Super Strong Magnets

[+tollerdudes]

Ok, I invested in some Rare Earth Magnets to use on my nano cache, but this is what it says on the bag:

 

"Caution: Strong magnetic field. Keep magnets away from all electronic equipment (e.g., computers, television screens) or any other items that have information stored magnetically (e.g., credit cards, bank cards, computer disks). Magnets can corrupt stored data if placed too close."

 

Does this include GPSrs? Are they safe to use near GPSrs? Any info would be great. Thanks.

Edited January 24, 2007 by tollerdudes

[Clan Riffster]

An interesting question. Wish I knew a real answer. My guess is that the strongest one listed, (1"x1/8"), has a magnetic field of about 12". This is just a guess based upon me playing with rare earth magnets, so the real answer could be way off. Anything outside the magnetic field would not be affected. Hopefully someone that knows will chime in.

[+LostMontanan]

Hmmm, not sure about that. I bought some yesterday from Michael's that warned not to go near them if you wore a pacemaker. Sure wouldn't want to be responsible for killing off a cacher with a pace maker as he/she retrieved the cache container, lol.

[+briansnat]

I don't know but I keep them away from my digital electronic equipment just in case. By keep away, I mean I wouldn't put them in the same pocket together. I've carried my GPS on my belt and the rare earth magnets in my pocket or pack without a problem.

Edited January 24, 2007 by briansnat

[+tollerdudes]

I have one of the 1/4" x 1/10" ones and one of the 1/2" x 1/8" ones so possibly it won't be as bad. I just want to make sure that if I put on on a cache, it won't warp anybody's GPSrs.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I work regularly, as a research scientist, with very strong rare earth magnets on behalf of clients. You should have little to worry about regarding possible adverse effects upon the vast majority of GPSrs, but there are other matters of concern that you may wish to consider; among them are:

• some strong magnets can erase the magnetic strips on credit cards and magnetic ID cards from up to 10 inches away if moved near a pocket or backpack, etc., containing credit cards or ID cards.
  
• try to keep them at least 18 inches away from pacemakers or other in-body electronic devices; this includes alien implants in the brain or sinuses emplaced by the alien grays or reptoid reptilians
  
• if you are using two or more magnets, please remember that the magnets will often try to pull toward each other with great force, and, if allowed to so so, can easily shatter and will often eject metallic or ceramic particles at a very high velocity which can damage eyes or skin -- the magnetic particles are emitted with such high velocity because of the magnetic field strength acting upon the fragments.
  
• very powerful magnets can also pinch skin or crush fingers if not handled properly.
  

[+tollerdudes]

Great! Thanks for the info, Vinny & Sue Team.

[+NightPilot]

Flash memory, which is used in GPS receivers, is unaffected by magnetic fields. Magnetic hard disks, used in some PDAs, are affected. I wouldn't worry about using magnets to attach a cache container, though.

[+ron1337]

IF you do put it out, don't put it in St.Albert. lol

Put it near BC's house.

[bogleman]

One think I know for very sure is to not let your kids play with them near the TV - dad, look at the pretty rainbow on the TV.

 

Good thing it was an old TV it took about 6 months before the spot went away.

[+Renegade Knight]

...[*] very powerful magnets can also pinch skin or crush fingers if not handled properly.

 

My newphew works in the semiconductor industry as a mechanical engineer. He has a couple of very powerful magnets a salemsan gave him as samples. After much blood was spilled by numorouse people who played with the magnets and lost skin, he wrapped them in duct tape. It helped with the sharp edges, but you can still bruise your fingers if you are not careful. Naturally I'd like a set of those myself.

[chuckr30]

You can find strong rare earth magnets in hard drives, they are at the base of the read/write head. I took apart 2 drives and found them. Be prepared to drill out the tiny screws, my tiny torx bit broke while undoing one screw so I had to drill out the rest of the screws.

 

Magnets as strong as these WILL affect CRTs, this means TVs and computer monitors. But I'm not sure about LCDs which are used as flat screen computer monitors and in GPSr's. I would be careful and not take a chance.

 

Magnets will affect magnetic media such as: 8 track tapes, audio casettes, VHS casettes, hard drives, floppy disks. They will NOT affect CDs (computer or audio, they are made the same way) or DVDs. I do not know about thumb drives or SD cards, flash cards. Again I would not take the chance.

Edited January 24, 2007 by chuckr30

[+briansnat]

You can find strong rare earth magnets in hard drives, they are at the base of the read/write head. I took apart 2 drives and found them. Be prepared to drill out the tiny screws, my tiny torx bit broke while undoing one screw so I had to drill out the rest of the scr

 

I just ripped apart a hard drive last night. Geez those things are practcally bomb proof. Broke two metal drill bits drilling out the screws and had to resort to a hacksaw.

 

Anyway, wound up with two powerful magnets .

[Team Macha]

I have a friend that gets bunches of these from computers he rips apart, and they are incredibly strong once you stick it to some metal good luck getting it off. You have to slide it to the edge of the object because you cant just pick it up. I have also heard of the neodynium magnets too they are supposedly super strong too, they may be the same as the "rare earth magnets"

[+tollerdudes]

IF you do put it out, don't put it in St.Albert. lol

Put it near BC's house.

[+tollerdudes]

IF you do put it out, don't put it in St.Albert. lol

Put it near BC's house.

[+tollerdudes]

IF you do put it out, don't put it in St.Albert. lol

Put it near BC's house.

 

 

[+tollerdudes]

Wow, I tripled a post. Now how on earth did I manage to do that?

[vagabond]

You can find strong rare earth magnets in hard drives, they are at the base of the read/write head. I took apart 2 drives and found them. Be prepared to drill out the tiny screws, my tiny torx bit broke while undoing one screw so I had to drill out the rest of the scr

 

I just ripped apart a hard drive last night. Geez those things are practcally bomb proof. Broke two metal drill bits drilling out the screws and had to resort to a hacksaw.

 

Anyway, wound up with two powerful magnets .

 

Moto dremel with a cutting disc. works wonders

[rokclmb]

Wow, I tripled a post. Now how on earth did I manage to do that?

 

The funny thing is that the third post is different than the first two!

[+Team Quincy]

I've been looking for a neodymium magnet that I could use to attach an Altoids tin to the side of a metal building. This might work.

 

 

Check out the warning and shipping message.

 

[+EScout]

You can find strong rare earth magnets in hard drives, they are at the base of the read/write head. I took apart 2 drives and found them. Be prepared to drill out the tiny screws, my tiny torx bit broke while undoing one screw so I had to drill out the rest of the scr

 

I just ripped apart a hard drive last night. Geez those things are practcally bomb proof. Broke two metal drill bits drilling out the screws and had to resort to a hacksaw.

 

Anyway, wound up with two powerful magnets .

 

Moto dremel with a cutting disc. works wonders

Doesn't everyone have a set of Torx drivers?

In addition to taking apart hard drives they are useful for taking apart other things like my son's cell phone to dry it out after he dropped it in a toilet. (works great after rinsing in distilled water and drying.)

[Clan Riffster]

I've got a Torx set, but I think the smallest size is T-10. The screws in the last two hard drives I opened looked like T-8's.

Looks like a trip to Sears is in order!

In the other "magnet" thread, someone mentioned that these can be found in microwave ovens as well.

[+Snake & Rooster]

I've been looking for a neodymium magnet that I could use to attach an Altoids tin to the side of a metal building. This might work.

 

 

Check out the warning and shipping message.

 

 

 

 

This one would give new meaning to those drive up, cache and dash Altoids caches. You simply drive up, and the cache flies right up and attaches itself to your car.

[+JohnTee]

 

I just ripped apart a hard drive last night. Geez those things are practcally bomb proof. Broke two metal drill bits drilling out the screws and had to resort to a hacksaw.

 

Anyway, wound up with two powerful magnets .

 

He, he, he, he . . . I don't have a Torx bit that small . . . I thought that was what my vice, hammer and chisel were for!

 

JohnTee

[GermanSailor]

Hi,

 

as others already said, the GPSr itself and the Flashcards are not affected by magnets.

 

I personally tried what happens if you place a rare earth magnet on a SD Card. - The data wasn't affected at all.

 

However, if your GPSr comes with an integraten electronic compass, I believe that a strong magnet can damage are de-align (is it the right word for "make it less accurate") the sensor for the earth's magnetic field. (Flux sensor)

 

Definately keep those magnets away from traditional compasses.

 

It's important to know about those magnets, that stronger ones usually don't have a bigger "range" but there are stronger within the same range.

 

GermanSailor

[Dsorgnzd]

 

In the other "magnet" thread, someone mentioned that these can be found in microwave ovens as well.

 

I had to have the magnetron replaced in my microwave, and I did salvage the magnet from it (to play with, I've never grown up!) IMO, it is not nearly as powerful (for its size) as the magnets in hard drives. Still, it's worth a little time and effort to get at, if you're a gadget freak like I am.

[FlagFinder]

I've been looking for a neodymium magnet that I could use to attach an Altoids tin to the side of a metal building. This might work.

 

 

Check out the warning and shipping message.

 

 

 

 

This one would give new meaning to those drive up, cache and dash Altoids caches. You simply drive up, and the cache flies right up and attaches itself to your car.

wow lol i can just see them loading these into the ups truck, hey self loading!!!

[+Arndtwe]

I've been looking for a neodymium magnet that I could use to attach an Altoids tin to the side of a metal building. This might work.

 

 

Check out the warning and shipping message.

 

yeah!, and there only $200

[FlagFinder]

wow thats a lot imagine bringing that to the office lol suddenly as you walk in the lights dim and things start to shake... LOL

[+tollerdudes]

I've been looking for a neodymium magnet that I could use to attach an Altoids tin to the side of a metal building. This might work.

 

 

Check out the warning and shipping message.

 

 

Hmmm, that might work...

[GermanSailor]

Hi,

 

check this site out:

 

http://www.supermagnete.de/eng/magnets.php?group=blocks_big

 

Especially the "Death Magnet"

 

We call this magnet the DEATH MAGNET.

I have no idea what you can reasonably do with this magnet - it is simply too intense for most any use. Monitors, credit cards, video tapes - all down the drain. Tip: Only use this one with a thick piece of cardboard between it and the metal surface, otherwise you'll never be able to get them apart again. My advice: buy a smaller magnet! But when you think you really must have this monster: BE CAREFUL!!! And please never, never allow children to play with the Death Magnet.

 

The Peter Griffin in me wants to have such a magnet just because they advise you not to buy it. (You see marketing is not yet that sophisticated in Europe... )

 

GermanSailor

[+RoyalRed]

I brought home a rare earth magnet (about 2" diameter x 1' thick) from work to show my kids. They stuck it on the refrigerator and now I can't get it off. Its a great conversation piece when people come over. They always ask what it is and I tell them its just a magnet. Try getting it off. That usually results in people hovering around the refrigerator sliding this stupid magent all over the place but nobody can remove it!