If you’ve ever painted a room, you’re already familiar with some of the common roadblocks: nails from hung pictures need to be removed, holes need to be filled in, trim needs taping off, and drop cloths need to be ready to catch any splattered paint. Continue reading →
When working with tools, there’s nothing more frustrating than a tiny screw bouncing off the workbench and disappearing into a dark corner. That’s why many tool manufacturers sell magnetic-tipped screwdrivers. While these are wonderful tools, it doesn’t mean you need to go running off to the store for a new set. By using a simple magnetizer/demagnetizer, you can make the regular old screwdrivers you already own magnetic or nonmagnetic any time you’d like. Continue reading →
You probably don’t think twice when you set your recycling on the curb in the morning. While you head to work for the day, an enormous truck comes by and devours the plastic bottles and soup cans. The truck then takes these materials to a recycling center, a location often hidden somewhere on the outskirts of town. Continue reading →
When you turn on the office lights with the flip of a switch, you can thank a magnet. Or, to be more accurate, a whole lot of magnets. That’s because the electricity powering those lights is being created at a power plant that uses a series of magnets to generate electricity. Continue reading →
We’ve all received wedding invites or Christmas photos with magnetic backings to attach to our refrigerators. While these magnets can be easily mailed in an envelope without much risk involved, more powerful magnets can do a lot of damage if improperly mailed. Continue reading →
To say chemist and physicist Michael Faraday had an impact on our understanding of electromagnetism would be an understatement. In fact, he basically established the field of electromagnetic research. You don’t get a scientific law and a unit of measurement named after you for nothing! In our latest installment of the Magnetic Personalities series, we’re taking a look at this great scientist’s amazing life. Continue reading →
You’ve probably seen them before: ring-shaped magnets that look like washers with wedges cut out of the middle. These are countersunk magnets. Also called countersink magnets, the design is intentional—the wedge and hole exist so the countersunk magnet can be anchored in place by a single screw. Their strange design makes them extremely useful in the right situations. Continue reading →
The magnets industry is constantly evolving. Researchers are always tinkering with new metal combinations to bring cheaper, more reliable magnets to the market. But the focus on magnets doesn’t stop on the surface of the earth. Recently, the Department of Energy awarded $20 million to extract rare earth elements from old coal mines in the Appalachians — a major development considering we’ve long depended on China to supply us with rare earth materials. Continue reading →
Whether you call it a gaussmeter or a teslameter, any device that can read the invisible strength of a magnet is an exciting product. But before you rip a gaussmeter out of its packaging and begin carrying it from magnet to magnet, it’s good to understand the product’s ins and outs. Continue reading →
Even inside the wondrous world of magnets, ferrofluid is especially magical the first time you see it in action. Though it’s a liquid, it behaves like a goopy solid when manipulated by a magnet. Instead of flowing freely, ferrofluid will contour in the shape of the magnetic field acting upon it, letting you manipulate it at will before returning to its original spot within the magnetic field. Continue reading →
If you’ve ever painted a room, you’re already familiar with some of the common roadblocks: nails from hung pictures need to be removed, holes need to be filled in, trim needs taping off, and drop cloths need to be ready to catch any splattered paint. Continue reading →
When working with tools, there’s nothing more frustrating than a tiny screw bouncing off the workbench and disappearing into a dark corner. That’s why many tool manufacturers sell magnetic-tipped screwdrivers. While these are wonderful tools, it doesn’t mean you need to go running off to the store for a new set. By using a simple magnetizer/demagnetizer, you can make the regular old screwdrivers you already own magnetic or nonmagnetic any time you’d like. Continue reading →
You probably don’t think twice when you set your recycling on the curb in the morning. While you head to work for the day, an enormous truck comes by and devours the plastic bottles and soup cans. The truck then takes these materials to a recycling center, a location often hidden somewhere on the outskirts of town. Continue reading →
When you turn on the office lights with the flip of a switch, you can thank a magnet. Or, to be more accurate, a whole lot of magnets. That’s because the electricity powering those lights is being created at a power plant that uses a series of magnets to generate electricity. Continue reading →
We’ve all received wedding invites or Christmas photos with magnetic backings to attach to our refrigerators. While these magnets can be easily mailed in an envelope without much risk involved, more powerful magnets can do a lot of damage if improperly mailed. Continue reading →
To say chemist and physicist Michael Faraday had an impact on our understanding of electromagnetism would be an understatement. In fact, he basically established the field of electromagnetic research. You don’t get a scientific law and a unit of measurement named after you for nothing! In our latest installment of the Magnetic Personalities series, we’re taking a look at this great scientist’s amazing life. Continue reading →
You’ve probably seen them before: ring-shaped magnets that look like washers with wedges cut out of the middle. These are countersunk magnets. Also called countersink magnets, the design is intentional—the wedge and hole exist so the countersunk magnet can be anchored in place by a single screw. Their strange design makes them extremely useful in the right situations. Continue reading →
