I'm pretty sure this has never been asked here before !!!

[BILL WZOREK]

How do you Demagnetize a tool ??

Here is the thing I have a magnet from a large speaker stuck to my 40 Ton Press to hold the tools that I would use there most often.
Well over time the tools that are attached there have in fact become magnetized to the point it is a pain when trying to use them they stick to every thing on the way to using them.

I was taught not to drop a magnet because it will loose it's Power / So I dropped the tools slammed them on the anvil beat them with a hammer but to no avail still as strong as ever.

ANY IDEAS ??????

[jim1932]

From what I have seen, the opposite side of the magnet should demagnetize it. Worth a try

[Mike51Merc]

Heat demagnetizes. Not sure how hot, but heat demagnetizes.

[Kurt in NJ]

I had a real nice cluster gear for the 46 I had, but is was magnetic enough to pick up a wrench ---i don't know how it got that way---but I took the old weller soldering gun and made a loop of copper wire large enough to pass the cluster through ---it took a while, several treatments and cooling periods (the weller got hot) but I got it demagnetized--in the end it wouldn't collect metal chips-

Now I have a teleivison degausser--found it at a yardsale, it was used to demagnetize old television picture tubes

[rotorwrench]

Many larger cities have non-destructive testing businesses that can perform Magnaflux or magnetic particle inspections either by wet method or dry. They use DC coils and direct contact current shots to magnitize a part in order to check it for cracks or other defects. After the inspection is completed, they run the part slowly through a large AC coil to de-magnetize. We used to do Magnaflux at the helicopter shop and we still have one of the big AC coils. It comes in handy now and then.

A persom can use a large 220 extension cord and form a coil with it and do the same thing but there has to be a good current load on the cable to get enough amp turns to do a good de-mag job. I've seen folks do it with some success with an AC-DC arc welding rig.

[Ronnie]

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Go to your local machine shop that does magna flux,they will have a loop to pass it through.
This is what I use for some engine components.

https://www.goodson.com/Small_Parts_Demagnetizer/

R

[Vic Piano]

Bill, did you ever consider that the tools may be attracted to your "magnetic" personality... LOL

[Jefscoupe]

Whack it on a piece of wood. About half way down the tool.
I do that with screwdrivers. It helps, but maybe not fully de-magnatizes it.
I don't know why wood, but an old foreman I had taught me that.
Worth a try.

[Flat Ernie]

You can try coiling an extension cord into a loop many times and taping it together to hold it tightly, then pass the tool back and forth through it.

[Mike51Merc]

Originally Posted by Jefscoupe

Whack it on a piece of wood. About half way down the tool.
I do that with screwdrivers. It helps, but maybe not fully de-magnatizes it.
I don't know why wood, but an old foreman I had taught me that.
Worth a try.

OMG, sorry but this made me laugh enough to bring tears to my eyes.

[Mike B]

You can demagnetize it with two magnets...but I don't know which way they should go.

I used to have this little thing with 4 magnets..sliding a small screw driver though one hole marked "magnetize"...the other hole was marked "demagnetize".

[OLD...BILL]

Good information, thanks ....guys... Bill as for your tools, just drop em in MY tool box... thanks ....OLD....BILL

[koates]

I use my generator armature testing growler to magnetize or demagnetize tools. Just sit your screwdriver in the growler and turn the growler ON and OFF several times or slide the screwdriver on and off, which ever works best. Regards, Kevin.

[BILL WZOREK]

Koates:
The Generator armature testing Growler WORKED GREAT
I set the allen wrench on there just a few seconds removed it /turned the wrench around did it again NO More magnetism

It was just a little thing having the tools Magnetized but it bugged the heck out of me.
The entire Garage could fall on my head & it would not bother me. But the little things
Boy Do they get me.

THANKS EVERY ONE !!!!!

[JM 35 Sedan]

Bill, when I first read this post I was going to mention an armature growler, but thought...nah, he won't have one of those . That's exactly what we used at the company that I worked for.
The key to demagnetization is the object must pass through a magnetic field (invisable lines of magnetic force) that are energised by AC (alternating current).
You can easily make something like this by using a 2 pole wound field from an old power tool, a standard light bulb socket with a 100w light bulb and a power cord. Wire these items in a series circuit. Energize the circuit and pass the item you want to demag through the center of the field coils and bingo, that item is demagnetized.

[BILL WZOREK]

John::
Like in one of my earlier posts At the end I may not win by having the most toys.
BUT I am most assured to get MOST HONORABLE MENTION. LOL

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Mike51Merc

Heat demagnetizes. Not sure how hot, but heat demagnetizes.

The temperature is the magnetic melting point also called the curing or neel temperature. See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlnZKSR73S0

[Bruce/CT]

This may sound dumb but I'd like to learn.
What is an armature growler?
Thanks,
Bruce/CT

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Bruce/CT

This may sound dumb but I'd like to learn.
What is an armature growler?
Thanks,
Bruce/CT

A growler is an electrical device used for testing the insulation of the armature of a motor or generator for shorted coils. A growler consists of a coil of wire wrapped around an iron core and connected to a source of AC current. When placed on the armature or stator core of a motor the growler acts as the primary of a transformer and the armature coils act as the secondary. A "feeler", a thin strip of steel (hacksaw blade) can be used as the short detector.
The alternating magnetic flux set up by the growler passes through the windings of the armature coil, generating an alternating voltage in the coil. A short in the coil creates a closed circuit that will act like the secondary coil of a transformer, with the growler acting like the primary coil. This will induce an alternating current in the shorted armature that will in turn cause an alternating magnetic field to encircle the shorted armature coil. A flat, broad, flexible piece of metal containing iron is used to detect the magnetic field generated by a shorted armature. A hacksaw blade is commonly used as a feeler. The alternating magnetic field induced by a shorted armature is strong at the surface of the armature, and when the feeler is lightly touched to the iron core of an armature winding, small currents are induced in the feeler that generate a third alternating magnetic field surrounding the feeler.
With the growler energized, the feeler is moved from slot to slot. When the feeler is moved over a slot containing the shorted coil, the alternating magnetic field will alternately attract and release the feeler, causing it to vibrate in synch with the alternating current. A strong vibration of the feeler accompanied by a growling noise indicated that the coil is shorted.

Here's a video of a growler testing a large armature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQ0heuV6VE