[GB SISSON]

Haven't heard anything back from the guy who I sent the files to. Maybe I'm just not 'big time' enough for his operation.... Thinking seriously of using Mart's plywood idea. A neighbor told me tonight he has a bunch of scrap 3/4" 13 ply Baltic birch. I water tested some scraps of this material a few years back in my rain barrel. A whole Pacific NW winter and good as new. I think I'd laminate them with formica faces (why not?) and maybe epoxy the edges. Waterpump same. Heck, these things woulda been tested by now if I'd listened to Mart!
And...... Today I ordered 2 rolls of 18 gauge magnet wire and 2 bottles of yellow iron powder. I have been researching magnets for a week now and think I want a horseshoe shaped electromagnet about 6" centers on the poles. Many visions for the 'horseshoe' have been dancing in my head. Section of a crankshaft? Piece of 1" rod heated and bent? An old C clamp I found? Welded bar stock? Seems steel retains magnetism far more than Iron does. I also have some steering shaft that would be easy to wrap before assembly as the hollow nature gives me centers. Then two pieces of heavy bar stock drilled to accept the steering shaft. Ok, my brain is spinning now. How 'bout a 4" pipe nipple say 3/4" pipe and onto the bar stock I weld a 3/4" coupling cut in half for two female threads. That way I can wrap the wire with any Rube Goldberg setup and crank the thing into alignment with my big crescent and the vice. Ok one more thing before I retire for the night... Is it ok the core is hollow? If not, fill with what? Oh, and how many turns of wire? Youtube is very vague so far. I should have 200' of 18 gauge. Thanks and to all a good night.