often the phrase uttered just before the wheels come off. I pried another magnet off the stack, unscrewed the lid and started to drop the second magnet into the container. In an instant the second magnet slipped out of my fingers and joined the other magnet at the bottom of the container.

Luckily my fingers were not in the way.

Unlucky the cutting oil in the container between the two magnets was in the way. A miniature tsunami occurred inside the container as the inch tall column of cutting oil that had been between the two 1.5 inch diameter magnets was instantly expelled and found a new home on the shop floor.
 
You owe me a new keyboard, I just spit coffee all over mine. :roflmao:
 
Small ones have caused deaths too. There are reports of children swallowing then and in one case the two magnets caused their digestive tract to find in half and ruptured where the magnets pinched

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
 
Small ones have caused deaths too. There are reports of children swallowing then and in one case the two magnets caused their digestive tract to find in half and ruptured where the magnets pinched

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Yeah i saw recently that "Buckyballs" had been banned as they kept falling into the hands of kids that ate them, opps.

Stuart
 
Yeah i saw recently that "Buckyballs" had been banned as they kept falling into the hands of kids that ate them, opps.

Stuart

I have a set of Neocube magnets, very fun to play with. Interesting how magnet toys of similar types got away with it, only buckeyballs were banned to my knowledge.
 
I have a set of Neocube magnets, very fun to play with. Interesting how magnet toys of similar types got away with it, only buckeyballs were banned to my knowledge.

I think they were/are the best know brand, maybe they are packaged in a more toy looking way, humm.

on a side note if you need a gigle you nead to search on you tube for

"worlds strongest red neck with the worlds most powerfull magnets"

quite funny, hope he still has all hos fingures :)

Stuart
 
Since these magnets are made from the by products of nuclear reactors(I think),I wonder if they have some degree of radio activity about them?

Also,these magnets sound like a great way to ruin your cell phone,watch,or other valuable objects that they get too close to.
 
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