# diy magnet on a stick, need magnet knowledge



## theemon (Jan 14, 2013)

so i found this http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=ZB8 , under the search http://www.kjmagnetics.com/products.asp?cat=17 it says it picks up 9.67lb says good for tool hangers.


i would like to bolt a magnet to a stick to sweep over the ground to pick up nails screws metal etc. i mean say 6-8in above ground just sweeping back and forth, not visually seeing the nails. im thinking that i found would work, but thats a guess, if im wrong please tell me why, and for less then 2$ ea i was gonna buy extrA maybe put a few onthe stick, to give greater reach.

anyone got ideas? 

i know it will only pick up metal on top the ground, not buried.


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## sandfox007 (Feb 8, 2014)

They make such a tool that telescopes out and has a thumb screw.
Made out of light weight pipe like electrical conduit, bent and flattened at the magnet end with a flat metal base attached. The base is screwed to the pipe and the magnet is epoxied to the base. After burning an old house down I used one to pick up about 10 gallons of nails and hardware from the ashes.
Good luck


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## theemon (Jan 14, 2013)

Sandfox , do you got a name or a price? I can build mine for around 5-10$


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## blooba (Feb 9, 2010)

You mean something like this?










http://www.harborfreight.com/30-inch-magnetic-sweeper-with-wheels-93245.html#.UxaTSfldWQA


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## Guest (Mar 5, 2014)

Old stereo speakers have a pretty good sized magnet on the back of them . I used one to pick up roofing nails after a shingle reroofing job . Don't know if they would work from 8" away though .


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CQBZ4C...e=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B000CQBZ4C

50 lb pull....James


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

"i mean say 6-8in above ground"

That won't work. The strength of the magnetic force lines falls off dramatically the father away the magnet gets from the metallic object. A magnet that was strong enough to lift a nail from 6" would be so powerful it would be too dangerous to use if you could even find one. You would also never be able to remove the nail from the magnet.

Dragging a magnet along the ground will give the most pick-ups, but 1/2" to 1" is a good compromise.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

When I was a kid, my dad used to bring magnets home from work. He worked on mobile radar units in the Air Force... You want to talk about some serious magnets.... They could pick up nails from 6" or more.. 

It's a wonder none of us kids ever got fingers or hands smashed playing around with some of them..


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## blooba (Feb 9, 2010)

Maybe an electro magnet, could make it strong enough to pick up 6-8" away and then turn it off to get stuff off. Although it would use alot of electricity and you would have to plug it in.


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## beowoulf90 (Jan 13, 2004)

You can also scrounge the 2 magnets from an old microwave. they are approx. 2" in diameter and about 1/2' thick with an approx 1" hole in the center.


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